What is RRAP
The Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs) and Regional Accident amd Incident Investigation Organizations (RAIOs) Assessment Programme (RRAP) is a voluntary ICAO assessment programme for RSOOs and RAIOs.
ICAO will assess the qualifications and capability of a RSOO/RAIO to provide specific functions or activities against a set of objective criteria. ICAO will then issue an assessment score (AS) to the organization for its qualifications and capability to provide those functions or activities to States.
* The RRAP has been rebranded from the previous programme known as the Global Aviation Safety Oversight System (GASOS).
Why RRAP is Necessary
As the world of aviation continues to evolve at a very rapid pace many States struggle to keep up with the developments in aviation.
In January 1999, ICAO launched the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) in response to widespread concerns about the adequacy of aviation safety oversight around the world. These regular and mandatory audits assess whether a member State has effectively and consistently implemented the critical elements of a safety oversight system, which enable the State to ensure the implementation of ICAO's safety-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and associated procedures and guidance material.
After nearly two-decades of assessments many States continue to struggle in complying with international aviation safety standards because they lack the required resources and technical capacity. To address this, ICAO has promoted regional collaboration mechanisms, including the establishment of RSOOs and RAIOs, which essentially group the efforts of their individual members into a regional entity. RSOOs/RAIOs are seen as an effective mechanism for enhancing safety and strengthening the safety oversight capabilities, including the accident/incident investigation functions, of their individual members. However, despite the actions taken and the assistance provided to resolve the deficiencies identified through these programmes, many States are still not in compliance with ICAO SARPs. To further assist States in improving their oversight functions, ICAO is introducing a new programme, RRAP.
How RRAP Works
The assessment of a RSOO/RAIO takes place in four stages as described below.
Stage 1: Application and pre-assessment
An RSOO/RAIO may voluntarily submit an application for assessment using an application form. The application will include preliminary information on the organization, including supporting documentation, the intended scope of assessment, and the functions already performed by the RSOO/RAIO, if applicable.
ICAO will then perform a pre-assessment of the application package in order to determine if the information submitted by the RSOO's/RAIO's is sufficient. The applicant will be informed by ICAO if the application requires more information or if it is approved to move forward or rejected. If the scope of the application covers multiple technical areas, ICAO may consider applying a modular approach to the assessment (with multiple assessment teams and keeping the possibility to phase the assessment steps). Once the application is approved to move forward, ICAO will send the RSOO/RAIO the necessary information to begin the next stage.
Stage 2: AQ Self-assessment and preparation of the on-site assessment
The RSOO/RAIO will provide an assessment question (AQ) self-assessment to demonstrate its qualifications and capability against the applicable assessment criteria, along with relevant supporting documents as appropriate. After review of the self-assessment, ICAO will establish an assessment team and initiate the preparation of the on-site assessment.
The assessment team will be composed of qualified RRAP assessors. The size and composition of the team will be determined depending on the RSOO/RAIO size and intended scope of assessment. The team will prepare an on-site assessment plan based on the results of the self-assessment, documentation/evidence provided by the RSOO/RAIO with their application.
Stage 3: The on-site assessment
The assessment team, under the leadership of a team leader, will establish an on-site assessment plan that will define in detail the scope and planning of the on-site activity.
The assessment team will conduct the on-site assessment, collect evidence, complete an assessment check-list and identify potential findings and observations. This material will be used to verify that a RSOO/RAIO meets certain qualifications and has demonstrated its capability against a set of standardized assessment criteria. The assessment team will inform the RSOO/RAIO of any identified findings that require corrective actions.
Stage 4: Report
During the final stage, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) will be initiated for any identified findings that resulted from the RRAP assessment and the applicant will update its qualification and capability demonstration accordingly.
The assessment team will prepare its draft assessment report that will provide a summary of the assessment activities and their outcomes. The RSOO/RAIO will have an opportunity to comment on the draft report and list of findings before it is finalized.
Assuming any findings have been sufficiently addressed and a satisfactory internal ICAO peer review of the assessment report has been conducted, an Assessment Score (AS) as part of the outcomes of the assessment will be issued to the RSOO/RAIO.
