English term (edited): what is certificate of provisional acceptance

1) A certificate that is signed that accepts the bid given by the bidder and allows them to begin work but leaves the final OK until after installation and testing.

2) In the case of Authorized Inspection Agencies (AIAs) for ASME inspections (building), a Provisional Certificate gives them the temporary right to perform certain functions while they await their full membership

3) PAC-Provisional Acceptance certificate, which will be issued by Chief Engineer (Development), PTCL H/Q's to the contractor after receipt of the delivered goods in good order and conditions and/or successful commissioning in to the service of the system under the contract.

This is applicable in software/IT industry; I dont know its applicability in your case.

Basically, provisional acceptance is an acceptance of delivery of goods or services after the goods/services have been through various checking (legal, functional, and technical). The provisional acceptance is the basis for the vendor to create invoice and ask for payment. However, the buyer will holds some 5% of the total contract value. (5% is the standard in Indonesian)

This 5% will be paid after warranty and maintenance & support (M&S) period is passed, and if the vendor performs its promised M&S, a final check will be performed. Basically, this only concerns how well is the M&S performed. This final check will produce certificate of final acceptance.

So, in summary:
= you deliver goods/services product ---> you get provisional acceptance
= you perform M&S as promised --> you get final acceptance.

Ref:
http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/2M390/om_final.html
Final Acceptance
The Operations and Maintenance (OM) phase is divided into two periods by the final acceptance milestone.

* During the warranty period (that is between provisional and final acceptance):
o The developers are responsible for software maintenance and user support.
o The activities are controlled by the SPMP/TR.
o The developer writes the Project History Document (PHD): an overview of the whole project and a summary of the problems and performance of the software during the warranty period.

* After final acceptance:
o A maintenance team is responsible for software maintenance and user support.
o The maintenance team works according to its own plan.
o The maintenance team updates the performance section of the PHD at regular intervals.



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Note added at 13 hrs (2006-12-01 11:06:27 GMT)
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Sorry for too many typos and extra words.... :)

A certificate of acceptance assuming that a certain pre-set requirement is obtained/completed;

For example a provisional university entrance certificate: on the asumption that the student obtains the grades required for the course