Lab included in our audit but is a separate entity

Hello everyone out there. 

I am reaching out hoping many of you will share your knowledge and experience on this matter.

Reviewing a NSF Dietary supplement audit that occurred last year prior to my employment with this company, a lab was included in the scope of our company that I feel should have been excluded.  The lab is it's own legal entity. It has it's own address. It is inside of our facility but again, is it's own separate legal entity. It processes samples from our company and other companies as well. It is my belief that it should be viewed as a contract service provider but not included as being a part of our company as it is not.

Can you help me wrap my tiny mind around this? 

Sincerely,

Plastic Ducky   

You can make it a contract service provider - assuming the lab techs working in the lab are not your employees.

You can exclude it from your audit - but it would still be subject to inspection.