Membership

Membership with GAC empowers individuals and organizations to participate in the development of new accreditation standards, network with others working in the quality industry, gain valuable knowledge and training in new industries, and support and promote quality and public safety. Our members include private organizations, public institutions, and academic institutions of all sizes. GAC membership and accreditation are separate programs.

Although membership is not a requirement for accreditation, we strongly encourage all GAC-accredited organizations to become members to have a stronger voice in the organization and receive additional membership benefits.

Governance

GAC is governed by a Board of Directors.

Organizations are assessed by trained Assessors who are technical experts in their fields.

Accreditation decisions are made by the Accreditation Council.

The day-to-day operation of the organization is handled by the Staff Members at GAC Headquarters in Frederick, MD.

GAC Accreditation Agreements

To ensure the acceptance of work performed by GAC-accredited organizations, GAC has sought recognition and approval from international, domestic, and industry groups. Our accreditation programs are internationally-recognized and based on Globally-accepted criteria resulting in GAC’s signatory status with the following international recognition arrangements:

• International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA)
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA)
• Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MLA)

GAC’s domestic recognitions include Federal, State, Local, and industry partner confirmation that GAC’s programs meet the highest standards for quality. References to our recognitions can be found here.

GAC’s Commitment to Impartial Services

Consistent with the principles set forth in national and international standards, it is required that GAC’s services be impartial and objective, free from any undue commercial, financial and other pressures that could compromise impartiality, and uninfluenced by the private interests of individuals acting for or on behalf of GAC. GAC invites interested parties to submit potential risks of impartiality relating to its accreditation activities through its Contact Us feature located at the bottom of all GAC web pages.