NVLAP LAB BULLETIN NUMBER: LB-151-2023 Page 1 of 2

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program

ISSUE DATE:

August 2, 2023

LAB BULLETIN

NUMBER: LB-151-2023

LAP: ECT

SUBJECT: Change in process to request expansion to ECT Scope of Accreditation

Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to notify accredited laboratories in the Electromagnetic Compatibility & 

Telecommunications (ECT) laboratory accreditation program (LAP) of a change in the process to 

request an expansion to their scope of accreditation. 

Overview

The ECT LAP has a large quantity of methods. For instance, when international methods are published, 

regional and national versions, based on the international version, are subsequently published. 

Laboratory customers often require accredited testing to the international version, as well as similar 

regional and national versions, which require an accredited laboratory to include these regional and 

national versions on their scope. Since NVLAP also includes the issue dates of all these methods, 

multiple versions of a test may appear on a laboratory’s scope. 

In addition, records of verifications are required to be provided with any request, even when method 

versions are similar. ISO/IEC 17025:2017, 7.2.1.5 requires that, “The laboratory shall verify that it can 

properly perform methods before introducing them by ensuring that it can achieve the required 

performance. Records of the verification shall be retained. If the method is revised by the issuing body, 

verification shall be repeated to the extent necessary.”

When new methods or version updates are not available under the Scope of Accreditation page in the 

Lab Portal, the laboratory’s request alerts NVLAP staff to add new and updated methods to the 

Available Test Method list.

Background

Until now, laboratories would request scope changes in a variety of ways (e.g., via email to the 

program manager, typing into text fields or uploading documents in different places in the NVLAP 

Interactive Web System (NIWS) Lab portal, completing the previous version of the ECT scope 

expansion request form). To assist laboratories with providing scope expansion requests for review,

NVLAP has updated the ECT Scope Expansion Request form to ensure that a consistent process is in 

place. This new form will direct an accredited laboratory to initiate their request in the NIWS Lab 

portal which will help streamline the review of the request and allow the laboratory to present the 

request at any stage in their accreditation cycle. The instructions will also ensure that laboratories 

provide the information necessary to review the request including required verification records.

New process

Effective immediately, the laboratory must use the NIWS Lab portal and the updated ECT Scope 

Expansion Request form for any requested additions or version updates to a scope of accreditation. 
NVLAP LAB BULLETIN NUMBER: LB-151-2023 Page 2 of 2

Please note that not using this new process may delay NVLAP’s review of requested scope expansions.

The updated ECT Scope Expansion Request form has been attached and is also available in the Lab 

portal under the Lab Documents link for the Scope Documents category. 

The instructions on the form direct a laboratory how and where to perform actions in the NIWS Lab 

portal, including where required information must be uploaded for a laboratory’s request to be reviewed.

If the lab requires the scope expansion earlier than the next onsite assessment, the completed request 

form and supporting documents must be uploaded for review by NVLAP staff and the assessor who 

most recently assessed the lab.

Please retain this NVLAP lab bulletin for future reference.

Questions concerning NVLAP accreditation and the ECT scope expansion process should be directed to 

ECT program managers Amanda McDonald, amanda.mcdonald@nist.gov and Janneth Marcelo, 

janneth.marcelo@nist.gov.