NVLAP LAB BULLETIN NUMBER: LB-117-2020 PAGE 1 of 2

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National 

Institute of Standards and Technology National

Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program

ISSUE DATE:

February 3, 2020

LAB BULLETIN

NUMBER: LB-117-2020

LAPs: See below

SUBJECT: Update to NVLAP accreditation documents for laboratories accredited to 

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 under the ILAC MRA

The purpose of this bulletin is to notify laboratories in the following programs: Acoustical Testing 

Services, Calibration, and Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry, of NVLAP’s decision to update the 

NVLAP accreditation documents to include the NVLAP Combined ILAC MRA Mark for those 

laboratories currently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. This Combined ILAC MRA Mark will 

be included on the scope of accreditation and certificate of accreditation issued by NVLAP.

Please note that the issuance of the accreditation documents containing the NVLAP Combined 

ILAC MRA Mark does not provide accredited laboratories with the approval to use the 

Combined ILAC MRA Mark with the NVLAP symbol when referencing their accreditation.

Any laboratory that wishes to use the NVLAP Combined ILAC MRA Mark when referencing its

accreditation must submit an application to NVLAP based on the requirements set forth in NIST 

Handbook 150 Annex E. The application can be found on the NVLAP website at 

https://www.nist.gov/nvlap/referencing-nvlap-accreditation-and-use-ilac-combined-mark.

Background

NVLAP has a policy governing the protection and use of its accreditation symbol in accordance 

with ISO/IEC 17011, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies 

accrediting conformity assessment bodies, clause 8.2.1.b(6). NVLAP has published the 

requirements for referencing NVLAP accreditation in NIST Handbook 150, NVLAP Procedures 

and General Requirements, section 1.8 and Annex A, and Annex E.

NVLAP must also comply with the requirements found in the International Laboratory 

Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) in order to be a 

signatory. This set of requirements is published in ILAC-P8, regarding the use of accreditation 

symbols and for claims of accreditation status by accredited laboratories, and ILAC-R7, regarding 

the use of the ILAC MRA Mark.

Pursuant to recent requests, NVLAP has determined that the accreditation documents will be 

reissued to include the Combined ILAC MRA Mark for those laboratory accreditation programs 

under the ILAC MRA.
NVLAP LAB BULLETIN NUMBER: LB-117-2020 PAGE 2 of 2

Notice

NVLAP has initiated the publishing of the revised accreditation documents to include the 

Combined ILAC MRA Mark for all programs which are covered under the ILAC MRA. 

For those laboratories currently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 in the above-mentioned 

programs, the accreditation documents will be revised and made available on the NVLAP 

directory by February 29, 2020. The scope of accreditation will contain a revision date which 

reflects the date in which the updated document was created and published.

Hard copies of the accreditation documents will follow shortly thereafter.

If you have any questions, please contact your program manager.