Qualify A System

Lighting Controls Application Instructions

Application Overview

The NLC application is now completely online and the Excel form will no longer be needed.

For New OEM Applications there will be an initial review where it is confirmed that the system has all the “Required” capabilities and all documentation has been submitted with the application. Reviewers will reach out to submitters in the application portal to address any concerns with the application. After the initial review is complete, an invoice will be issued. Once the invoice is paid, there will be a comprehensive review of the “Reported” capability claims in the application. After completion of the comprehensive review, System Presentation will be conducted followed by a Customer Interview. The system will be published on the QPL once this process is complete.

For Private Label applications, there is no initial review. After the comprehensive review is complete an invoice will be issued and upon payment the system will be published on the QPL. Note all communication on the application must occur in the application portal and email submissions will no longer be accepted.

The timeline to review an application is projected at 3-4 weeks but may be longer or shorter depending on the number of applications already in queue, application completeness, and responsiveness to questions that arise during application review. The DLC can provide an estimated review time once full applications are submitted, and the fee is paid. Click here for more details on fees for single application, Interior AND Exterior qualifications and Private Labels.

 

 

Commercial Availability

  • All systems must be fully commercially available in the U.S and/or Canada, able to be purchased, and with complete, final documentation and literature readily available on the manufacturer’s website or available to the customer upon request before they can be listed.
  • A valid product website providing detailed information on the system’s “Required” capabilities is required.

Application Instructions

Please follow the steps below to complete and submit an application:

  • Determine if your system is eligible to be qualified by the DLC and meets the NLC Technical Requirements.
    • Create or log into your MyDLC account.
      If you have not done so already, create a MyDLC account with the DLC. Once logged in, select the manufacturer you will be submitting on behalf of. Enter the Application Portal by clicking on the blue Application Portal button. Note that this button is only accessible for manufacturers and users authorized to submit applications. Quick-start guides on creating a MyDLC account can be found here.
    • The DLC recommends that the application be completed by a person with deep technical knowledge of the lighting system, such as a product manager or engineer. For faster processing, this person should be readily available through the duration of the application review process to answer any technical questions the DLC has on the submitted application. Experience has shown that applications submitted by sales, marketing, or administrative staff often lack important details which delay overall processing.
  • Completing the Application:
    • Gather all of the reference documents needed to reference the functionality of the system.
  • Start a new application
    • Select the program and application type you wish to submit, name the application for your reference, and select the manufacturer you are submitting on behalf of.
    • If you plan to submit multiple applications in a related family of systems, contact info@designlights.org to request a phone call to develop the application plan and sequence of applications. In most cases, you should complete one parent application first, and then additional family applications after the parent has been reviewed.
  • Complete the online application questionnaire.
    Complete the application questionnaire ensuring that all required questions are answered and every answer is referenced with a supporting documentation for verification.  A common issue that usually delays the qualification timeframe is that claimed features are not supported by references in the application. Your answers will be auto-saved, and you may exit and return to the questionnaire at any time.
  • The following documents are required for each application:
    • Warranty document(s): Legal warranty document explaining warranty terms and conditions.
    • Terms of Use Statement (signed after filling out the application form).
    • Private Label Form and Agreement, if applicable (completed via DocuSign).
    • All product literature and supporting documentation required by the Application Form.
  • For “Required” capabilities, the references must be publicly available on a website, and/or included with the product packaging, and/or provided to the customer upon request. It should not be a document produced for the sole purpose of obtaining DLC qualification without further use for customers.
  • Whenever possible, the DLC prefers to receive a public-facing marketing document, such as might be posted on a product website or sent to a potential customer. For some questions, the answer may be a screenshot or short video clip showing how to use an app or software program to achieve a particular result.
  • Complete the Terms of Use agreement and submit the application.
    Application reviews will not begin until the application is submitted. Once you have clicked “Submit,” you will be presented with the Terms of Use agreement that includes the Logo Guidelines Compliance Statement, Surveillance Testing Compliance Statement, and Safety Certification Compliance Statement. Full text of the agreement is available here. Sign the agreement to submit your application.
  • For those applicants who do not have the appropriate level of authority to agree to the Terms of Use, it is recommended that the signing authority create a DLC account under your company’s organization and digitally sign off once the application is complete.
  • Application reviews will not begin until the application is submitted.
  • Private Label applications are not submitted until after the Private Label agreement is completed in Docusign.
  • Receive invoice from DLC and make payment.
    • The DLC will accept credit cards, check, or EFT
    • For New OEM applications, after the initial review complete an invoice will be issued. Once the invoice is paid, there will be a comprehensive review of the “Reported” capability information provided. After completion of the comprehensive review the system will be published on the QPL.
  • For New Private Label applications, there is no initial review. After the comprehensive review is complete an invoice will be issued and upon payment the system will be published on the QPL.
  • The DLC will provide feedback on the status of your application via the application portal.
    • You will receive notifications when a reviewer sends you a message regarding your application and must respond to these messages in the application portal which includes adding additional documentation.
    • Application materials submitted outside of the portal will no longer be accepted.
    • If your application is missing information, required information is insufficiently documented, or the provided information shows the system does not meet the Technical Requirements. The DLC will identify the specific areas in the application that need attention and allow you to fix problems and errors and resubmit. An application showing the system does not meet the Technical Requirements may not be resubmitted; it must be submitted as a new application with updated application materials and appropriate application fee.

System Presentation

As part of the Application Review Process, to help DLC understand the system, the applicant will conduct a 1 hour overview of the system for DLC via webinar.  This will be scheduled after the comprehensive review of the application. Note that the presentation is required only for NEW OEM applications.

  • Brief, general overview of your company
  • Overview of the system you are submitting for qualification:
    • System name, type, architecture, communication platform
    • Overview of key system components
    • Market
    • When the system became commercially available
    • Information on installations to date
    • What markets and customer types are being targeted for the system
    • How the system implements the required capabilities from the DLC specification
    • How the system addresses barriers of complexity and cost, standardization, interoperability
  • How the system is installed, started up, and commissioned
    • Savings the system provides in terms of ease of installation, wiring, start-up, commissioning
    • Startup and commissioning
    • Who is responsible, resources required
    • Overview of Process & timing
    • Grouping of Luminaires
    • Defining Control Zones
    • Any auto-Commissioning or learning features
    • Default Settings, any out-of-the-box features

Customer Interview

  • A case study or a customer reference of a field site where the NLC has been installed that the DLC may contact to verify all “Required” capabilities of the system is required.
  • Please note that the site cannot be the manufacturer HQ or a sales rep’s office. A business partner directly connected to the applicant such as a lighting sales rep, does not qualify. DLC wishes to confirm with an unbiased third party that the system has been installed and operated successfully in at least one actual field installation. This contact information will not be shared with any other parties.

Note that Customer Interview is required only for NEW OEM applications.

Reference Documents