Getting Started with the O-PAS™ Certification Program - SAMPLE PAGE

O-PAS Certification Home Page

 

The aim of the O-PAS Certification Program is to assure customers of the integrity of process control data interfaces.

More stuff about the program.

Demonstration of conformance is through an independent O-PAS Certification Program that provides third-party verification of Supplier claims

Products to be found conformant will gain certification and can use the O-PAS trademarked logo.

O-PAS Certification Process

How to Submit for Certification

When a Supplier is considering applying for certification, they need to consider which Profiles their product will certify against. There is a list of available Profiles on the main page. At this time, these are the only Profiles that can be verified and certified.

With these programs, there are three stages to certification: Preparation, Verification, and Certification

Preparation

Preparation is where a Supplier reads through all the necessary documentation and uses the available toolset(s) to evaluate if their product can be certified. Once they feel that are ready, they can move to the Verification phase.

The Supplier must become familiar with the following:

For an overview of the O-PAS Certification Program, please review these key documents:

• Body of Knowledge
• Certification Policy
• Certification Guide
• Applicable Verification Matrixes
• Verfication Matrix Guide
• Verfication Matrixes
• Verification Tool Set(s)
• Verification Procedures
• Recognized Verification Labs
• Recognized Test Tools
• Certification Agreement
• Trademark License Agreement

Verification

Verification is where an independent entity uses the same toolset(s) to assess and verify that the Supplier’s product does meet the applicable conformance requirements. Once the Supplier passes the verification process, the Supplier can proceed to the certification stage.

• Log in to your account at The Open Group here. If you do not have an account create one here. 
• Complete the online Application for Certification to register your intent to certify. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation with your Certification ID (CID). You will need this throughout your certification.
• Complete the Conformance Statement . On this form, the Supplier will select their chosen Verification Authority. When the form is submitted, it will be emailed to both the Verification Authority and Certification Authority.
• Complete the verification process with the chosen VA

Certification

Certification is where the Certification Authority provides a formal recognition of a product’s conformance the applicable conformance requirements. The Certification Authority collects the necessary documentation and fees, and then reviews for correctness and completeness. Once the Certification Authority is satisfied, then we issue the certificate, put the product on the certification register, and provide a certification logo to the Supplier.

The selected Verification Lab will provide the necessary documentation to the Certification Authority to prove that the proper verification was completed and that all the applicable requirements have passed the verification stage.

The Supplier must now:

• Complete the online Organizational Contacts Form that designates the various individuals within the Organization who are the points of contact for certification by providing their name and email for the following contact roles: 

1. Authorized Signatory - the person who has overall responsibility for the certification activity for your Organization and who is authorized to enter into legal commitments on behalf of the Organization.
2. Primary Certification Contact - the individual who is the primary contact for all certification activity and issues across your Organization.
3. Alternate Certification Contact (optional) - a person who is an alternate to the Primary Certification Contact and who has the same rights and responsibilities for certification.
4. Organization Finance Contact - your Organization's primary contact for payment or invoicing issues related to certification.
5. Organization Marketing Contact (optional) - the individual to contact for any certification related marketing issues.

• Complete the online Legal Documentation form. Download and sign the Certification Agreement and Trademark License Agreement (Digital signatures are accepted). Upload the signed documents to the Legal Documentation form to be submitted.
• Pay the fee at The Open Group Shop. If your organization requires an invoice, you can request on during the checkout process.
• Once all previous steps are completed, the Certification Authority will review the entire submission and notify the Organization in writing of the outcome of the certification process.
• If successful the Certification Authority will issue the Certification certificate and update the Certification Register.

To check the status of an application in progress enter your Certification ID on the Application Dashboardonline form. 

If you have any questions regarding the certification process you can reach out to the Certification Authority here.

O-PAS Verification Labs

The Open Group is the Certification Authority for the program and responsible for its operation. The program also utilizes independent lab for the conformance verification. The only labs eligible to participate in the O-PAS Certification Program are those listed on the O-PAS Accredited Verification Lab Register.

For details on how to qualify for and become an O-PAS Verification Lab, please see the Verification Entity Requirements and the O-PAS Verification Lab documents and review the O-PAS Verification Lab Accreditation Agreement.

 

After reading the applicable documents, if you have further questions please contact the Certification Authority.