Provider Passport evidence standard

Scope

This methodology defines the evidence architecture for a future ITAD Lens Provider Passport. It separates declared capability, engagement eligibility, observed operating evidence, and commercial relationship so provider identity can become machine-readable without becoming a popularity ranking or paid-placement mechanism.

Principles

• Capability, eligibility, observed performance, and commercial relationship are separate data domains.
• Preferred Provider is an enterprise designation and never an ITAD Lens endorsement.
• No commercial relationship with ITAD Lens may improve provider eligibility, fit, or observed performance evidence.
• Every observed metric requires a defined population, time window, freshness rule, minimum sample, provenance source, and confidence treatment.
• Providers require a transparent correction and dispute process for published observed evidence.
• No composite star score or pay-to-rank mechanism may collapse materially different operating dimensions into one marketing number.
• Provider evidence must preserve the difference between declared capability and demonstrated operating performance.

Limitations

• The public website does not currently publish Provider Passport rankings or provider-performance scores.
• Certification, authorization, integration status, or commercial partnership does not itself establish superior operating performance.
• Observed metrics cannot be compared across providers until populations, asset mixes, geographies, commercial models, and time windows are sufficiently comparable.
• External certifications must be independently verified and remain governed by the issuing body rather than treated as ITAD Lens certification.
• A future Provider Passport is evidence-backed identity, not a recommendation that an enterprise select a specific provider.