NATA appoints Accreditation Advisory Committees (AACs) who provide advice on technical matters and administrative support for specific areas of accreditation aligned with defined activities or industries.

Each AAC consists of a group of experts appointed by the Board, and the size and membership of an AAC is dependent on the needs of the area of accreditation.

If additional technical input to support the AAC is required, they may consult with professional bodies on an as-needed basis.

The primary role of an AAC is to provide advice and recommendations for the associated area/activity of accreditation.

AACs may be tasked with:

• Reviewing assessment reports and recommending to NATA’s Board the granting, extension, or changes to the accreditation status of organisations
• Approving new technical assessors
• Developing and reviewing criteria specific to the work carried out by accredited organisations in the particular area of accreditation
• Providing guidance on interpretation of the criteria included in the relevant Standard used for accreditation
• Supporting assessors and assist in their technical training as necessary
• Keeping NATA abreast of technical developments and strategic issues in industry
• Acting as a liaison between NATA and relevant industry and professional societies
• Identifying potential new areas of accreditation

All information obtained in connection with a committee’s activities are treated as confidential by all members of the committee according to the NATA Rules. All committee members are made aware of this requirement and must sign a confidentiality agreement at the time of appointment. Any observer who may be invited to attend an AAC meeting is also required to be bound by the same confidentiality agreement.

Committee members are required to declare any conflict of interest they may have in relation to the activities of the committee.