Most food, beverage, and ingredient processors, even multinational operations, will utilize an outside or third-party laboratory on occasion. A program should be developed that documents precisely how a laboratory should be selected and how that operation will be evaluated on a regular basis. Selecting a contract laboratory should be an organized process. Any company that utilizes, or is considering utilizing, a third-party laboratory should develop, document, and implement procedures to do this. Third-party audits are a fact of life in modern food processing. The expectation is that food processors, both large and small, will be able to pass a third-party audit (e.g., GFSI, SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000, or IFS food safety audit scheme). Selection of vendors, including laboratories, is included in these audit schemes. If your customers demand food safety programs that are FSMA compliant or will pass a GFSI audit scheme, you will need to develop and maintain such a program or risk losing customers. Laboratory selection is part of this equation.