Last updated:

July 4, 2017

About VERS Vendor Assessment

Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) runs an assessment program to test product compliance against the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS) Version 2 Standard (PROS 99/007 Standard for the Management of Electronic Records).

Statements of compliance can be issued to vendors for products such as document and records management software and digital storage media.

This includes compliance for products to convert and export digital records into Version 2 VERS Encapsulated Objects (VEOs). See VEO creation page for further information about VEOs.

Please note that an assessment program for the new VERS Version 3 Standard (PROS 15/03 Standard for the encapsulation of digital information) has not yet been finalised.

 

Benefits of VERS Compliance

A statement of VERS compliance can assist vendors of IT products to market their products to Victorian Government agencies.

All products that meet VERS compliance are published on our VERS compliant products page.

 

VERS Version 2 Vendor Assessment Step-by-step

  1. STEP 1 - Product Development

    Developers should download a copy of the VERS Version 2 Standard (PROS 99/007 Standard for the Management of Electronic Records) and associated Specifications to familiarise themselves with the requirements. These documents contain the technical information necessary to develop products to a certifiable standard.

    The VERS VEO toolkit is available for download via the Technical support material for VERS vendors page and can be used to develop products at no cost. These tools consist of model Java code and can be used for creating VEOs and manifests.

    STEP 2 - Compliance Documentation

    Download the assessment Test Pack containing the information vendors will need to demonstrate compliance.

    The Test Pack consists of:

    • Specification 1 Statements (13 individual statements)

    • Specification 2 Statement

    • Specification 1 and 2 test scripts

    Note: Statements include Mandatory Requirements and Conditional Requirements. Mandatory Requirements must be present in order for a system to be compliant. Conditional Requirements need only be present where a specific condition is also met.

     

    Complete the Statements of Compliance for Specifications 1 and 2 and submit to PROV at assessment@prov.vic.gov.au

    The compliance process cannot proceed without PROV first receiving these Statements.

    STEP 3 - Contact PROV

    Contact PROV to arrange a date and time for Specification 1 and 2 testing.

    During VERS compliance testing vendors will be required to supply the following resources:

    • Programmer (a person who is able to make any necessary minor code changes identified during the testing)

    • Project Manager (a person with the authority to make decisions regarding compliance issues identified during the testing)

    • Testing environment (for example, laptop computer and software to demonstrate the product’s compliance with the VERS Standard).

    Specification 1 and 2 testing is normally held at PROV’s North Melbourne offices.

    Arrangements can be made to conduct testing at the vendor’s premises if required. The vendor is responsible for the following costs incurred by PROV staff (as applicable):

    • Travel

    • Accommodation

    • Meals

    Vendors should allow sufficient time for the testing to take place. Specifications 1 and 2 take up to one full day to complete.

     

    STEP 4 - Testing

    Prepare for Specification 1 and 2 testing. Set up a test system in accordance with the VERS technical specifications, including the ability to generate VEOs. During the test you will be asked to generate a VEO and a team from PROV will use testscripts to test the system. The testing will be done by the vendor with PROV staff observing and providing guidance.

    STEP 5 - Conduct Testing for Specifications 1 and 2

    If the tests results are satisfactory, compliance against Specifications 1 and 2 will be indicated on the VERS compliant products page.

    STEP 6: Conduct Testing for Specifications 3, 4 and 5

    Testing for Specifications 3-5 requires vendors to submit VEOS to PROV for testing.

    STEP 7: Compliance Certification

    Once the tests have been successfully completed, the Keeper of Public Records will issue a Compliance Certification Statement for all Specifications. The product will be considered VERS Compliant and this will be clearly indicated on the VERS compliant products page.

Self-Certification

A new version of a VERS Compliant product must be tested and re-certified by the vendor if changes have been made that may impact on that product continuing to meet the minimum compliance requirements of VERS Version 2 Standard (PROS 99/007 Standard for the Management of Electronic Records).

It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that new versions of products are VERS compliant.

 

How to self-certify a product?

Download and complete the PRO 47 Statement of Compliance form.

Submit form to assessment@prov.vic.gov.au

 

Please note:

  • By self-certifying a new product version by submitting a Statement of Compliance, the vendor is assuming full responsibility for that version continuing to meet the minimum requirements of the VERS Standard.
  • Products subsequently identified as not meeting VERS compliance requirements will be identified in PROV communications.
  • A Statement of Compliance should be signed by a person with appropriate responsibility for the product (for example, a product compliance manager or senior developer).
  • Public Record Office Victoria reserves the right to make Statements of Compliance available for viewing on the VERS website.
  • Public Record Office Victoria reserves the right to request an audit check of a VERS compliant product at any time.