To streamline your certification process, you can submit your application and supporting documents online to the certifying agency. This simplifies the process and reduces the time needed to complete and mail physical documents.

As part of the application process, you will be required to answer questions and provide documentation that is considered private and confidential. For this reason, you must use a user account to log into the system. Access to your application is strictly limited to the person who creates the application (you), any specific company staff you authorize (always create new accounts for other employees—do not share accounts), and certification/support staff you explicitly authorize.

The application system is secure. All communications between you and the system are encrypted, your company information is stored on computer servers in a secure facility, and all confidential data is encrypted at all times.

Once you've logged in, click Renew/Apply for Certification under Key Actions on the right side of the Dashboard.

NOTE: Some organizations require the submission of a vendor registration form prior to the certification application; complete the registration form and continue to the application list by using the link on the final page of the registration.

In the Select an Option list, click the Your firm is NOT currently certified. The page will expand to offer additional options as it guides you to the correct application.

Initial view for a sample scenario. Not all users will see the same options.

Your firm is not currently certified by a qualifying agency in your area.

If you're ineligible for a selected option, a STOP message will appear with a possible explanation.

NOTE: If unsure of which application to submit, contact the organization before starting the process. Submitting the incorrect application form will result in processing delay and possible denial.

Company & Contact Information

To create an application, you will need to select a company type and application auto-fill option. The company type is used to customize the questions and documents on the application form. The auto-fill option provides the opportunity to use another application to fill in the questions on the form, saving time and effort in completing the process.

Eligibility Requirements

At the bottom of the application start page is a list of eligibility requirements. Review each carefully and select an answer. Click Continue when ready to proceed. If any of the answers are incorrect, you will be prevented from continuing. Consider carefully the explanation noted. You can return to the list and resubmit, but if your firm and its ownership are not qualified for certification, it will be denied.

Document List Preview

Before the application is created, you will be shown a list of documents that must be submitted with your application. If you are unable or unwilling to provide the required documentation, your application will be denied. Check the box and Continue at the top of the page to start the application process. Once you've click continue the clock starts to submit all of the documents before the application deletes are you must start over.

Answering Questions

The application questions are grouped into sections. You can complete the sections in any order, and the questions in each section can be answered in any order. Click Save Draft  frequently while filling out the form to ensure that your information is saved permitting you to return to the application in the future for convenience or if you are timed out of the system. Questions are based on your company type (structure). 

Answer all questions as completely as possible and that are applicable to your business.  Questions highlighted in red are Required & incomplete and must be answered. Questions highlighted in yellow are Optional & incomplete and should be answered if applicable to your firm. Questions highlighted in green are Complete. When all sections and the document list are complete, the entire application is completed and can be signed and submitted.

Some questions are formatted as a table to permit multiple lines to be entered. Fill in the fields for a line and click the To add more lines, save page link to save the data and add more blank lines to the table. To remove a line, delete the data from all fields and save.

Once the section is complete, click Save & Return to Summary.

Security

The application system is secure. All communications between you and the system are encrypted, your company information is stored on computer servers in a secure facility, and confidential data is encrypted at all times. Access to your application is strictly limited to the person that creates the application (you), any other specific company staff you authorize (always create new accounts for other employees, do not share accounts), and certification/support staff that you specifically authorize.

Seeking Assistance

During the application process, you may require assistance. To contact Customer Support, click the Customer Support link at the top or bottom of every page. Type the issue and click Send. Your query will be routed to the appropriate staff use for response. The more detailed your submission, the faster the support team will be able to determine a resolution and respond to your query.

Supporting Documents

Your application requires submission of certain documents. The documents required are based upon your company type and can be submitted in electronic or hardcopy.

Please note that as a condition of your application for certification, you are required to maintain in your office the original documents provided. The agency will review these original documents, including the signed and notarized certification affidavit, during the site visit, if applicable. Furthermore, the agency reserves the right to inspect in person and/or request original documents by mail of any supporting document at any time during the term of certification.

When you first view the document list, you will be required to select electronic or hardcopy format. All documents must be submitted in the same format. If you decide that you would prefer to use the other format after making an initial selection, you can clear the list at any time and repeat the process.

Mandatory Documents vs Required Documents

The documents listed are split into two sections. All documents must be attached or marked as Not Applicable to complete the application.

1. Mandatory Documents must be provided with your application. There are no exceptions and failure to provide all of these documents will result in an immediate delay in the processing of your application.

