Conduct an annual peer review of the national organic program's (NOP) adherence to accreditation procedures, as required by 7 CFR §205.509 in the USDA organic regulations, and provide technical…

Conduct an annual peer review of the national organic program's (NOP) adherence to accreditation procedures, as required by 7 CFR §205.509 in the USDA organic regulations, and provide technical assistance on developing NOP's accreditation policies and procedures. The peer review will include an evaluation of NOP's policies and procedures for conformance to the organic regulations and ISO/IEC 17011:2017 - requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies, and the review of NOP accreditation decisions through file reviews. The peer review report will assess NOP and include opportunities for improvement and observations. The NOP will present the peer review final report at the next scheduled national organic standards board meeting, the federal advisory committee that provides recommendations to NOP. The peer review process and accreditation technical assistance are vital components of the U.S. Department of agriculture (USDA) agricultural marketing service national organic program's commitment to continuous improvement. This award will not result in subawardees.