Criteria for NIST Designation of US Third Party 

Testing Laboratories to Mexico under the 

US-Mexico Mutual Recognition Agreement

Issue Date: January 29, 2020
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 2 of 9

Introduction

The Mutual Recognition Agreement Between the Government of the United Mexican 

States and the Government of the United States of America for Conformity Assessment of 

Telecommunications Equipment (US-Mexico Telecom MRA, MRA, or Agreement) was 

signed on May 26, 2011 and implemented by the US on September 26, 2017.

This Agreement provides for the mutual recognition of qualified testing laboratories

(hereafter referred to as CABs – conformity assessment bodies) by the US and Mexican 

governments, and for the mutual acceptance of the results of testing undertaken by these 

CABs for specific technical regulations specified by each Party in the relevant MRA 

Annex I1. 

Each MRA Partner’s regulatory scheme may differ in the requirements (1) for the types 

of telecommunication equipment that must be tested, (2) in the applicable technical 

regulations, test methods, and standards that must be applied, and (3) in any further 

certification and/or homologation that must be conducted before the equipment can be 

placed on the market. The activities related to product certification and homologation fall 

outside the scope of this US-Mexico Telecom MRA. 

NIST is the US Designating Authority under the MRA. NIST reviews and processes

requests from qualified third-party CABs for designation to Mexico’s telecom regulator, 

Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT). IFT makes the decision on recognition of

US CABs. 

A US third party CAB seeking designation by NIST and recognition by Mexico shall 

meet the requirements identified in this document. 

To apply for designation, the US third party CAB shall submit the documentation and 

information listed in the Application Checklist located in Section 8.0 of this document to 

the NIST Telecom MRA Program Office via e-mail at mra@nist.gov. 

1 Please refer to Section 6.0 of this document. 
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 3 of 9

1.0 General Requirements for Designation

To be eligible for designation by NIST to Mexico for consideration as a recognized CAB

for testing of telecommunications equipment to one or more of the technical regulations 

covered under the MRA (see Section 6.0), the following criteria shall be met by the CAB: 

1.1 The CAB shall be a legally identifiable third-party test lab located in the US.

Note: Mexico does not accept designations from first-party and second party 

testing laboratories. [MRA, Appendix B, II (2)] 

1.2 The CAB shall be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited by a US laboratory accreditation 

body (lab AB) that is NIST-Listed2as acceptable for use by US CABs for NIST 

MRA designations under the EMC/Telecom MRAs signed by the US. 

1.3 The CAB’s ISO/IEC 17025 Scope of Accreditation shall contain one or more of

the NOMs (Official Mexican Standards) and IFT Technical Provisions covered 

under the MRA (See Section 6.0). The Scope of Accreditation format shall 

include all information noted in Section 2.0 of this document. 

1.4 The CAB shall only subcontract testing covered under its scope of recognition to 

other third-party testing laboratories also recognized by IFT for the relevant 

NOMs and IFT Technical Provisions.

1.5 The CAB shall have sufficient technical knowledge of Mexico’s relevant 

telecommunications laws and the technical regulations applicable to the scope of 

testing for which recognition from IFT is being sought. 

1.6 The CAB is responsible for staying up-to-date with the relevant laws, technical 

regulations, procedures and rules of Mexico as these apply under the MRA.

1.7 The CAB shall have access to the applicable NOMs and IFT Technical Provisions 

in English or have the capability to accurately translate the technical requirements 

from Spanish to English. 

1.8 The CAB shall renew recognition in accordance with instructions provided by 

NIST and in accordance with IFT requirements.

2 https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/accreditation-bodies-mras
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 4 of 9

2.0 Scope of Accreditation Requirements – Content/Format

2.1 Content/Format

The Scope of Accreditation shall include the applicable NOMs and IFT Technical 

Provision available for recognition under the MRA (see Section 6.0).

For each NOM and IFT Technical Provision, the Scope of Accreditation should 

reference the specific sections and subsections of the applicable test methods in the 

NOMs and IFT Technical Provisions that the CAB has been deemed competent to 

perform. 

