What is scheme management?

There is no hard and fast definition of scheme management because it varies according to the scheme owner and their particular scheme. Often, it entails taking over responsibility for administering the scheme, possibly managing and maintaining a database and reporting to a Board or scheme owners.

The terms, roles and responsibilities of scheme management are negotiated and defined by the relevant organisations and agreed by a signed deed, contract or MoU. Or in some instances the responsibilities are included in the scheme documentation.

The important thing is that good scheme management contributes to the performance and standing of the scheme in the marketplace and ensures that the scheme adapts to meet new challenges in the environment.

Benefits of JASANZ scheme management

• JASANZ has decades of experience in managing and administering schemes
• JASANZ has extensive experience in conformity assessment and conformity assessment schemes, what works well and what doesn’t
• JASANZ is globally recognised and trusted
• JASANZ can offer scheme owners services they cannot perform themselves, or choose not to because of resource or time constraints.

To find out more about these sorts of services, or to ask any questions, please contact the Technical Team at tsb@jasanz.org.

About the scheme

The CodeMark Australia Certification Scheme allows conformity assessment bodies (CABs) to certify products that meet either the performance or ‘deemed to comply’ provisions of the Code.

JASANZ is the scheme administrator for the CodeMark Australia Scheme.

The scheme owner is the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).

The ABCB is the Government regulator responsible for the management of standards for the building sector. They publish the National Construction Code (NCC) https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ which as a ‘performance-based code, sets the minimum required level for the safety, health, amenity, accessibility and sustainability of certain buildings‘.

Problem

The ABCB, understanding that they didn’t have the conformity assessment knowledge or resources to effectively administer the scheme, sought assistance from JASANZ in providing this support. This allowed the ABCB to focus on scheme ownership, ensuring that the scheme itself was fit for purpose to meet the needs of the building industry stakeholders and maintenance of the brand.

Solution and outcome

The solution was simple — a description of the Scheme Administrator’s role and responsibilities was clearly articulated in the scheme rules and supported by a signed deed between the two organisations. JASANZ reports quarterly to the ABCB on their Scheme Administrator activities, and also on the activities of the Scheme Accreditation Body (a role undertaken by the Accreditation Services team within JASANZ).

JASANZ provides the ABCB with information from the CABs and the Accreditation Body on the performance of the scheme, and identifies where harmonisation activities or the development of training materials will support the implementation of the scheme on a day-to-day basis.

Summary

Not all scheme administration or management services provided will look the same, and they can be modified based on scheme/owner needs. At times, capability or other gaps may exist where JASANZ can assist by taking on some of the roles and responsibilities which are often those of the scheme owner.

Such activities and services support scheme owners to meet their own and stakeholder needs.