Management of Extraordinary Events – COVID-19 Notices from IAQG and IATF®

“Management of Extraordinary Events…” that is how the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) began their latest Notice for Suppliers regarding COVID-19. Under these extraordinary circumstances, simpleQuE is sharing information from the aerospace and automotive oversight organizations to address the concerns of our clients.

IAQG Interim Steps

IAQG is anticipating an increase in missed audits and expired AS9100 series certificates due to delays in recertification audits as a result of Novel Coronavirus.  To counter this, IAQG offers an interim step and asks Certification Bodies (CBs) to conduct virtual audits if possible and to follow up with on-site audits as soon as the certified organization is able to support them.  Per the Notice for Accreditation Bodies and Certification Bodies concerning Novel Coronavirus –   COVID-19

IATF® Revision & Waivers

In February 2022, the International Automotive Task Force (IATF®)  published its latest revision –  IATF Measures Coronavirus Pandemic COVID-19 – Revision 7, advising all IATF®-recognized certification bodies (and all affected IATF 16949® certified organizations and other stakeholders) that the IATF® has approved additional global waivers in response to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

IATF Measures Coronavirus Pandemic COVID-19  was initially released in March 2020, due to the surge of COVID-19 cases around the world, and the IATF® is allowing remote auditing for organizations/sites that are directly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, and where it is demonstrably evident that a regular onsite audit will not be possible.  A Remote Auditing section was added, including audit day calculation audit planning and conducting the remote audit. The Annex A IATF Remote Audit Requirements was also incorporated.  

Note that:  the IATF® requires that audits due from January 1, 2021 forward be conducted onsite or remotely and the certification body can no longer apply the conditions and waivers described in the previous revisions of this document. Special conditions do apply if the organization is not operating or not manufacturing automotive products when the audit is due. 

What To Do Next?

Certified organizations should contact their CB to discuss their situation and work on an acceptable audit plan.  Also keep in mind that simpleQuE auditors are available to perform 2^nd party internal and remote audits in order to maintain your quality management system during this time of unprecedented challenges.

SimpleQuE is not associated with the IATF®, IAOB, ANAB®, IAQG®, and is not a certification body. SimpleQuE is an independent consulting, training, and second-party auditing service provider that assists a company on a path for the company to obtain and maintain certification through accredited certification bodies.