In an Advisory Circular issued on August 16, 2013 (AC-129-5), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offered information to foreign civil aviation authorities (CAAs) about the provision of technical assistance related to compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices. The FAA operates an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program under which a foreign CAA can have its compliance with ICAO standards for safety oversight and monitoring audited, and in some cases, can receive technical assistance to help address any shortcomings found in the audit. The AC explains the process the FAA uses to provide assistance to CAAs, and also provides guidance that CAAs can use to obtain technical assistance from commercial providers when FAA assistance is not available.
The AC guidance to CAAs on using commercial technical assistance providers, such as The Wicks Group, includes recommendations that the CAA develop a comprehensive Statement of Work, that it require providers being considered to submit a detailed proposal that specifies the project methodology and tasks to be carried out and the quality control methods to be used, and that the CAA require the technical consultants being offered by the provider to have a certain number of years of experience, both in aviation safety inspection and in CAA technical assistance.
The Wicks Group is fully able to participate in the recommended provider selection process and meets all recommended criteria set forth in AC-129-5. Specifically:
TWG has the capacity to prepare fully responsive proposals that include all information that the FAA recommends CAAs obtain from possible technical assistance providers
We have the types of structured project methodology and the quality control techniques recommended in AC-129-5 for IASA technical assistance projects
Our technical consultants have extensive experience both as aviation safety inspectors and in providing IASA technical assistance to CAAs – well in excess of the minimum years of experience recommended by the FAA in AC-129-5.
For additional information about CAA technical assistance on ICAO standards and recommended practices or FAA IASA audits, please contact Glenn Wicks at 240-643-0504 or gpwicks@wicks-group.com.