When a business expects to have more than $2 million of eligible R&D expenditure, they can apply to be recognised as a significant performer.
Significant performers do not need to seek approval for their core and supporting activities. Instead they seek approval of their criteria and processes for identifying eligible R&D activities and expenditure.
They also need to provide an R&D certificate with their supplementary return. They get this R&D certificate from an approved R&D certifier, which will usually be an accounting firm.
What R&D certifiers will be checking
Approved R&D certifiers will confirm if significant performers followed the approved criteria and methodologies for their eligible R&D expenditure.
Approved R&D certifiers will carry out an agreed upon procedures engagement. This is to obtain evidence that significant performers have followed the approved criteria and methodologies for identifying their eligible R&D expenditure. The agreed upon procedures can be found here.