This specification covers agencies engaged in system analysis and compliance assurance for manufactured building. The administrative agency may utilize the services and facilities of building-evaluation agencies in carrying out its responsibilities for evaluating manufactured building systems. By providing criteria for evaluating these agencies, this standard's objective is to (1) utilize the voluntary standards system to provide a common base for the various regulatory approaches employed by the authorities having jurisdiction, and (2) make provision for varying degrees of optional technical support for the certification of manufactured building. The system analysis agency is responsible for determining whether a building system, including the design, materials, and fabrication process, is in conformance with applicable requirements. The documents of the system analysis function are: product description document, compliance assurance manual, and installation documents. The general procedures for system analysis are presented in details. The tasks of system analysis project manager, technical staff evaluating building systems, technical staff evaluating compliance assurance manuals, and project manager evaluating building systems are presented in details. The requirements and criteria for compliance assurance agencies are presented. The task of compliance assurance agency project manager, technical staff preparing compliance assurance manuals, compliance assurance supervisor of inspection, and compliance assurance inspector are presented in details.

1.1 This specification provides the criteria for the administrative agency that has regulatory authority as granted by the authority having jurisdiction AHJ to evaluate the capabilities and qualifications of building evaluation agencies, that performs system analysis or compliance assurance or both for certification of manufactured building on behalf of an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) that meet the needs of regulatory programs. Administrative agencies and building evaluation agencies (third-party agencies) are the primary users of the standard.

1.2 To establish an appropriate degree of intra- and inter-state credibility regarding building system evaluations made through governmental or private agencies, the authorities having jurisdiction should utilize an oversight and approval process for the building-evaluation agencies that provide the services of system analysis or compliance assurance on behalf of the AHJ that may include: approval by the AHJ for both oversight and or auditing of the regulatory body, or approval by the AHJ and oversight, and or auditing by an independent auditor for the regulatory body, or approval with the AHJ and oversight, and auditing by an independent accreditation agency.

1.3 Building-evaluation agencies examined under this specification may include governmental or private agencies or both.

1.4 Practice E651 may be used to support the evaluation of building-evaluation agencies. Other criteria such as independence, financial stability, and objectivity may need to be considered.

Note 1: Practice E651 is intended as a companion standard to Specification E541 and includes questions that should be asked of system analysis and compliance assurance agencies in order for the administrative agency to evaluate their competency.

1.5 These criteria set forth the minimum personnel requirements and the technical and organizational procedures required for building-evaluation agencies engaged in evaluating manufactured building.

1.6 Criteria are included for building-evaluation agencies evaluating innovative as well as conventional building systems, against applicable requirements.

1.7 Building-evaluation agencies involved in testing, quality assurance, and evaluating building components can be evaluated by using Specification E699.

1.7.1 Specification E699 is used in conjunction with Specification E541 and Practice E651. This specification defines the minimum requirements for agencies engaged in inspections and testing performance in accordance with ASTM standards for factory-built building components and assemblies. The criteria in this specification are provided for assessing the competence of an agency to properly perform designation testing, quality assurance, and inspection.

1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.9 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.