CSIA says registered-member recertification effort is ahead of schedule

The Control and Information System Integrators Association (CSIA) reports that subscriptions to its required re-registration program has already passed 20% and that its recertification effort is well ahead of schedule.

By Control Engineering Staff February 3, 2005

The Control and Information System Integrators Association (CSIA) reports that subscriptions to its required re-registration program has already passed 20% and that its recertification effort is well ahead of schedule. The organization says this trend is further confirmation that its Registered Member program is providing value to its members and their clients.

Norman O’Leary, CSIA’s executive director, says that Registered Members must be re-certified every three years, and must pass the same stringent independent audit they took when they first gained Registered Member status. Conducted by an outside auditing firm, this process measures a company’s performance against criteria in seven system integration business areas, including business development, financial management, general management, human resources, project management, quality management, and technical management.

“Besides our Registered Members, who have been re-certified, scores of Regular Members, who have a three-year period after joining CSIA to become registered, have set dates during 2005 to have their firms audited as part of the registration process,” says O’Leary. “We continue to en-force the mandate for initial registration or follow-on re-registration for all our members. We’re committed to 100% participation by all eligible members in our Registered Member program. And, to date, no member has been dropped from our rolls for failure to continue as part of this landmark program.”

O’Leary adds that reaching 20% recertification is a gratifying statistic. “Preparation for the audit, whether for the first time or to re-register, takes a substantial commitment in time and re-sources,” he says. “However, that investment is proving to be returned for companies that be-come registered. For example, one Registered Member reports that the preparation for the audit and the discipline and practices resulting from the process has increased the value of its practice at least two- or three-fold. Another Registered Member reports that it has won large projects, in which customers made it clear that their credentials were a primary reason for being selected.”

The first group of CSIA’s Registered Members to become recertified includes:

Advanced Automation Associates Inc., Exton, PA

Bachelor Controls Inc., Sabetha, KS

Bay-Tec Engineering Inc., Napa, CA

GES Technology Inc., Harrisburg, PA

Loman Control Systems Inc., Lititz, PA

Matrix Technologies Inc., Maumee, OH

PCS Utilidata, Spokane, WA

Pro-Tech Elutions Inc., Akron, OH

Superior Controls Inc., Plaistow, NH

Total Systems Design Inc., West Chester, PA

TransAmerican Automation Inc., Bridgeville, PA

TVC Systems, Portsmouth, NH

“The registration process, first announced by CSIA in late 2000, has twin missions,” adds O’Leary. “One is to assist users in evaluating and selecting integration firms, and the second is to provide control and information system integrators a means to evaluate and continuously improve their own businesses. Becoming registered and maintaining that high-level of commitment re-flects the latter mission.”

For more information, visit the CSIA Website .

—Jim Montague, news editor, Control Engineering, jmontague@reedbusiness.com