Prices, terms and conditions

Ownership and confidentiality

The experts involved in NordVal International Technical Committees and in the Steering Group are independent, i.e., they sign not to have any economic gain in any alternative method development or sale. NordVal International keeps the communication with customers confidential. NordVal International can describe the principle of the method and the results of the validation studies in the certificate. Please see Privacy Policy for further details.

Our customers are normally the producer and/or vendor of the alternative method applied for. The customer signs the agreement directly with NordVal International as well as directly with the independent expert laboratory they appoint.

Payment

The NMKL secretariat handles the invoicing, assisted by our host institute Institute of Marine Research (NO), and forwards inquiries from customers and expert laboratories to NordVal International. See the purchasing process table at the end of this page.

• The prices listed are exclusive VAT.
• For customers representing companies registered in Norway: NMKL – NordVal International is obliged by Norwegian law to add 25% VAT to the invoice.
• For customers representing companies registered in other countries than Norway: the customers themselves are responsible for accounting for VAT according to their governmental laws and legislation.
• Customers are encouraged to investigate whether their governmental laws allow for VAT deduction in accordance with the use of the product or its resale.
• An invoice will be sent according to the quotation and the terms described in this document by email after the process is finished (handled by the NMKL host organization Institute of Marine Research, Norway).

Completed and aborted studies

If the study followed the workflow and results are satisfactory NordVal International issues a certificate and the customer pays the whole fee.

If the results are not satisfactory, a NordVal certificate cannot be issued.

If NordVal International finds that

• the study plan is not satisfactory, and the study is aborted, the customer pays 1/3 of the fee.
• the results of the comparison study are not satisfactory, and a certificate cannot be issued, the customer pays 2/3 of the fee.
• the results of the interlaboratory study are not satisfactory, and a certificate cannot be issued, the customer pays the entire fee.

The customer can terminate the certification process at any time.  As technical experts have to be called upon for reviews of study plan, comparison study and interlaboratory validation study, the customer has to pay 1/3, 2/3 or 3/3, respectively, of the fee, depending on at which stage the process is terminated.

The NordVal International certificate

A NordVal International certificate proves the fact that the alternative method performs equivalent, or better, to a reference method.

The certificate shall include certification number, approval date and expiry date, name and address of the applicant, a reference to the reference method, the principle of the alternative method, and the results of the validation studies.

The customer must always, and without delay, inform NordVal International of any changes that affect its ability to conform with the certification requirements. The customer must keep record of all complaints made known to the customer and any deficiencies found in products that affect compliance with the requirements for certification and take appropriate action. The production must be certified according to a quality management system, e.g. ISO 9001.

Renewal of the certificate

The certificate is valid for two years. The secretariat sends a renewal form 4-6 months before the certificate expires. The customer shall specify in the form whether or not the method and the package insert have been changed since last approval, and inform about any other changes. NordVal International evaluates these changes – if any – and decides to which extent new comparative and collaborative studies should be carried out.

If the reference method used for the validation has been changed since last approval NordVal International evaluates these changes and decides to which extent new comparative and collaborative studies should be carried out.