Q: Can a firm apply for certification in May and request an on-site review in August if four months of data have not been collected for each performance measure?
A: The firm can apply for certification in May and request an initial on-site review in August; however, four months of data for each performance measure must be available at the time of the on-site review. Data collection can be retrospective. If the firm wants to have an on-site in August, they should collect data for the months of March, April, May, and June, or if available, July to comprise the four months needed.
Q: Do firms have to use the hard copy data collection tools (forms) found in the implementation guide?
A: The data collection tools available in the implementation guide are optional. These forms are aids that can be used to guide data collection; however, other data collection tools, such as electronic reports and internally developed forms are other possible options for data collection. All data collection tools (e.g., forms, reports, etc.) utilized by the firm should be retained for the on-site review. Read more.