Initially designed as a third party certification programme, the OAM Domestic Organic Assurance Programme has now been revised so that it is based on self assessment, supported by training and an oversight surveillance regime. Interested operators will sign a compliance agreement to the OAM organic norms, which is based on the IFOAM Basic Standards and operating conditions in Malaysia. They will also register details of their operation and attend compulsory training sessions. Additional on-site training can be provided on request. Operators have to file an annual self-assessment compliance report. A sample number of operators will be audited annually based on assessment reports as well as feedback and complaints received. An Oversight Committee, consisting of peers and public interest groups, e.g. consumer associations, will decide on sanctions where required.

The OAM certification mark, initially envisioned to be issued for OAM certification, has now been revised to be a common organic market mark. Instead of launching another certification mark representing yet another organic quality assurance system, amongst the existing plethora of organic certification marks, OAM decided on issuing a common market mark for all things organic, domestically produced or imported into the country. A common market mark, OAM believes will ease market communications about the authenticity of organic claims, facilitate concerted public education or campaigns to guide consumers to buy organic by looking for that one mark instead of the many different certification marks from all over the world.

The OAM mark will be available for use by registered operators of the OAM domestic organic assurance programme as well as any other certified operator in Malaysia, e.g. by SOM or a foreign CB. It will also be available for use by handlers (importers) and retailers on certified final products for sale in Malaysia. Interested users have to register their intended use, attend training on the conditions for use, sign an agreement and pay a fee to support a market surveillance regime, including complaints investigations.

Positioning to provide a local inspection service for foreign CBs in Malaysia, OAM explored collaboration with ACT, an NGO-based IFOAM Accredited certification body based in Thailand. After some discussion OAM signed an inspection service agreement in 2004 to work through ACT Control, the regional inspection service operated by ACT. In March 2007, OAM participated in a meeting to foster certification collaboration in the region organised by ACT and ICEA (Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale) of Italy, in Thailand. Immediately after that OAM agreed to the offer to be a representative agent for ACT-ICEA joint certifications. This enabled OAM to offer a competitive export service for operators in Malaysia. Operators can choose from a range of certification according to need and market destination available through ACT and ICEA, e.g. USA NOP, EU Reg., JAS, IFOAM Accredited certification and a number of private standards. OAM handles the application, payment, inspection (where appropriate) and issue of certificates as their representative agent.