Overview

Private label applications may only be submitted if the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) product is already DLC qualified. Beginning March 31, 2023, all OEM products referenced in a private label application must be qualified to Horticultural Technical Requirements V3.0. Private label products must be identical to the originally qualified versions.

• If OEM test reports are used to submit an application for a product or family that has not been previously qualified on the Qualified Products List (QPL), a Test Report Authorization Form must also be completed and submitted for both Level 1 (formerly Single Product) and Level 2 (formerly Family Grouping) applications.

Organizations submitting information for multiple brands should provide the private label documentation described below and the applicable fees for listing the original single product or family grouping application. Wholly-owned subsidiaries wishing to use a different model/brand than what is listed on the QPL with the parent company must also follow this process.

Private labeled products are dependent on the qualification and maintained listing of the OEM product, and if for any reason the OEM product is delisted, all associated private labeled products will also be delisted. These private labeled products may be re-qualified as an OEM product by providing a new Level 1 (formerly Single Product) or Level 2 (formerly Family Grouping) application, with new testing for the product, or may be re-qualified as a private label product once the OEM product is updated and re-listed on the QPL.

• Delisting of an OEM product may occur for a variety of reasons, such as if a manufacturer voluntarily requests that their product be delisted, or if the product is delisted due to non-compliance with program requirements, logo use violation, or other misrepresentation.
• Private label listings are based on a mutual agreement between the OEM and a private labeler. If either party notifies the DLC that the private label agreement is no longer in place, the DLC will delist the private labeled product.

Qualified Products List (QPL) Listings

The intent of the private label application policy is to allow listing of products that are exactly the same as the OEM products already listed on the Horticultural QPL. Because of this, private label products do not need to go through redundant testing, and application fees are reduced due to a simplified application review process.

However, because this process is intended for products that are identical to listed OEM products, the DLC lists private labeled versions of products with exactly the same performance information as their OEM versions. The reasoning behind this is that identical products should have identical performance ratings, even if brand, manufacturer, model number, date qualified, and product ID are different.

To ensure all products listed on the QPL are associated with at least one product that includes tested data, private label applications must include at least one of the parent models of the OEM listing. If the private labeler does not wish to include at least one of the parent models of the OEM listing, the private labeler must provide test data for the worst-case model(s) of the OEM products they wish to private label in a single product or family grouping application. The tested product(s) will then be listed as the parent product for the private label listing.

Private label products and OEM products cannot be included in the same family on the QPL, i.e., a privately labeled product cannot be considered a parent for an OEM child product and an OEM product cannot be considered a parent for a private label product. Parent and child products on the QPL must be part of the same family and listed with the same manufacturer.

Model Numbers

To avoid confusion in the market, the same private label model number cannot be used to represent different OEM products. For example, if a private labeler is using Model-ABC to represent OEM product Model-DEF, the private labeler cannot then update Model-ABC to represent a different OEM product Model-XYZ.

In the event that a private labeler submits the same model number for multiple OEM products, the DLC reviewer will inform the private labeler that a unique model number must be supplied in order for the review to continue.

Resellers that sell DLC qualified products under the exact manufacturer name and model number explicitly listed on the QPL under the OEM information (manufacturer name, manufacturer brand, model number) do not need to use the private label application process.

New Versions of the Technical Requirements

When the DLC releases new versions of the Technical Requirements, private labelers are held to the same deadline for submitting private label applications under the previous Technical Requirements as OEMs. Private label update applications submitted during transition periods will only be processed for products qualified under the new Technical Requirements until the submission window for the previous Technical Requirements version has closed. Transition periods are submission windows where the deadline for new applications under the old Technical Requirements version has ended; however, products qualified under the old Technical Requirements version have not yet been delisted.

Third Party Relationships

If a private labeler wishes to extend the private label to a third organization, there are two options:

1. The private label request can be signed by the original equipment manufacturer and the final private labeler.
   • For example, if company B private labels a product from company A, and then company C wishes to private label that product from company B, the private label request would be signed by company A and company C.
2. Alternatively, the original equipment manufacturer can provide a blanket letter that grants the first private labeler permission to private label any product they manufacture to a third organization. This blanket letter must be provided with any requests for private labeling from the initial private labeler and the third organization.
   • In this scenario, company A provides a blanket letter for company B to private label their products, which company C includes in applications to private label products listed by company B.

