iDharma Verification Methodology

1. Purpose & Scope

This document defines the iDharma Verification Methodology — the standard process by which iDharma assesses and certifies AI consultants and AI consultancy firms. It exists so that the iDharma Verified badge carries real, checkable meaning rather than being a marketing claim.

It applies to any individual consultant or firm that offers AI services through the iDharma marketplace and chooses to apply for verification. The methodology is published openly: clients, consultants, regulators, and the public can all read exactly what verification requires and how it is decided.

2. Why Verification Exists

The market for AI services has a trust problem. Anyone can claim AI expertise. Credentials are inconsistent and often unverifiable, and the quality of an engagement is difficult for a client to judge before committing money and risk. As organisations move critical work onto AI systems, the cost of hiring the wrong help rises sharply.

iDharma Verified places an independent, evidence-based check between a consultant's claims and a client's hiring decision. The methodology rests on five principles:

• Evidence over claims. Verification assesses real, delivered work and verifiable facts — not self-reported titles or marketing language.
• Independence. The review is carried out by iDharma, not by the applicant or anyone paid by the applicant beyond the standard verification fee.
• Transparency. The standard is public, so the badge can be trusted by people who never see the review itself.
• Proportionality. Verification is tiered — a consultant working in healthcare or finance is held to additional, industry-specific requirements appropriate to the risk involved.
• Ongoing assurance. Verification is not permanent. Badges expire annually and must be renewed, so the badge reflects current standing.

3. What the iDharma Verified Badge Attests

When a consultant or firm displays the iDharma Verified badge, it means iDharma has confirmed the following to the standard set out in this document:

• Identity — the consultant or firm is who they claim to be, and is a legitimate, contactable operating entity.
• Track record — a genuine professional history in the work they offer, supported by verifiable evidence.
• Demonstrated AI competence — real AI work delivered, with describable, credible outcomes.
• Client validation — independent references have confirmed the consultant's work and conduct.
• Conduct — the consultant has agreed to, and is bound by, the iDharma Code of Conduct.

The badge is not a guarantee of any specific future outcome, and it does not make iDharma a party to the consultant's engagements. It attests that the holder has met a defined, checkable bar — a meaningful signal of trust, not a warranty.

4. The Verification Tiers

Verification is offered in three base tiers, each carrying the same five-criteria assessment set out in Section 6 and differing only in evidence depth and fee. Fees are one-time review fees; annual re-certification is charged separately at a reduced rate.

Sectoral attestation add-ons

Consultants working in regulated industries may add a sectoral attestation on top of a base tier. Each add-on layers focused, regime-specific evidence onto the base assessment and is priced separately:

5. The Verification Process

Verification follows the same six steps for every applicant — thorough but predictable, so an applicant always knows where they stand.

1. Application. The consultant applies through iDharma, selecting a tier and summarising their AI work, organisation, and experience.
2. Evidence submission. The applicant provides supporting evidence: delivered projects and outcomes, work samples, credentials, and contactable references. Attestation tiers require additional regime-specific evidence.
3. Review. iDharma's review team assesses the application against the criteria in Section 6, and may request clarification.
4. Decision. The review concludes as approved or not approved. A decision not to approve always comes with reasons, so the applicant can address them and re-apply.
5. Issuance. On approval, iDharma issues the badge: a unique badge code, a public verification record, and a twelve-month validity period.
6. Listing. The verified status is displayed on the consultant's iDharma profile, where prospective clients can see and confirm it.

6. Verification Criteria

This is the substance of the standard — what the review team actually assesses. An applicant is approved only when they meet every applicable criterion.

6.1 Identity & Legitimacy

The applicant's identity is confirmed against reliable evidence. For a firm, its legal existence and good standing are confirmed. The applicant must be contactable and not subject to a relevant disqualification.

6.2 Professional Experience

A genuine professional history in the services offered, assessed for relevance and depth — whether the applicant has done this kind of work, not merely how many years have passed.

6.3 Demonstrated AI Competence

The core of the standard. The applicant must show real AI work they delivered, with outcomes that can be described and credibly stand up to scrutiny — the nature and difficulty of the work, the applicant's specific role, the plausibility of the outcomes, and whether the applicant can explain their approach and its limitations.

6.4 Client Validation

References — clients or collaborators who independently confirm the work and the applicant's conduct. iDharma may contact references directly.

6.5 Conduct & Ethics

The applicant agrees to the iDharma Code of Conduct: honest representation, client confidentiality, responsible and lawful use of AI, disclosure of conflicts of interest, and cooperation with the complaints process.

6.6 Tier-Specific Criteria

Attestation tiers add focused requirements — SOC 2 on data-handling and security; HIPAA on protected health information; FINRA on financial-services regulatory competence — each with evidence specific to that regime.

7. The Badge: Issuance, Public Lookup & Validity

On approval, iDharma issues a unique badge code tied to a public verification record. Anyone — a prospective client, a procurement team, a journalist — can enter the code on iDharma's public verification page and confirm whether the badge is genuine, which tier it is, and when it was approved and expires. A badge is valid for twelve months from approval.

Because every badge is independently checkable, the value of the badge does not depend on trusting the consultant who displays it — only on trusting this published standard. That is what makes the badge a moat rather than a logo.

8. Re-Certification

Verification is renewed annually. Re-certification confirms the consultant still meets the standard: still active and in good standing, conduct record clear, recent work continuing to demonstrate competence, and tier-specific requirements still holding. It is charged at a reduced rate relative to the initial fee.

9. Revocation & Complaints

A verification standard is only credible if the badge can be taken away. iDharma may suspend or revoke a badge — at any time, regardless of its expiry — where it finds, after review, material misrepresentation in the application, a serious or repeated breach of the Code of Conduct, or conduct that materially undermines client trust or the integrity of the badge.

Anyone may raise a complaint about a verified consultant through iDharma. Complaints are reviewed, the consultant is given an opportunity to respond, and a proportionate outcome is reached. Revoked badges are marked as such on the public verification page.

10. Governance & Versioning

This is Version 1.0 of the iDharma Verification Methodology. iDharma owns and maintains the standard. It will be revised as AI practice and its regulation evolve; each revision is published with a new version number and effective date. Material changes take effect at a consultant's next re-certification rather than retroactively. Feedback on this methodology is welcomed and considered in future revisions.