Founded in 1996, the International Certification Accreditation Council (ICAC) is a nonprofit alliance of organizations focused on accrediting certification and credentialing programs. Its standards operate using the international guidelines established as a quality assurance regime for accreditation bodies (ISO/IEC 17011 – Conformity Assessment: General Requirements for Accreditation Bodies Accrediting Conformity Assessment Bodies).
ICAC's stated goal is to accredit smaller organizations that may not be able to afford accreditation from more mainstream accrediting bodies. The organization operates largely through volunteer labor from member organizations.
ICAC has reviewed and accredited approximately 100 certification programs since it was established.
The organization began to accredit remote proctoring service providers in 2020.
ICAC's accreditation process is designed for small and mid-sized certification programs.
The process begins with an initial consultation. Then, program providers must submit a formal application with a non-refundable fee. An Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) is assigned to the applying organization, which then submits documentation demonstrating compliance with ISO/IEC 17024. Once documentation is reviewed and approved, ICAC conducts an on-site or virtual inspection.
Accreditation is valid for five years, with an annual surveillance review and a mid-term review in year three.
A single application covers all certification programs an organization offers, provided they follow the same administrative processes.
International Certification Accreditation Council. (n.d.). About ICAC. https://www.icacnet.org/about-icac/
International Certification Accreditation Council. (n.d.). How the process works. https://www.icacnet.org/accreditation-services/
International Certification Accreditation Council. (n.d.). Membership. https://www.icacnet.org/membership/