MPI Update

QP 9 Accreditation: Your Competitive Edge

The commercial painting market is highly competitive. How do you stand out and prove your company provides top-quality workmanship? The AMPP QP 9 accreditation program has been streamlined and relaunched alongside the updated QP 9 Standard. This globally recognized program demonstrates to facility owners and specification writers that your company meets the level of service and quality required for today’s coatings projects. Better yet, the accreditation process is now more accessible while maintaining the rigorous standards that make the credential meaningful.

Why it Matters
QP 9 accreditation was designed to be a competitive differentiator for contractors that opens doors. Facility owners and specifiers increasingly require QP 9 accreditation when evaluating contractors for commercial and institutional projects, including office buildings, schools, medical facilities, retail centers, apartment buildings, and warehouses. The credential tells them you have verified competence in management, technical capabilities, quality control, and safety procedures. It also demonstrates you have proven systems that are independently audited.

What’s Evaluated?
To achieve QP 9 accreditation, contractors must demonstrate competence in four areas:

Management Procedures – business operations, organizational structure, and project management systems must show you handle commercial work efficiently and professionally.

Technical Capabilities – demonstrate your team has the knowledge, training, and resources to properly prepare surfaces and apply architectural coatings according to industry standards and project specifications.

Job Quality Procedures – show documented quality control processes to ensure consistent, high-quality results from substrate preparation through final coat application.

Safety, Health, and Environmental Procedures – show you have safety processes that protect workers, building occupants, and the environment while ensuring compliance with OSHA and environmental regulations.

How to Achieve Accreditation
There are four steps to the streamlined process:

Step 1: Prepare Documentation Review the QP 9 Application and Audit Checklist to understand what will be evaluated. The checklist is your roadmap. You'll document business operations, quality procedures, safety programs, and technical capabilities.  If you need help with this, please reach out to a member of the MPI team.  We are happy to work through the requirements with you.

Step 2: Submit Your Application Complete the QP 9 application with detailed descriptions of your company's practices in each of the four competency areas. Include supporting documentation for each area.

Step 3: Prepare for the Audit We will work with you and your team to schedule an audit, which based on your application may be done onsite, at a job site, or both.

Step 4: Maintain Your Accreditation Once accredited, you'll submit job notification forms for your commercial projects and undergo periodic re-evaluation to maintain your status.

Why should you explore accreditation? It qualifies you for projects that require accredited contractors, strengthens your competitive position in bids, demonstrates third-party verified competence, and provides a framework for continuous improvement in your business.

Ready to get started? Visit the QP 9 Accreditation page to download the application and audit checklist. Evaluation takes two to four months once your application is complete.

Professional Tip

Transfer efficiency examines the amount of paint deposited on the surface divided by the total amount used. Higher levels of transfer efficiency results in less waste and less material entering the surrounding environment. A transfer efficiency of 95% means that only 5% of the material is lost during application.