EPEAT CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS 4.4 Product longevity/life cycle extension

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1 EPEAT CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS Minimum Product Life Required Early failure process Verification Guidance Product Verification Committee Clarifications References and Details Verification Requirements None Note that the information that the manufacturer makes available are the procedures that customers should follow in order to access the troubleshooting, repair, or replacement services as identified in the criterion. a) Declaration from manufacturer (see 4.0 Verification Requirement Declaration from manufacturer) b) Documentation of procedures as to how the manufacturer or its designee shall troubleshoot, repair or replace a product that fails prior to 3 years after date of sale for institutional products and 1 year after date of sale for consumer products Footnote to b): Note that availability of warranty or service contract would meet this verification requirement c) Documentation that these procedures are easily accessible to customers on the manufacturer's Website or in the documentation that accompanies the product at the point of sale Verification Requirement b) Documentation of procedures as to how the manufacturer or its designee shall troubleshoot, repair or replace a product that fails prior to 3 years after date of sale for institutional products and 1 year after date of sale for consumer products Footnote: Note that availability of warranty or service contract would meet this verification requirement Verification Protocols 4.4-1

2 1. Request for data submission to subscriber 2. Examples of potential evidence for conformance more than one item of evidence may be provided such that conformance is adequately demonstrated For a product which fails prior to 3 years after date of sale for institutional products and 1 year after date of sale for consumer products, documentation of: 1. Information that is provided to the customer regarding procedures as to how the customer shall access troubleshooting, repair or replacement services from the manufacturer 2. Procedures as to how the manufacturer or its designee shall troubleshoot, repair or replace the product. Or, Documentation of availability of warranty or service contract Procedures on troubleshooting, repairing or replacing a product on the subscriber s website Copy of Warranty offering or service contract Owner s manual or other material provided with the sale of a product containing procedures on how the manufacturer will troubleshoot, repair or replace a product Website URL showing warranty, service contracts available for product or procedures on how the manufacturer will troubleshoot, repair or replace a product Invoice, business contracts with customers indicating offering of warranty or service contract 3. Questions to assess conformance Are there procedures as to how the manufacturer or its designee shall troubleshoot, repair or replace a product which fails prior to 3 years after date of sale for institutional products and 1 year after date of sale for consumer products? 4. Evaluation guidance Two things must be provided. Or, Are warranty or service contracts available for the product? Is the warranty or service contract offered available for at least 3 years for institutional products, or 1 year for commercially sold products? 1. The procedures that the manufacturer will use to troubleshoot, repair or replace the product 2. Procedures that the customer should follow to access 4.4-2

3 those services from the manufacturer. Warranties and service contracts only have to be offered by the subscriber, they do not need to provide evidence that anyone is actually purchasing the warranty or service contract Verification Requirement c) Documentation that these procedures are easily accessible to customers on the manufacturer's Website or in the documentation that accompanies the product at the point of sale Verification Protocols 1. Request for data submission to subscriber 2. Examples of potential evidence for conformance more than one item of evidence may be provided such that conformance is adequately demonstrated 1. Evidence that the procedures are easily accessible, either: Or, a. On the subscriber s website site, or b. In the documentation with the product at the point of sale 2. Evidence that the warranty and service contract options are easily accessible to customers Website URL for these procedures User Manual, Service Manual or other document that accompanies the product at sale Website URL, or other mechanism for offering warranty and service agreements 3. Questions to assess conformance Are the procedures that a customer would follow to access troubleshooting, repair or replacement services easily accessible through the manufacturer s Website or with documentation that accompanies the product at sale? Or, are warranty and service contract options are easily accessible to customers? 4.4-3

4 4. Evaluation guidance Language may be a factor in making procedures easily accessible. Check that the procedures are communicated in the predominant language for the country(ies) in which the product is registered

5 4.4.2 Modular Design Optional Product upgradeability Verification Guidance Product Verification Committee Clarifications References and Details Verification Requirements None Examples of upgrade modules may include but are not limited to: media handling modules such as duplexers and additional paper trays; processing modules such as memory, disk drives; connectivity modules such as networking, wireless and print servers; or software/firmware modules such as operating system print driver upgrades. a) Declaration from manufacturer (See 4.0 Verification Requirement Declaration from manufacturer) b) Manufacturer documentation such as Web-based information, user guide or spec sheet showing additional upgrade modules available for the product, and for consumer products, if applicable, two of the types of modules listed above already incorporated at the time of registration Verification Requirement b) Manufacturer documentation such as Web-based information, user guide or spec sheet showing additional upgrade modules available for the product, and for consumer products, if applicable, two of the types of modules listed above already incorporated at the time of registration Verification Protocols 1. Request for data submission to subscriber 1. For institutional products, list of at least two upgrade modules available for the product. From this list the QV may select upgrade modules for the subscriber to provide documentation of how the customer would obtain those modules. Documentation shall be from 4.4-5

