Applying for Certification

Participation in the QCA Certification Program is only open to a promotional products company that is registered as a “Distributor” or “Decorator” with the Promotional Products Association International (PPA), or the Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC) and incorporated in North America. 

A “Distributor” per the definition provided by the PPAI means a company in the promotional products industry, that develops ideas for using promotional products in a marketing or promotional campaign, buys such items from suppliers and sells them to advertisers. 

A “Decorator” per the definition provided by the PPAI means a promotional products company that embellishes a third-party product either through screen print, painting or embroidery.

Participation questions may be directed to participation@qcalliance.org.

QCA Certified Distributors and Decorators are in the business of satisfying customers’ demand for products that meet all end-buyer requirements. Certification ensures a Distributor or Decorator has verified processes in place to achieve that aim.

As a Certified company, QCA requires a Distributor or Decorator to fully document their compliance program policies, procedures and processes, demonstrate the effectiveness of the program in a third-party audit of their headquarters, and address any deficiencies noted in those audits.

The following application questionnaire is to be completed, signed and submitted with relevant available attachments for review via this electronic web form. Alternatively, it may be submitted to compliance@qcalliance.org. The questionnaire is a mix of checkboxes, short answer essay questions and requests for documentary examples. The completed submission will be reviewed by the QCA Compliance Committee. Any questions will be forwarded to the submitter directly.

As factors in the market change, compliance programs evolve. The QCA Distributor Certificate is a two-year certification. 

For the purposes of this questionnaire, the following definitions apply: 

Factory is the location where raw materials or intermediate assemblies undergo processes that transform the original materials to produce a finished product.

Vendor is an entity that may act as a factory representative, agent, trading company or importer/exporter and as one of the potential multiple intermediaries between the Distributor and the supply base. 

Supplier is the member of the promotional products industry producing, sourcing, importing or contracting the product intend to be marketed as a promotional item to the Distributor.

Applicants must complete the form by responding to all “required” questions. Please provide readily available documentation where requested. It is not required to provide all requested documentation at this time and we may contact you as needed for additional information.