Accreditation Agreement Terms
The standard contractual terms governing CHSPS accreditation applications and accredited status. Applicant-specific scope, fees and effective dates are generated in the secure portal and incorporated into the executed agreement.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | CHSPS-ACC-103 |
| Title | Accreditation Agreement Terms |
| Edition | 2026.1 |
| Status | Published Agreement Terms — applicant-specific Accreditation Schedule required |
| Owner | Legal & Corporate Governance |
| Supersedes | New document |
| Next review | Annual controlled-document review or earlier if law/policy changes |
| Publication authority | CHSPS controlled-document publication authority |
Purpose
These standard agreement terms govern CHSPS formal accreditation engagements. Each applicant executes an applicant-specific Accreditation Schedule identifying the legal entity, pathway, scope, applicable editions, fees, term and authorized signatories; the Schedule incorporates these terms by reference.
1. Parties and scope
1.1 This Agreement is between the Commission for Health, Safety & Professional Standards, Inc. (“CHSPS”), the organization identified as CHSPS, and the legal entity identified as Applicant in the executed Accreditation Schedule (“Applicant”).
1.2 It governs the application for, review of, and — if granted — the maintenance of accreditation for the accreditation scope identified in the executed Accreditation Schedule, under the standards and controlled policies published by CHSPS and identified by version in Schedule A.
2. Incorporated documents and precedence
2.1 The CHSPS standards, effective Fee Schedule and controlled policies identified in the executed Schedule A will be incorporated by reference. In case of conflict, this Agreement prevails over summaries on the CHSPS website, and effective controlled documents prevail over informational pages.
2.2 Standards or policy versions applicable to this application are those in force at execution; mid-application changes apply only per the published transition policy and never retroactively.
3. Applicant obligations
3.1 Applicant shall provide accurate, current and complete information; material misstatement or omission is grounds for denial or, post-decision, withdrawal of accreditation.
3.2 Applicant shall cooperate with review, meet stated deadlines (or seek extension before they pass), maintain the confidentiality of reviewer identities and draft findings until final, notify CHSPS of material changes during review, and pay fees per the effective schedule identified in the executed agreement.
4. CHSPS obligations
4.1 CHSPS shall review only against the published, incorporated requirements; deliver stage outcomes in writing with reasons traceable to clauses; screen every reviewer and decision-maker for conflicts; protect Applicant’s materials per CHSPS-ACC-104; and meet its published service standards or communicate a revised date with reasons.
5. Fees
5.1 Fees will be due per CHSPS-ACC-105 Fee Schedule identified in the executed agreement; invoices net 30. Nonpayment pauses the application after notice. All fees are non-refundable once paid, including where an applicant withdraws, terminates the engagement or does not complete the review. Duplicate or erroneous charges will be corrected, and rights that applicable law makes non-waivable are unaffected. No fee is contingent on outcome.
6. No guarantee; no reliance
6.1 Application, payment, education participation and membership create no entitlement to accreditation and no accredited status. Applicant shall make no public statement suggesting otherwise prior to a final decision.
7. Confidentiality
7.1 Each party shall protect the other’s confidential information per CHSPS-ACC-104, which is incorporated and survives termination.
8. Mark license
8.1 Upon (and only upon) a decision of Accredited or Accredited — Compliance Report Required, CHSPS grants a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the applicable CHSPS Accredited seal within the accredited scope, subject to CHSPS-ACC-106 Mark & Claims Policy. The license terminates automatically on expiration, suspension, withdrawal or termination of this Agreement.
9. Decisions, reconsideration and appeals
9.1 Decisions, findings classifications, reconsideration and appeals are governed by CHSPS-ACC-101 Decisions & Status Definitions and CHSPS-ACC-102 Reconsideration, Complaints & Appeals Procedure. The Appeals Panel’s decision is final within CHSPS.
10. Maintenance
10.1 If accredited, Applicant shall comply with CHSPS-ACC-109 Maintaining Accreditation & Material Change Procedure: annual reporting, material-change notification, complaint cooperation, mark-use rules, fees, and renewal requirements.
11. Liability
11.1 Neither party is liable for indirect or consequential damages. CHSPS’s aggregate liability under this Agreement is capped at the fees paid by Applicant in the 12 months preceding the claim. Nothing limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited.
12. Term, termination and survival
12.1 This Agreement runs from execution through the end of any accreditation term granted (including renewals executed under it). Either party may terminate on written notice; termination by Applicant is a voluntary withdrawal under the published policies. Confidentiality, records, mark-termination and liability clauses survive.
13. General
13.1 This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Unless the parties agree to another lawful forum in writing, exclusive venue for judicial proceedings lies in a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in Fulton County, Georgia. Entire agreement; amendments in writing signed by both parties. Notices will be sent to the official contact addresses identified in the executed application record or written engagement schedule. Neither party may assign without consent, except to a successor of substantially all its activities. Signature blocks: authorized officers of each party.
14. Electronic records and signatures
14.1 Electronic signatures, portal acknowledgments and digital records may be used to execute and administer this Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Each signer represents that the signer is authorized to bind the party identified.
15. Audit and verification rights
15.1 Applicant authorizes CHSPS to verify submitted information, request source records, conduct remote or on-site assessment activities within the approved scope, and contact identified vendors or references when reasonably necessary for accreditation review. CHSPS will limit such verification to legitimate accreditation purposes and applicable confidentiality rules.
16. Data security and records
16.1 Each party shall use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of information exchanged. Applicant shall not upload unnecessary regulated personal data and shall follow CHSPS submission instructions for confidential or restricted records.
17. Force majeure
17.1 Neither party is liable for delay caused by events beyond reasonable control, provided the affected party gives prompt notice and resumes performance as reasonably practicable. Deadlines may be adjusted without altering substantive accreditation requirements.
18. No third-party beneficiaries
18.1 Accreditation is an independent conformity-assessment decision and does not create contractual rights in candidates, employers, regulators, customers or other third parties.
Related documents
Applicant Handbook · CHSPS-ACC-109 - Maintaining Accreditation · Fee Schedule · Confidentiality & Records (CHSPS-ACC-104) · Mark & Claims Policy · Policy Manual
Where this policy and a page-level summary elsewhere on this site differ, this controlled document governs. Substantive changes follow the published revision process and never apply retroactively to in-flight matters.