Fractional Quality Assurance Person for Cannabis Businesses

When applying for your cannabis processing license, it will quickly become clear that you need a quality assurance person to help you create Cannabis standard operating procedures (Cannabis SOPs) and ensure that your business is designed for compliance. A Fractional Quality Assurance Person (QAP) is similar to an approved QAP, but they are not required to be on-site at all times.

This can be a huge benefit to those not quite ready to hire a full-time quality assurance person at the time you are preparing and submitting your cannabis licence application. This is also a benefit to smaller processors after their license has been obtained as there may not be enough day-to-day work to warrant a full-time quality assurance employee.  A QAP is required for processing licences and cannabis micro-processing licenses but is optional for those who are only cultivating. 

Working With a Fractional QAP for Cannabis Licencing

When you work with a Fractional QAP, they are available to visit your site during specific periods to oversee any activities as well as assist and guide personnel on any QA-related issues. To continuously support licence holders, a Fractional Quality Assurance Person (QAP) will provide technical knowledge and information to ensure that activities and processes are conducted in relation to the Cannabis Regulations.

What’s the Difference Between a Quality Assurance Person and a Fractional QAP?

The only difference between a Quality Assurance Person and a Fractional QAP is the Fractional QAP is not required to be on-site full-time, provided that an organized work schedule with a summary of roles and responsibilities for the licensed site, complies with the regulations as per the licence application.

How a Fractional QAP Can Help Your Cannabis Business

Working with a Fractional QAP is not much different than hiring a full-time quality assurance person except that they are not on-site every day. The job duties of a Fractional QAP include:

• Development and approval of SOPs
• Quality manual creation
• Pest control management and pesticide testing
• Quality control relating to the movement, storage and distribution of substances
• GPP as they pertain to facilities (including air filtration and ventilation, lighting, water supply, temperature and humidity control, and waste disposal), equipment (including conveyances), sanitation and employee hygiene and protection
• Investigations and risk mitigation pertaining to:
  • Cannabis or ingredients which pose a risk of injury to human health
  • The requirements of Part 5 or 6 not being met
• Complaint management and investigation
• Approving product quality prior to release for sale
• Analytical testing and validation of testing methods
• Microbial and chemical contaminants
• Disintegration/dissolution testing, if applicable
• Cannabinoid content,(THC, THCA, CBD and CBDA, as applicable)
• Sample collection and retention

Why Choose a GrowerIQ Fractional Quality Assurance Person?

Along with the many job duties they can fulfil, a fractional QAP is able to assist you with monthly reporting to Health Canada and the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA). Your business can be stronger and compliance can be streamlined by working with a fractional QAP who is familiar with GowerIQ Seed to Sale Software and SOP creation services. If you are thinking about taking advantage of GrowerIQ’s SOP templates and software, a fractional QAP can help you customize them to your business and ensure that they are properly implemented. 

Find out more

Still unsure if a Fractional Quality Assurance person is right for your business? Contact GrowerIQ’s professional consultants. Whether working with startups or experienced workers, our experts can help you create a successful cannabis venture that strives within any legal framework. To find out more, you can get in touch with our Cannabis professionals by clicking the button or completing the form below.