2.2 Example Format

Scope of Accreditation Example 

Type of Test

Radiated Emissions

Standard and Test Method Sections/SubSections

IFT-008-2015 

Sections: 5.1.4.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2.1, 5.2.3, 5.3.1.1, 

5.3.1.2, 5.3.1.3, 5.3.1.4, 5.3.1.5, 5.3.3, 5.4.1, 

5.4.1 Method 1, 5.4.1 Method 2, 5.4.2 (A1-

M1, A2, A2-M2, A2-M3, A2-M4), 5.4.3, 

5.5.1, 5.5.2, 5.6.1, 5.6.2 (all subsections); 

NOM-208-SCFI-2016 (all subsections) 

3.0 Expiration

3.1 IFT requires that CABs be accredited for a two-year accreditation period. 

3.2 If a US CAB is accredited for a period of validity that exceeds two years (as allowed 

by ISO/IEC 17011), NIST will designate the US CAB for no more than two years at a 

time. The designation period must be updated at the end of the two years. 

3.3 IFT recognition expires when the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation expires. To continue 

recognition, the CAB must provide evidence of continued ISO/IEC 17025 

accreditation. Additional information may be required to continue recognition. NIST 

will request the renewal information from CABs in advance of the expiration date. 
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 5 of 9

4.0 Test Report Signatories Requirements

When applying for designation to NIST, the CAB shall submit a list of competent test 

report signatories who have been approved by the NIST-Listed AB. The details for this 

list and its management are noted below.

4.1 For each NOM and IFT Technical Provision for which recognition is

being sought, the CAB shall maintain a list of the qualified competent test report

signatories that sign applicable test reports. 

4.2 The CAB shall obtain written confirmation (in the form of a letter, for example) 

from the NIST-Listed AB that the signatories identified by the CAB are 

competent to sign the test reports. 

4.3 The written confirmation shall identify the full name of each signatory, the 

effective date of AB approval, and the NOMs and IFT Technical Provisions 

applicable to that signatory. 

4.4 The written confirmation of the competent signatories issued by the NIST-Listed 

AB shall be provided to NIST as part of the application process. 

4.5 NIST will provide this information to IFT upon designation. 

[IFT will provide the list to the relevant Mexican certification bodies (CB) that 

will be receiving test reports from recognized CABs. Test reports issued by the 

recognized CAB are accepted by the relevant Mexican CBs only if the test report 

signatory is on record with the Mexican CB.]

4.6 The CAB shall keep test report signatory information up-to-date with their AB 

and NIST. If there are changes to the list, the CAB shall provide NIST with an 

updated written confirmation from their AB. 

5.0 Accreditation Body Assessment Documentation and Translation 

 Requirements

In accordance with the text of the MRA, for initial designation, the CAB shall submit the 

following assessment documentation in English (original AB version) to NIST.

5.1 The AB issued ISO/IEC 17025 Assessment Report signed by the assigned 

Assessor(s) and the associated AB assessment checklist (or other AB assessment 

documentation) showing the ISO/IEC 17025 clauses that were assessed and the 

determination of compliance.

5.2 The AB issued ISO/IEC 17025 Assessment Deficiency Report
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 6 of 9

5.3 The CAB’s written Corrective Action Responses (with objective evidence where 

applicable, and as approved by the AB) for all technical deficiencies related to the 

technical scope of competency for which recognition from Mexico is being 

sought.

5.4 The CAB shall provide Corrective Action Response information related to other 

deficiencies noted in the AB issued Deficiency Report if so requested by IFT. 

For subsequent renewals of IFT recognition, the AB assessment information is not 

currently required. 

6.0 Standards/Technical Provisions Covered under the MRA 

The current standards (NOMs) and Technical Provisions available for IFT recognition are

provide on the NIST TEL MRA webpage for the US-Mexico MRA: 

https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/us-mexico-mra

7.0 IFT Resources

• IFT website: http://www.ift.org.mx/

• IFT webpage to the Guidelines for Accreditation, Authorization, Designation and

Recognition

http://www.ift.org.mx/industria/politica_regulatoria/laboratorios-de-prueba.

