The statement
ASC's recognition status.
The American Standardization Council (ASC) is a private, independent accreditation body organized as a limited liability partnership in the United States, established in 2020.
ASC is not a signatory to the multilateral recognition arrangements of the IAF or ILAC (merged into GLOBAC effective 1 January 2026), is not a member of GLOBAC or its regional cooperations, and is not a government agency or governmentally recognized accreditation body.
ASC operates its accreditation programs in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011:2017 and publishes its impartiality, confidentiality, conflict-of-interest, anti-bribery, fee, and complaints-and-appeals policies, and its assessment procedures, on its public documents portal.
ASC has submitted an application to the US FDA's Accredited Third-Party Certification Program; recognition is pending FDA review. No recognition should be inferred unless granted.
Before relying on any accreditation, ASC's or anyone's, confirm in writing with your customer, regulator, or tendering authority which accreditation they accept.
Acceptance guide
Where ASC accreditation fits.
| Use case | Independent (ASC) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private B2B supply-chain requirements | Generally accepted where the buyer accepts it | Confirm with the buyer; many private schemes set their own rules. |
| Internal & supplier quality programs | Accepted | Independent third-party verification of competence. |
| Marketing & brand claims | Accepted | Claims must match your published scope and status in our directory. |
| Training & personnel certification | Accepted | Including ASC-PCS-001 Lean Six Sigma. |
| Government tenders that explicitly specify IAF/ILAC/GLOBAC MLA accreditation | Not accepted | Explicit requirements of this kind appear in parts of public procurement in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and several US federal programs. |
| Government tenders that do not specify an accreditation body | Varies; confirm in writing | A silent tender is not automatic acceptance. Some committees verify certificates against recognized registers; others accept any competent third-party accreditation. |
| Schemes mandating GLOBAC ABs (e.g., GFSI benchmarked schemes) | Not accepted | Scheme rules control. |
This table is guidance, not legal advice. Acceptance rules change; the authority you answer to has the final word.
FAQ
Direct questions, direct answers.
Is ASC recognized by IAF, ILAC, or GLOBAC?
No. ASC is not a signatory to the IAF/ILAC (since January 2026, GLOBAC) multilateral recognition arrangements, and is not a member of those cooperations. ASC is a private, independent accreditation body.
Is ASC a government agency, or government-recognized?
No. ASC is a privately held partnership registered in the United States. Registration in a US state is not government recognition of an accreditation program, and ASC does not claim any such recognition. ASC has submitted an application to the US FDA's Accredited Third-Party Certification Program; recognition is pending FDA review.
Is ASC 'ISO/IEC 17011 certified'?
No accreditation body is certified to ISO/IEC 17011. The standard is applied through operation and, within cooperations, peer evaluation. ASC operates its programs in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011:2017 and publishes the policies and procedures that demonstrate it.
Will ASC accreditation be accepted for my government tender?
It depends on the tender. Where the tender explicitly requires accreditation by a GLOBAC (IAF/ILAC) MLA signatory or a specific national body, ASC accreditation will not meet that requirement. Many tenders do not specify an accreditation body; a silent tender is not a guarantee of acceptance, because some committees verify certificates against recognized registers. Ask the tendering authority in writing before relying on any accreditation, ours included.
Then what is ASC accreditation good for?
Independent verification of competence in private, business-to-business supply chains; internal and supplier quality programs; marketing claims backed by a public register; training and personnel certification; and proprietary schemes such as ASC-PCS-001 Lean Six Sigma.
Still unsure whether ASC fits your case?
Ask us before you apply. If ASC accreditation will not meet your requirement, we will say so.