21 C.F.R. § 1.1120 – How must a recognized accreditation body assess laboratories seeking LAAF-accreditation and oversee LAAF-accredited laboratories?

(a) A recognized accreditation body must conduct an initial assessment of a laboratory seeking LAAF-accreditation in accordance with the requirements of this subpart, to determine whether the laboratory meets the requirements of § 1.1138.
(b) Subject to the exception in paragraph (c) of this section, the initial assessment must be conducted onsite, although certain assessment activities may be conducted remotely if it will not aid the assessment to conduct them onsite.
(c) If, within the previous 2 years, the recognized accreditation body conducted an onsite assessment of the laboratory in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011:2017(E) (incorporated by reference, see § 1.1101) to assess whether the laboratory meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017(E) (incorporated by reference, see § 1.1101), then the initial assessment under this section:
1. (1) May be conducted remotely, and
2. (2) Need only address whether the laboratory meets the requirements of § 1.1138(a)(2) and (3) and (b).
(d) A recognized accreditation body must oversee the performance of a laboratory it LAAF-accredits in accordance with the requirements of § 1.1113(a), except as otherwise provided by this subpart, to determine whether the LAAF-accredited laboratory continues to meet the applicable requirements of this subpart.
(e) A recognized accreditation body must conduct a reassessment of a LAAF-accredited laboratory in accordance with this subpart at least every 2 years. Such reassessment must be conducted onsite, although certain reassessment activities may be conducted remotely if it will not aid in the reassessment to conduct the activities onsite.
(f) If the recognized accreditation body conducted the initial assessment of the LAAF-accredited laboratory remotely in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, the recognized accreditation body must conduct its first reassessment of the LAAF-accredited laboratory no later than 2 years after the recognized accreditation body last conducted an onsite assessment of the laboratory.
(g) The reassessment at the end of the LAAF-accredited laboratory's ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accreditation cycle, which the recognized accreditation body must conduct in accordance with this subpart, must be conducted onsite, although certain reassessment activities may be conducted remotely if it will not aid the reassessment to conduct them onsite.
(h) Any assessments or reassessments conducted by a recognized accreditation body in addition to the assessments or reassessments referred to in paragraphs (a), (e), and (g) of this section may be conducted remotely if it will not aid the assessment or reassessment to conduct it onsite.