approval every three years. This process means that approved contractors are independently assessed on an annual basis. ACS scoring The ACS scoring system was not designed to be a differentiation tool. However, it can assist when gauging overall quality, provided that its limitations are understood. It is important that the score is looked at alongside other differentiators (such as the contractor's reputation in the marketplace or the quality of its tender response) and not in isolation. Contractors with a score of 56 or higher would be in the top half of performance for approved contractors Contractors with a score of 130 or higher would be in the top 5% Falsely claiming approval Claiming to be an approved contractor when this is not the case is an offence under section 16 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. A section 16 offence includes use of the Approved Contractor Scheme accreditation mark or the use of language that may suggest approval or endorsement, such as "SIA registered" or "SIA member". The penalties for committing an offence under Section 16 are: Upon summary conviction at a Magistrate's Court, Sheriff Court or District Court, a fine of up to £5,000. Upon conviction on indictment at Crown Court, High Court of Justiciary or Sheriff and jury trial, an unlimited fine. Criticisms In July 2016 the SIA shut down its contact centre. This was done partly to reduce the SIA's running costs and partly because of the SIA's plans for private security businesses to take a more active role in supporting the licensing of employees. This decision generated criticism from people unhappy at what they saw as poor customer service. In 2017 it was widely reported that people going through the licence renewal process were experiencing significant delays. The future of the SIA On 14 October 2010 the UK Government's Cabinet Office made an announcement on the future of many public bodies. Its intention for the SIA was stated as: "Security Industry Authority – No Longer an NDPB – Phased transition to new regulatory regime." The exact nature of this new regulatory regime is yet to be determined. In the meantime the existing regulatory regime remains in place and existing laws will continue to be enforced. In March 2011 the SIA was removed from Schedule 1 of the Public Bodies Bill (subsequently, the Public Bodies Act 2011). On 20 November 2012 the Home Office published a