6 at least one of the following: Sales and marketing materials OR Product specific documentation (e.g. user guides or spec sheets) in hardcopy OR Product specific documentation e.g. user guides or spec sheets) on manufacturer s website 2. For consumer products, a. Follow #1 above Or b. Evidence that the product already incorporates two of the types of upgrade modules listed in the criterion, and c. Evidence that one additional module is available for the product d. 2. Examples of potential evidence for conformance more than one item of evidence may be provided such that conformance is adequately demonstrated List of the available upgrade modules Owner s manuals, service manuals Sales or marketing brochures User guides or spec sheets Manufacturer s website 3. Questions to assess conformance Are at least two upgrade modules offered for an institutional product? Was the subscriber able to provide documentation for the selected upgrade modules that indicated how the customer could obtain the upgrade module? For consumer products, if the product already incorporates two of the types of modules listed in the criterion, is there evidence that these upgrade modules are incorporated in product and is at least one additional upgrade module offered for the product? 4. Evaluation guidance It is possible some upgrade modules such as firmware and/or software upgrades may occur automatically (i.e. for products that are routinely connected the internet). That is acceptable so long as the subscriber can show documentation indicating 4.4-6

7 this is how those upgrades are obtained. Upgrades do not have to be purchased; they just have to be offered to qualify for this criterion

8 4.4.3 Product life extension Required Spare parts Verification Guidance Product Verification Committee Clarifications References and Details Verification Requirements None Spare parts referred to in the criterion in this subclause are those parts that typically have the potential to fail during the normal use of the product. In contrast, those parts whose life cycle usually exceeds the usual life of the product need not be provisioned as spare parts. a) Declaration from manufacturer (See 4.0 Verification Requirement Declaration from manufacturer) b) Declaration stating whether spare parts are available, and if available, the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of production, and documentation of how that information is provided to purchasers. c) If spare parts are available, description about how to obtain spare parts and documentation of how that information is provided to purchasers. For example, the manufacturer can provide the link to the Website where customers can obtain these spare parts Verification Requirement b) Declaration stating whether spare parts are available, and if available, the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of production, and documentation of how that information is provided to purchasers. Verification Protocols 4.4-8

9 1. Request for data submission to subscriber 2. Examples of potential evidence for conformance more than one item of evidence may be provided such that conformance is adequately demonstrated 1. Manufacturer declaration of whether spare parts are available 2. If spare parts are available, manufacturer declaration of the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of production 3. Documentation of how the information regarding availability and the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of production is provided to purchasers If spare parts are available and purchasers are notified, identification of which parts are determined by the manufacturer to be those parts which typically have the potential to fail during the normal use of the product. 4. List of parts determined by the manufacturer to be those parts which typically have the potential to fail during the normal use of the product. Subscriber declaration on the Registry Sample contract language Service manual information Website URL Disassembly/upgrade/repair instructions 3. Questions to assess conformance Has the manufacturer declared whether spare parts are available? (note that the declaration can be no ) If spare parts are available, has the manufacturer declared the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of product production? Has the manufacturer demonstrated how the information regarding availability of spare parts and the length of time spare parts are planned to be available after the end of production is provided to purchasers? Has the manufacturer identified which parts typically have the potential to fail during the normal use of the product? 4. Evaluation guidance A declaration of no spare parts availability is acceptable for this criterion as long as that lack of availability is clearly communicated to the purchaser. As this is not a regionally variable criterion, evidence that the spare parts/compatible parts program is available everywhere 4.4-9

10 the product is sold must be shown Verification Requirement c) If spare parts are available, description about how to obtain spare parts and documentation of how that information is provided to purchasers. For example, the manufacturer can provide the link to the Website where customers can obtain these spare parts. Verification Protocols 1. Request for data submission to subscriber 2. Examples of potential evidence for conformance more than one item of evidence may be provided such that conformance is adequately demonstrated If spare parts are available: 1. Description of how the purchaser can obtain spare parts 2. Documentation showing how the information to obtain spare parts is communicated to purchasers Policy/procedure for offering the spare parts Business contracts with 3 rd party suppliers Inventory reports Sample language communicating the availability of spare parts to purchasers Sample contract language Service manual information Website Disassembly/upgrade/repair instructions 3. Questions to assess conformance Is there adequate documentation of how the purchaser can obtain spare parts? Has documentation been provided demonstrating how the information to obtain spare parts is communicated to the purchasers? 4. Evaluation guidance It is acceptable to provide spare parts through authorized refurbish and repair programs. However the manufacturer must provide a way for the purchasers to take advantage of the spare parts/compatible parts program, even if it is a link to the third party from the

11 subscriber s Website. As this is not a regionally variable criterion, evidence that the spare parts/compatible parts program is available everywhere the product is sold must be shown