Question 1

What does A2LA accreditation mean?

Accepted Answer

A2LA (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation) is a non-profit, third-party accreditation body that assesses laboratories against ISO/IEC 17025 and other international standards. A2LA accreditation signifies that the lab has demonstrated technical competence, sound quality management, and NIST-traceable measurement systems. It is recognized internationally and required by many OEM quality programs, defense contracts, and regulatory agencies.

Question 2

Is A2LA the same as ISO 17025 accreditation?

Accepted Answer

A2LA is one of several US accreditation bodies that grant ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. ISO 17025 is the international standard itself; A2LA is the organization that performs the conformity assessment. Other US bodies that grant ISO 17025 accreditation include NVLAP, ANAB, IAS, and PJLA. All are recognized under ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) mutual recognition arrangements.

Question 3

How do I verify that a lab is currently A2LA accredited?

Accepted Answer

A2LA maintains a public online directory at a2la.org where you can search by lab name, certificate number, or scope. Every accredited lab receives a certificate with an expiration date and a scope document listing the specific tests, calibrations, and measurement ranges covered. Always verify the scope includes your specific requirement before submitting an order.

Question 4

Does A2LA accreditation cover both testing and calibration?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A2LA accredits labs across testing (mechanical, environmental, EMC, chemical, biological, materials), calibration (dimensional, electrical, pressure, mass/force, temperature), inspection bodies, and reference material producers. Each lab's scope document specifies exactly which capabilities are accredited. A lab may be A2LA accredited for calibration but not for testing, or vice versa.

Question 5

Is A2LA accreditation required for government contracts?

Accepted Answer

Many federal agencies and defense contractors specify A2LA (or equivalent ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation) as a requirement. NAVAIR, the FDA, EPA, and various DoD quality programs reference ISO 17025 accreditation as a prerequisite for laboratory data acceptance. A2LA is one of the most widely recognized bodies for meeting these requirements domestically.

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