• Guidelines for Recognition of Third Party Testing Laboratories Designated by a 

Designating Authority of a Foreign Government (Canada or United States of 

America) 

http://inventariotramites.ift.org.mx/mitweb/#!/tramite/UCS-04-067

• List of Third Party Mexican Testing Laboratories Recognized by IFT:

http://www.ift.org.mx/industria/lista-de-laboratorios-de-prueba

• List of the Third Party MRA Testing Laboratories Recognized by IFT: 

http://www.ift.org.mx/industria/lista-de-laboratorios-de-prueba-de-tercera-parteextranjeros-reconocidos

• IFT Conformity Assessment Overview for Telecommunications Equipment

IFT has provided diagrams illustrating how the MRA fits in to the broader 

conformity assessment system for telecommunications equipment in Mexico. The 

flow diagrams show the process for testing, certification, use of experts (Peritos), 

and homologation. The diagrams are posted at the bottom of NIST’s Mexico 

MRA Designation webpage: https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/us-mexico-mra
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 7 of 9

8.0 US CAB Designation Application

To apply for designation, the CAB shall meet all requirements stated in this document 

and shall submit the following checklist along with the indicated documents/information

to the NIST MRA Program Office at mra@nist.gov.

Application CAB 

use

Copy of this Application Checklist

Cover letter or e-mail that includes: organization name, web address, 

mailing address, physical address of laboratory, main phone number, and 

the CAB’s primary and alternate contact information (name, title, email 

address and phone number) for that location

Written confirmation letter signed by top management confirming that (1) 

the CAB is a third party independent testing laboratory and (2) the CAB 

shall only subcontract relevant testing covered under their IFT recognition 

to other third-party testing laboratories also recognized by IFT for the 

relevant NOMs and IFT Technical Provision.

Refer to Sections 1.1 and 1.4 of this document. 

A copy of the ISO/IEC 17025 Scope of Accreditation and Certificate of 

Accreditation valid for at least six months with

- Relevant NOMs and IFT Technical Provisions 

Refer to Section 2.0 of this document. 

Written confirmation letter from AB with approved signatories

Refer to Section 4.0 of this document. 

The AB issued ISO/IEC 17025 Assessment Report in English and the AB 

issued ISO/IEC 17025 Checklist showing the clauses that have been 

assessed. 

Refer to Section 5.1 of this document. 

The AB issued ISO/IEC 17025 Assessment Deficiency Report in English 

Refer to Section 5.2 of this document

The CAB’s written Corrective Action Responses for relevant technical 

deficiencies in English 

Refer to Section 5.3 of this document 

Signed CAB Declaration Form

NAME OF CAB: _____________________________________________________

COMPLETED BY: ____________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 8 of 9

9.0 Document Control Information

Date Version # Other Details

September 26, 2017 Version 1.0 Initial version released. 

October 17, 2018 Version 2.0 Cover page: 

Removed Notice

Section 2.1

Made the references to the sub-sections 

optional (changed shall to should)

Sections 5.0 and 8.0: 

Requirement for Spanish translation of 

assessment documents removed

Section 3.0:

Clarified two-year accreditation period 

requirement

Added details on IFT recognition expiration 

and need for renewal process 

Section 6.0: 

Added language to clarify that standards 

available for recognition are included on the 

NIST TEL MRA webpage

Section 6.1 

Removed this section

Section 6.2

Removed this section 

Section 8.0

Updated the checklist to remove requirement 

for Spanish translation of assessment 

documents

Added requirement for submittal of the AB’s 

ISO/IEC 17025 Checklist that shows which 

clauses were assessed
NIST Designation Criteria for Mexico Version 2.1 Page 9 of 9

Date Version # Other Details

January 29, 2020 Version 2.1 Section 7.0 

Updated several hyperlinks 

Section 7.0

Added link to IFT list of Labs Recognized 

under the MRAs

Section 8.0 

Updated NIST CAB Declaration link 

For questions about the information contained in this document, please contact the NIST 

Telecom MRA Program Office via e-mail at mra@nist.gov.