This Quality Review regular feature presents woodwork-related technical topics of common interest and importance to the design community, general contractors, and the architectural woodwork industry.
There was a period in the history of AWI’s Quality Certification Program (QCP) when there were only two possible outcomes for architectural woodwork which was required to be certified, and simultaneously subject to inspection by QCP Representatives. Those outcomes were:
- Full Certification of the project, based on zero outstanding nonconforming items after final inspection.
- No certification of the project if inspectors noted even one or two relatively minor nonconforming items outstanding.
About six years ago, the QCC Board of Directors recognized that this second outcome could be disproportionate in projects where the nonconforming items were generally considered to be minor in nature, and the large preponderance of woodwork provided was conforming overall. Also noted was the lack of opportunity for the architect or owner to weigh in regarding whether the minor issues, although technically nonconforming, might in fact adequately meet the design intent and the owner’s needs. Accordingly, in addition to “Full” certification, a new type of possible outcome was added to published QCP Policies: the “Limited” certification.
A “Letter Accepting Variance” (LAV) was the mechanism QCP created to allow the architect to override an inspector’s “nonconforming” determination for any individual line-item of a QCP inspection report. The process is really nothing more than a specialized “RFI” transaction, with all communication typically routed through the general contractor. The woodworker elicits the architect’s acceptance of a selected nonconforming item or items, providing supporting information or documents which may facilitate the architect’s consideration of the request. If the architect agrees to accept any particular nonconformance, his/her assent must be explicit and in writing. There is no LAV “form”. The documents exchanged are usually simple e-mails. Once the woodworker receives the architect’s LAV (via the general contractor), it then sends it directly to the QCP inspector. The inspector updates QCP records as appropriate. During the post-inspection process, there may be multiple LAV requests sent to the architect. Some may be accepted, and some rejected. If at least one nonconformance was resolved by an LAV, the project receives “Limited”, rather than “Full”, Certification. The physical certificate issued reflects that determination, and is visually differentiated from “Full” certificates.
It should also be mentioned that there are administrative consequences for a woodworker that submits an architect’s Letter Accepting Variance (LAV) as a means of resolving a nonconforming item. Current QCP Policies (2019) state:
4.3.5.2 – Completed projects resulting in the issuing of a Letter Accepting Variations (LAV) will result in the licensee’s certification status being changed to ‘Probationary’.
This means that the woodworker’s next awarded QCP project is again subject to inspection by QCP Representatives.
There actually is one other QCP project certification category, and that is “Modified”. This type of Certification is triggered by administrative considerations and does not directly involve the architect. QCP project assessment requires two different types of inspection. The first is the “Fabrication” inspection, conducted at the manufacturer’s production facility. This review examines construction details and finishing of the job’s specified products. The second is the “Installation” inspection, which assesses installation of the product at the job site. Typically, the woodworking subcontractor is responsible for both fabrication and installation. If for any reason (such as the woodworker’s late registration of a QCP project) it is not possible to conduct the fabrication inspection at the woodworker’s production plant prior to installation, that project automatically becomes eligible for a “Modified” certificate only. This is because important construction details of many of architectural millwork products are concealed and unavailable for inspection once they are fully assembled and installed. Per current QCP Policies (2019):
4.5.7 – Projects that require compliance inspections but are not inspected during the fabrication phase shall receive modified certificates of compliance only.
4.5.7.1 – Modified certificates will indicate the limited nature of the compliance verification.
