ISO 9001:2008 recertification approved for AEDC's prime contractor

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Personnel with AEDC's prime contractor ATA are credited with accomplishing ISO 9001:2008 recertification.

ATA was certified ISO 9001:2008 compliant after an audit performed by external registrar Det Norske Veritas (DNV.)

"Each ATA employee directly contributed significantly to this major accomplishment which requires commitment to our process based management system, professionalism and teamwork," said Jerry "JT" Northcutt, ATA quality manager and management system branch manager. "Maintaining ISO 9001 certification is a contract requirement specified by the government."

The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2008 provides guidance and tools for companies and organizations who want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customer's requirements.

DNV uses a certification standard produced by the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) to certify ATA.

This audit assessed the maintenance and compliance of ATA's established management system like policies and procedures. An audit reveals evidence that the system is continually improving and meeting customer requirements. The audit resulted in a three-year recertification which continues through the end of ATA's current contract with AEDC.

"Recertification to the ISO 9001:2008 Standard means that the ATA Management System has proven inherent value over time for sustaining and improving organizational performance for operating and maintaining AEDC," Northcutt said. "Also, being ISO certified is a requirement to provide test and development services for some of AEDC's commercial customers."

ISO 9001:2008's strategic tools reduce costs by minimizing waste and errors and increasing productivity. Some benefits for implementing standards also include enhanced customer satisfaction and environmental benefits.

Northcutt explained that ATA's discipline in executing policies, procedures, methodologies and practices reduces the variability of AEDC's products and services maintaining the Complex's unique capabilities.

"This is more relevant to AEDC today than ever before," he said. "Our nation is developing fewer new aerospace and weapons systems. Accordingly, there is less tolerance for those development efforts to fail in cost, schedule, or budget expectations.

"Process discipline and continual improvement is a key to meeting this objective. Developing and maintaining our management system to meet ISO 9001 certification requirements has proven time and again to enable the kind of process discipline needed by AEDC."

ISO 9001:2008 is implemented by more than one million companies and organizations in more than 170 countries.