Application Instructions

Determine that the products you intend to private label have already been qualified on the QPL by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
If you are submitting an application to list products under multiple brand names but the products have not yet been qualified on the QPL, you must submit either a Level 1 (formerly Single Product) application or a Level 2 (formerly Family Grouping) application. Note: private labels must include at least one OEM parent model per unique OEM family ID to be eligible. Please ensure the OEM products downloaded from the DLC QPL include at least one parent model.

Complete the Hort Private Label App Excel Form.
Download and complete the Hort Private Label App Excel Form (.xlsx) at the bottom of this page.

Create or log into your MyDLC account.
If you have not done so already, create a MyDLC account with the DLC. Once logged in, select the manufacturer you will be submitting on behalf of. Enter the Application Portal by clicking on the blue Application Portal button. Note that this button is only accessible for manufacturers and users authorized to submit applications.

Start a new application and upload the Hort Private Label App Excel Form.
Select the program and application type you wish to submit, name the application for your reference, and select the manufacturer you are submitting on behalf of. If you have not done so already, download and complete the Hort Private Label App Excel Form (.xlsx) at the bottom of this page. Upload this completed form under the “Upload Completed Application Excel Form” section. If there are errors within your uploaded form, a red error message will display the reason why the form was not accepted.

Complete the online application questionnaire.
Complete the application questionnaire by entering all required information and uploading all required supporting documentation files. Note that the questionnaire is separated into two pages (Product Info and Performance and Product Images). Both pages must be completed prior to submission. Your answers will be auto-saved, and you may exit and return to the questionnaire at any time. Required supporting documentation includes:

• A product specification sheet for any new model numbers being submitted
• OEM product specification sheet for the model numbers being private labeled
• Proof of safety certification under the private labeler’s organization name and model number(s) from an appropriate safety certification body relevant in the US or Canada (.pdf file format required) 
• Proof of safety certification under the OEM’s organization name and model number(s) from an appropriate safety certification body relevant in the US or Canada (.pdf file format required) 
• Multiple Listing Correlation Sheet issued by the approved safety organization which cross references the OEM model numbers with private label model numbers
• Installation instructions must be provided for private labels of Linear Replacement Lamps, Retrofit Kits, Screw-Base Replacements for HID Lamps, Color-Tunable Products, Field-Adjustable Light Output Products and Field-Adjustable Light Distribution Products.
• Warranty document from the private labeler covering the private label models in the applications
  • Warranty years and warranty document must be provided within the application to qualify any private labeled product.
  • If OEM provides warranty for PL
    • Warranty documents from OEM manufacturers along with a signed statement on OEM letterhead stating that the private labeled products are within the OEM warranty scope must be provided and is an acceptable means of qualification.
• Product image(s) for display on the QPL.

Complete the Terms of Use and Private Label Agreements and submit the application.
Application reviews will not begin until the application is submitted. Once you have clicked “Submit,” you will be presented with the Terms of Use agreement that includes the Logo Guidelines Compliance Statement, Surveillance Testing Compliance Statement, and Safety Certification Compliance Statement. Full text of the agreement is available here. If you indicate that you are authorized to sign the Private Label Agreement, you will then be directed to DocuSign to electronically sign the Private Label Agreement. If you indicate a different email address to sign for the Private Label Agreement, they will receive a notification email from DocuSign.

Once you have signed the Private Label Agreement, your application status will be changed to “Application Awaiting Signature.” The OEM application contact will also receive an Private Label Agreement notification through DocuSign. Once the agreement has been signed by the both the Private Label and OEM organization, your application will enter comprehensive review.

For those applicants who do not have the appropriate level of authority to agree to the Terms of Use, it is recommended that the signing authority create a DLC account under your company’s organization and digitally sign off once the application is complete.

Hort Application Forms

The application forms below should be used on all applications submitted through the Application Portal.