On August 9, 2016, the ISO organization and the IATF jointly released a message: IATF 16949:2016 will replace the current ISO/TS 16949:2009 standard and regulate the requirements of the quality management system of various organizations in the automotive industry. The standard will be based on and refer to the latest version of the ISO quality management system standard ISO 9001:2015. The official standard is expected to be officially released in October this year.

At the same time, the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has published the latest transition guidance document Transition Strategy: ISO/TS 16949 to IATF 16949 for interested parties (e.g. organizations, certification bodies and auditors) to provide guidance and supersede the transition guidance document published on the official IATF website in April 2016.

  The new version of the standard is about to be released. The editor summarizes the five key information in this guidance document for you, foresight, and fully prepared for a smooth transition to the new version of the standard!

  Key Information 1: Conversion Time Requirements

   As of October 1, 2017, audits of ISO/TS 16949:2009 (initial audits, surveillance audits, recertification audits or transfer audits) will cease.

Organizations already certified to ISO/TS 16949:2009 should be based on established audit arrangements within the current audit cycle (e.g. in current surveillance audits or re-certification audits) and in accordance with IATF Certification Rules (referred to as IATF Rules) 5.1.1 The specified time period requires a transition audit to the new IATF 16949:2016 standard.

If the next scheduled audit is an annual surveillance audit, the transition audit shall meet the relevant provisions of 6 months (one month in advance/delay), 9 months (two months in advance or one month in advance) or 12 months (in advance three months or one month later). In the event that this time point cannot be met, the certification body shall initiate the withdrawal process in accordance with IATF Rule 8.1 e). The relevant on-site auditor shall reschedule the transition audit in accordance with IATF Rule 8.4.

   If the next scheduled audit is a re-certification audit, the audit period shall meet the transition audit time requirements of IATF Rule 5.1.1 (up to three months earlier, but not later).

   If the transition audit is not completed within the time period specified in IATF Rule 5.1.1 (or the decertification process has been initiated in accordance with IATF Rule 8.4), the organization is required to re-run the initial audit based on the following permitted deviations:

  -- As long as the organization conducts an initial audit to IATF 16949 within 18 months of the last ISO/TS16949:2009 audit, the Stage 1 audit is exempt. In this case, the certification body does not need to apply for an exemption from the relevant IATF regulatory body.

  Key message 2: Organizations certified to ISO/TS 16949:2009 cannot directly transition to IATF 16949:2016 in the following cases

   Transfer Audit to IATF Newly Accredited Certification Body

   Special audits or any other audits that do not match existing ISO/TS 16949:2009 audit cycle nodes

  Key Information 3: Conversion Audit Requirements‍‍

The transition audit shall be completed within the time required by IATF Rule 5.2 and, like the recertification audit, shall be a complete system audit and shall comply with all requirements specified in IATF Rule 6.8.

  The audit plan shall meet all the requirements specified in IATF Rule 5.7 and meet the following specific requirements:

   An off-site documentation review is required prior to the transition audit. An off-site documentation review shall include, at a minimum, a review of the organization's quality management system documentation (eg, quality manuals and procedures) and include relevant evidence of compliance with IATF 16949 requirements.

   If the organization does not provide the required information above, the audit plan should include at least 0.5 days of additional audit time for the auditor to collect and review the missing information on-site prior to the one-hour on-site meeting.

  Key information 4: Management of unqualified conversion audits

  When the certification body finds non-conformities in the transition audit, the organization and the certification body shall comply with the following requirements:

   Perform a non-conformity management process as specified in IATF Rule 5.11.

   Initiate the withdrawal process in accordance with IATF Rules 8.1 c) and 8.2. If significant non-conformities are identified during the transition audit, a suspension decision shall be made in accordance with IATF Rule 8.3.

  Key Information 5: Preliminary Review of IATF 16949

  All organizations that require a preliminary audit can be certified to ISO/TS 16949 before October 1, 2017, but the ISO/TS 16949 certificate will expire on September 14, 2018.

   Since October 1, 2017, organizations can only conduct audits and certifications to the IATF 16949 standard. Organizations requiring an initial IATF 16949 audit may reduce the number of audit days at their discretion based on the following:

  A. Organizations with valid ISO 9001:2015 certification

   From the existing ISO 9001:2015 to the second stage of the IATF 16949 audit days, the number of days reduced shall not exceed 30% of the second stage of the initial audit man-days (refer to IATF Rule 5.2, Table 5.2).

   Organizations are subject to IATF 16949 audits arranged by certification bodies for which ISO 9001:2015 audits are conducted.

  If customers who have been certified to ISO 9001:2015 choose another certification body for certification, the new certification body must conduct at least one ISO 9001:2015 surveillance audit before the IATF 16949 transition audit is completed.

  If the scope of the initial review is expanded, there is no conversion review person-day discount. The audit time of the second stage of the preliminary audit must be in accordance with the regulations and cannot be reduced.

   Conversion benefits are not available for organisations with valid ISO 9001:2008 certification. The audit time of the second stage of the preliminary audit must be in accordance with the regulations and cannot be reduced.

  B. Organizations with valid VDA 6.1 and ISO 9001 certifications:

   From VDA 6.1 and ISO 9001:2015 to the second stage of IATF 16949 audit days, the reduction of the number of days shall not exceed 50% of the first stage of the second stage of the audit days (refer to IATF Rules 5.2, Table 5.2 Provisions).

   Conversion benefits are not available for organizations with valid VDA 6.1 and ISO 9001:2008 certifications. The audit time of the second stage of the preliminary audit must be in accordance with the regulations and cannot be reduced.

  If the scope of the initial review is expanded, there is no conversion review person-day discount. The audit time of the second stage of the preliminary audit must be in accordance with the regulations and cannot be reduced.

  C, with a valid ISO/TS 16949 compliance certificate:

   Referring to IATF Rule 5.14.4, the conversion preference policy does not apply to organizations with a valid ISO/TS 16949:2009 compliance letter. The audit time of the second stage of the preliminary audit must be in accordance with the regulations and cannot be reduced.

  D. Organizations that previously had ISO/TS 16949 certification but did not conduct re-certification audits on time:

   For organizations with previously revoked ISO/TS 16949:2009 certification, according to Section 5.4 h) of the IATF Rules, the audit time of the second stage of the initial audit shall not be equal to the time of the re-certification audit. The review time must be the same as the initial review time.

  but:

   If the certification body performing the initial audit is also the certification body that revoked its certificate, and the second stage audit of the initial audit is conducted within 12 months after the missed conversion audit, the organization may be exempted from the first stage audit.

  If the above conditions are not met, the organization must conduct an on-site Phase 1 audit.