No-Fee Policy and External Costs
GSQA-PRG-002
No compulsory purchases
Applicants are not required to buy membership, media services, publicity materials, consultancy packages or designated testing. They may prepare the application themselves. External service prices have no bearing on the decision of Gold Standard Quality Awards.
Payment demands and impersonation
Demands for application, reserved-place, influence or guaranteed-award payments in the programme’s name cannot replace its rules. Preserve the demand, page address, contract, messages or payment information and submit it through misuse reporting or complaints. Receipt leads to examination of the facts and parties; it is not a legal finding or a promise to recover money.
Comparisons with other programmes
Statements concerning this programme are limited to its own no-fee and independence arrangements. They must not imply that every fee-charging evaluation sells awards. Conduct by other organisations must be described using verifiable facts.
No programme fees at any stage
No fees are charged for eligibility checks, formal applications, document verification, award decisions, corrections, public registration, electronic certificates, mark licences, renewal, changes, complaints or reconsideration.
No paid award tiers or priority decisions
There are no gold, silver or bronze tiers, paid membership conditions, compulsory publicity packages or paid expedited decisions. Donations, purchases, funding and sponsorship cannot be exchanged for an award. Financial support creates no entitlement to recognition.
Independently arranged external services
Applicants select suitably qualified providers for testing, translation, notarisation and Apostille services and pay them under separate arrangements. The programme does not appoint or recommend partner laboratories, share their fees or receive referral commissions. Applicants can use the evidence checklist to establish the required scope before purchasing services. External payment does not start the formal application clock or guarantee acceptance or an award.
Payments and guarantees cannot replace verification
Agents and advisers must hold genuine authorisation. Their charges do not affect the independent decision of Gold Standard Quality Awards. Claims of internal allocations, designated payments or guaranteed awards should be documented and reported.
Agent fees and programme charges
An applicant’s engagement of an agent or adviser does not change the programme’s free participation or independent decision-making. Agents must distinguish their services and authority from the programme and must not present their own fees as programme charges. Applicants may prepare and submit material themselves. Agency, publicity, membership or media purchases are not conditions of intake, further information, decisions or maintenance.
Checking the fee policy
The programme activities listed here correspond to the account, application and mark documents. A discrepancy in a page, payment demand or procedure may be reported with the activity, date and evidence. Outcomes follow verified facts; payment or commercial cooperation cannot change the technical conditions.