Effective Date: July 27, 2025

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has developed a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to respond to events that could significantly disrupt our operations. Because the timing and impact of disasters and disruptions are unpredictable, our goal is to continue business operations as effectively and transparently as possible while ensuring the safety of our employees, the integrity of credentialing services, and uninterrupted access for test candidates, credential holders, and verification partners.

Our Commitment to You

In the event of a significant business disruption (SBD)—whether localized (e.g., power outage, building closure, cyber incident) or widespread (e.g., pandemic, natural disaster, regional infrastructure failure), ASE is prepared to maintain critical operations through a combination of remote work protocols, cloud-based systems, redundant data centers, and pre-established vendor relationships. Our plan is designed to support the following:

  • Continued access to certification records and candidate profiles via the myASE portal at https://my.ase.com
  • Ongoing delivery of scheduled ASE certification exams through Prometric or other authorized platforms (e.g., NetExam, KMSI, Summit)
  • Alternative communications with customers, partners, and stakeholders via phone, email, and website updates
  • Protection of customer data through secure cloud storage, encrypted backups, and multi-layered cybersecurity protocols

Our Business Continuity Strategies

ASE’s plan includes the following components:

  • Data Protection and Redundancy: ASE’s systems are hosted in a combination of secure colocation facilities and Microsoft Azure cloud services. Data backups occur daily, with recovery protocols in place to minimize data loss and downtime.
  • Third-Party Partnerships: Our credentialing and test delivery vendors (e.g., Prometric, NetExam, KMSI, Summit) operate their own business continuity infrastructures and are contractually obligated to continue test delivery and credential access independently of ASE’s primary systems.
  • Remote Work Capabilities: In the event of facility closures or regional access restrictions, ASE staff are equipped to work remotely and continue business operations securely.
  • Communication Protocols: During an SBD, ASE will post notices to www.ase.com, send direct emails to affected users, and update voicemail messages at our main support line (703-669-6600) to inform stakeholders of service status and available alternatives.

What You Can Expect

If ASE experiences a service disruption:

  • Credential holders and test candidates will be informed of any impact to scheduled exams or credential visibility and provided with alternative instructions.
  • Bulk account managers and training providers will be contacted via email with updates on order processing, voucher redemption, and credential fulfillment.
  • Regulators, vendors, and institutional partners will be notified directly by ASE staff of any material interruptions in services relevant to their agreements or oversight.

Limitations

While ASE is committed to maintaining operations through foreseeable disruptions, certain extreme events (e.g., sustained national outages, cyberattacks affecting infrastructure providers, or pandemic-level crises) may affect our ability to respond or resume operations within typical timeframes. In such cases, we will prioritize transparency, customer support, and restoration of services in a phased and secure manner.

Availability of the Plan

This disclosure is provided to stakeholders at account creation, posted publicly at ase.com/businesscontinuity, and made available upon request. The BCP is reviewed and updated at least annually by ASE’s executive leadership, with oversight from the Chief Technical Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

For more information – If you have questions about our business continuity planning, you can contact us at 703-669-6600 or contactus@ase.com.