Design partner certifying on clients behalf?

If a design services company (say company A) is doing the design and manufacture of a device for a client (company B), but ultimately B owns the IP, design spec etc. how should the certification process go with regards ownership?

Certification would include type testing, safety, EMC, cell providers etc.

If company B want A to own everything from start to finish on their behalf, should A certify under their own name, then transfer ownership? Is that even feasible?

For the sake of efficiency, you’d imagine it would best for Company A to manage everything on B’s behalf but that may not be allowed.

I’d appreciate it if anyone could provide some scenarios that might work.

Appreciate the help!

We're a contract R&D shop. We frequently shepherd our customer's designs through compliance (safety, EMC, etc.) testing under their name. No issue with that approach.

Not sure exactly what you mean by "manage everything" or who you think wouldn't allow it, but it sounds very much like what we do all the time.

Given2Fly said:

... how should the certification process go with regards ownership?

Certification would include type testing, safety, EMC, cell providers etc.

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Certification to what standard(s)? The answer may differ depending on the particular standard.

Thanks for the responses @yodon, @Miner.

@yodon - that's encouraging to hear. Did you need a letter of authorization from the client to register on their behalf or did you just sign everything with their name? We will be dealing with authorities like FCC, NSAI, IC, ACMA, and US carriers.

@Miner - standards would be EMARK, GCF, CE, RED, FCC, IC, RCM and US carrier certification

Given2Fly said:

Did you need a letter of authorization from the client to register on their behalf

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Not sure what you're asking here. For compliance testing, there's no "registration" and the report is written for the product with the (our) client's name on it. When the contract with the test lab is executed, it's in the client's name. We generally have the client pay the fee although there have been cases where we paid and got reimbursed. We might sign off on protocols but there's an agreement in place (contract / work order) with the client that could support linkage between anything we sign off on and the client.