Auditor FAQs

I forgot my password. How can I get that information?
Go to www.fpa-safe.net. You will be taken to the login screen. Under the login fields, you will see the link titled "Forgot your Password". Click on this link, enter in your email address, and your password will be emailed to you. Your username is the first letter of your first name, and your last name (i.e. John Smith's username would be jsmith). If this does not work, please call Technical Support at 1-972-929-2599 .

Can I become an independent auditor, or do I have to be associated with a SAFE Qualified Auditing Firm?
The GMA-SAFE Program no longer accepts applications from independent auditors.  All auditors in the SAFE program need to work for a SAFE Qualified Auditing Firm.

Our company administrator left the company. How do we change him/her in the website to someone else?
To remove the old administrator from your homepage, call Jill Gerken at 708-478-4842.  Jill will create a request to Agile to make the requested change.

How do I work on the audit without having to stay online?
This is where your remote audit platform comes into play. The remote audit platform allows you to work on the audit offline. When the audit report is completed, you simply upload to the website.

I recently moved. How do I change this to reflect on the website?
To change any of your contact information, log onto your homepage and go into the option "Update Your Personal Profile". At the top right of this page is the option to "Make Changes". Click on this option and make any necessary changes, clicking "Save Changes" when complete.

I am not getting any audit requests in my homepage. Why is this?
There are various reasons why you may not be getting any recent audit requests. Perhaps audit requests submitted do not fall in your area of expertise or geographic region. Some suppliers already have an auditor in mind when they fill out the request. Either way, you must be patient; the requests will come.

What are the benefits of becoming an GMA-SAFE certified auditor?
By participating in the GMA-SAFE Program, auditors enhance their own qualifications. They gain valuable auditing experience with one of the leaders in the industry. In addition, they are able to network with many of the nation's leading suppliers, building a solid reputation as a quality auditor.

What if I attend the training session, but do not pass the certification exam?
Candidates who fail to receive a passing score on the Certification Exam may retake the Certification Examination one additional time. The retest can be taken at another GMA-SAFE Certified Auditor Training Course at no charge or at a certified testing center (proctored exam). The cost of the proctor and the IAI exam ($250/auditor or $3500/for multiple auditors) plus any processing or shipping charges is the responsibility of the SQAF.  If a candidate fails on the second attempt, the candidate will have to wait one calendar year before being eligible to retake the exam.  Additionally, prior to the candidate taking the retest after the one-year waiting period, he / she must attend the GMA-SAFE Certified Auditor Training Course. A GMA-SAFE Program Director will determine the fee to attend the course.

How do I know if I am eligible to be an GMA-SAFE auditor?
To be eligible to participate in the GMA-SAFE program, a candidate MUST meet the following educational and experience prerequisites: 

1.         Education & Work/Job Function

• Four year or advanced Technical Degree[1] AND five years’ food industry experience or interaction[2], or

• Two year Technical Degree AND seven years’ food industry experience or interaction; or

• High School Diploma AND twelve years’ food industry experience or interaction.

2.         Prior Auditing Experience

• 120+ hours in food manufacturing industry related auditing within the past twelve months; or

• 40+ hours food manufacturing industry related auditing within the past twelve months AND ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA or CQA-HACCP) or equivalent; or

• 20+ hours of food manufacturing industry related auditing within the past twelve months AND ISO 9000 or 14000 (RAB/IRCA) Auditor Certification or equivalent. 

Additional requirements are list in the GMA-SAFE Policies and Procedures under Appendix 2.