Surveyor Costs and Expenses Policy (ASF-OPS-008)

V3.0 — Impartiality safeguard (fee not linked to outcome), 8-row survey fee structure table by facility type/size, 5-element travel standards, 3-stage payment schedule, cancellation policy, LMIC discount provision, non-payment procedure, 6 references

1. Purpose

This policy establishes the principles governing ASF accreditation fees, surveyor travel and accommodation reimbursement, and financial arrangements between ASF, applicants or accredited organisations, and surveyors. The fee structure is publicly available on france-asf.fr and reviewed annually.

2. Impartiality Safeguard

No part of any surveyor’s fee or reimbursement is linked to the accreditation decision outcome. Surveyor fees are fixed regardless of whether the decision is Accreditation, Conditional Accreditation, Recognition Award, or Non-Accreditation. Surveyors are engaged and paid by ASF, not by the facility. Direct financial arrangements between a facility and an ASF surveyor are prohibited.

3. Survey Fee Structure

Fees are based on facility type and survey days (current schedule published on france-asf.fr): Ambulatory/small (≤50 beds) — 2 days; Hospital/medium (51–200 beds) — 3 days; Hospital/large (>200 beds) — 4 days; LTC ≤50 places — 2 days; LTC >50 places — 3 days; Fitness and Wellness — 1–2 days. The fee covers team preparation, survey conduct, report preparation, and ADC session; it excludes travel and accommodation. The application fee is non-refundable. Cancellation within 30 days of the survey: 50% of the fee already paid is forfeited. For low- and middle-income countries (World Bank classification), ASF may apply a discounted fee schedule on a case-by-case basis.

4. Travel and Accommodation Standards

Charged at cost, in addition to the survey fee: (a) Air — economy under 6 hours; business may be approved for flights over 6 hours with total journey over 8 hours; cheapest available fare with ≥7 days advance booking. (b) Rail — standard under 3 hours; first class over 3 hours where cost differential is reasonable. (c) Ground — most cost-effective combination; car hire only where no other practical option exists. (d) Accommodation — standard single business hotel at local market rate; no luxury hotels. (e) Subsistence — daily allowance per country rate in the Surveyor Engagement Agreement; alcohol not reimbursable. ASF provides a cost estimate before booking; the facility confirms acceptance.

5. Payment Schedule

(a) Application fee: at submission — non-refundable. (b) 50% of survey fee (less application fee): on booking confirmation — due within 15 calendar days. (c) Remaining 50% plus actual travel and accommodation: invoiced within 10 working days of survey — due within 30 calendar days. Where payment is 30+ days overdue: no new surveys scheduled; decision or certificate may be placed on hold. At 60+ days overdue, non-payment may be treated as a post-accreditation obligation failure (ASF-OPS-005, §9). All amounts invoiced in EUR unless otherwise agreed in writing.

6. ISQua EEA Alignment

Supports ISQua EEA Principle 4 (Independence — surveyor remuneration not linked to outcomes) and Principle 3 (Transparency — public fee schedule). The ASF ISQua EEA Crosswalk (ASF-EV-004) maps these provisions to the applicable EEA criteria.

Document code: ASF-OPS-008  ·  Version: V3.0  ·  Effective: 2026-09-30  · 
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ASF-OPS-008 — Surveyor Costs and Expenses Policy · Version V3.0

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