Overview
This section establishes that the Government should rely on a contractor's existing quality assurance processes and industry-standard practices for commercial products and services, rather than traditional government-mandated inspection protocols.
Key Rules
- Reliance on Contractor Systems: For commercial products, the Government must use the contractor’s established quality assurance systems as a substitute for Government inspection and testing before acceptance.
- In-Process Inspection Limits: Government in-process inspections are prohibited unless they are a customary market practice for the specific product being acquired.
- Consistency with Industry: Any authorized in-process inspections must be performed in a manner that aligns with commercial industry standards.
- Service Requirements: For commercial services, the contractor is responsible for all necessary inspection and testing to ensure conformity before tendering the service to the Government.
Practical Implications
- This rule reduces the administrative burden on the Government and the contractor by eliminating redundant, government-unique oversight in favor of standard commercial quality controls.
- Contracting Officers must research and understand industry norms to ensure that any requested inspections do not conflict with "customary market practices."