Mastercard Card Quality Management (CQM)

In order to ensure inter-operability and reliability of smart card hardware, MasterCard has initiated a mandatory Card Quality Management (CQM) program. The CQM program has been developed by MasterCard in cooperation with numerous industrial partners, under which Kiwa serves as a single entry point for the smart card qualification by MasterCard issuers.

Products, i.e. finished cards or card components, will receive a quality label if they comply with the CQM requirements. The quality label is part of the MasterCard vendor requirements in order to be allowed to sell the cards to MasterCard issuers. The CQM program covers different types of MasterCard suppliers, such as cards vendors, components suppliers of the cards vendors and personalization bureaus.

Requirements

Product quality requirements (modular organization);
Physical characteristics: size, shape, surface, chemical, magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic;
Temporal: mechanical, electrical, magnetic, ageing;
Functional: electric, electromagnetic, magnetic, terminal interface;
Appearance: layout, design, brand, color;
Ergonomics, toxicity;
Security, uv;
Miscellaneous: manufacturing process stability
Quality assurance requirements.

Smart Consulting has become the primary contact for all vendors wishing to go through the CQM procedures. The requirements can be found on their website: www.smart-consulting.com/card-quality-management/

CQM Audit Service

Kiwa Telefication offers several certification services in order to obtain the MasterCard CQM label. Certification involves three phases:

1. Certification agreement
2. Audit

The audit will be conducted against the CQM requirements and CQM assessment plan. Before the planned audit a self-assessment must be conducted and additional records of the implementation of the quality system and controls must be submitted. If required, guidance will be offered by Kiwa to create a clear understanding about the required documents.

The audit plan will be prepared and issued before the planned audit. The audit findings will be shared during the audit and communicated during the closing meeting. In case deviations are reported an action plan will be drafted and discussed before finalization with the aim to provide a clear analysis of actions to be performed in order to receive the label from MasterCard.
3. Issue of quality label

Mastercard Card Quality Management (CQM)

CQM Audit Service

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