2. Required Documents must be provided if applicable to your firm. Review the document type and included notes to determine the relevance of the document. If the staff reviewer determines that a document not provided is needed, they will contact you to obtain the file, resulting in a delay in the processing of your application. If a document is not applicable to your firm, you must mark it Not Applicable.

Attaching Electronic Documents

To attach an electronic file, click the Attach link. In the popup window (you may need to allow your Internet browser to permit popup windows), click the Browse button to find the relevant file. Click Attach File to upload to your application; for larger files it may take several minutes for the process to complete. You can upload as many files as needed for a particular document type. Once the file is uploaded and listed on the page, you can close the window. If the document is not applOn the document list, click Refresh to update the status of the list.

Acknowledging Hardcopy Documents

If you choose to provide your documentation in hardcopy format, you must still acknowledge the documents. Click the checkbox next to each file you will be providing and click Acknowledge. When you are ready to submit the application, a cover page and document list will be provided for your package.

File Limitations of Electronic Documents

The types of files that you can attach are restricted to maintain system security. We recommend that you use PDF, DOC, XLS, and JPG formatted files. Other files types may not be easily readable by staff and may delay the review of your application.

Attached files are limited to 10 MB. This is not a limitation of the system, but a reasonable maximum size that staff users are able to open and view on their computers. Larger files cannot be easily read or printed. If your electronic files exceed the 10MB limit, you will need to rescan at a lower resolution or compress the file.

Signing the Application

Once all sections and the document list have been completed, you will be able to access the Signature tab. Type your name as a digital representation of your signature, your title, confirm the date and company name, check the confirmation box, and click Sign Application. You will be automatically redirected to the application submission page.

NOTE: If you need to make a change to your application after signing but before submitting, return to the Signature tab and click Clear Signature.

Submitting the Application

Click Submit Application to send your application. The page will refresh and you will be displayed final information based on your document format choice.

NOTE: Once submitted, you cannot edit or recall your application.

For Hardcopy Documents

Because you chose to submit your supporting documents in hardcopy format, there is an additional step required.

Use the links displayed in the Required Actions section to download and print final documentation. The Supporting Document List link will provide a printable checklist that you can use to ensure that all documents are provided.

Order the documents according to the list, place the printed Supporting Document List on top, then the Cover Page on the top of the packet. Seal the documents in a secure envelope. Send or drop off the package at the address listed at the bottom of the cover page.

Your application will not be reviewed until all documents are received. A weekly reminder will be sent until you provide the documents.

For Electronic Documents

There is nothing further to do. Your application will be received by staff and processed. Click BUTTON to view the full application to print or convert to PDF for saving.

Application Review Process

Once received, your application will be closely reviewed by staff. The application form and supporting documents will be read closely to verify if your firm meets or continues to meet the requirements for certification.

During this review, additional information is often identified as necessary. Staff will create a “Question” in the system for you to answer, which may also require submission of additional documentation. You will receive a notification when a question is asked. The response must be submitted within the system as the question and answer may contain confidential data and are not for disclosure outside the security of your account. The review of your application may be suspended if you do not respond to the question in a timely manner.

To response to a question, access the application and click the Q&A tab. Click the question to be answered in the list.

Answer the question, attach any requested documentation, and submit the response. If you chose hardcopy documentation, you will be presented with a cover page after submitting the answer for you to include with your document submission.

FAQs

Returned Applications

If you have not provided key information on the application, the organization may not consider it to be a valid submission. In this case, the organization might “return” the application to you for further review and resubmission. You will receive an email alert if this happens along with a reason for the action. Follow the instructions provided to resubmit.

Ineligible Applications

If your firm does not meet the basic eligibility criteria for certification but you still submit and application, the organization may mark your application as ”ineligible” and apply a penalty time period during which you cannot reapply. In this circumstance, you will receive an email alert along with a reason. No further action can be taken on the application, although you may contact the organization for further explanation and clarification.

Unresponsive Applications

If you choose to submit the supporting documentation in hardcopy format, you are required to provide the files within a certain time period during which you cannot reapply. In this circumstance, you will receive an email alert along with a reason. No further action can be taken on the application.

What is the status of my application?

Throughout the process, you will receive notifications when status changes. This status can also be viewed on the application in the system. At the conclusion of the application review, you will receive a letter noting the final decision.

If you still require additional assistance, close this tab and return back to the system and submit a support ticket.