b"MRCA Accreditation Kurt Baumgartner Asyoumayhaven inainformationisgathered,MRCAMRCAisjustbeginningthis oted recentarticleintheMidwestwilllook for commongroundtoprocess.Wehavenoindications Roofer,2000MRCAPresidentsee if aalong the lines ofthatour effortswill beaccepted process Dave Tilsen indicated that one ofa clearinghousemaybedevel- either from you, the roofing con-MRCA'slong-termgoalswastooped.tractor, or from anyone who regu-establish an accreditation programMRCA doesnot need to rein- lates us.encou in from Werageput for contractors. This may seem anvent the wheel.Aof time andanyonewithinterestinthis lot MRCA's goal, andunusual goal considering MRCA'seffort has been expen on someprocess,and MRCAintendsto ded oppositiontotheFMproposedoftheseprograms,androofingprovide regular updates as we pro-it is an ambitiousstandard,would havecontractorshavedevelopedsev- ceed.Interestedpartiesmay 4490 which one, would be to gethadasitsgoaltheapprovaloferalofthem.MRCAcangatherrespondbycallingtheMRCA roofing contractors engaged in thethis information and create a- office at 800/497-6722 or e-mail-volthis accreditation asapplicationofroofingonFMuntaryprogramofaccreditationing us at mrca@mrca.org. insured properties.linked to MRCA'snuniversally acceptedWarra ty forms, As youmay recallMRCA was as possible byopposed to the standard for several reasonsnottheleastbeingthe the specifyingcost,intrusiveness and the broad community,stateapplication of the standard by the specifyingcommunity.Givenall and local licensingthiswhywouldMRCAcontemplate something that appearsbe authorities andto similar of anature? hopefully even FM.Thefactofthematteristhat MRCAisnotplanninganything like- quite to the contrary. 4490 MRCA's plan is to form a steering committee to look at some of thethe mostand widely used popular state and local forms of regula n.forms in the industry. tioThesemayincludelicensingbyMRCA's goal, and it is an ambigovernment bodies or local tradetiousone,wouldbetogetthis accreditationprogramsthatareaccreditationasuniversally currently inas well as someaccepted as possible by the place,specof the standardized testing that isifying community, state and local accepted in some areas such as thelicensingauthoritiesandhopeBlock examination. When all thisfully even FM. The time has come toproacbe tivein thesematters.Wewere r withregardtoFM4490 eactive andnow thetimehascometo offeranalternativethatisboth user-friendly and meaningful. In a perfect world, MRCA still believes themarketplaceis therightful arbiterof quality.However,our world is far fromperfect and the timeisrighttoembarkonthis process."