Overview
FAR 46.401 establishes the fundamental framework for Government contract quality assurance, detailing the timing, location, and documentation requirements necessary to ensure supplies and services conform to contract specifications.
Key Rules
- Timing and Location: Quality assurance (QA) may be performed at any stage of manufacture or performance and at any location, including subcontractor facilities, to ensure compliance.
- Surveillance Plans: Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans (QASPs) should be developed concurrently with the Statement of Work (SOW) and must define the specific work requiring surveillance and the methods to be used.
- Contractual Designation: Every contract must explicitly state the designated locations where the Government reserves the right to perform QA.
- Authorization for Changes: If source inspection is required, the location cannot be changed without formal authorization from the Contracting Officer.
- Government Oversight: All inspections must be performed by or under the direct supervision of Government personnel and must be formally documented via inspection/receiving reports or approved shipping documents.
- Avoidance of Redundancy: If the Government inspects supplies prior to reaching their destination, they are generally not reinspected at the destination except to verify quantity and check for transit damage, substitution, or fraud.
Practical Implications
- Contractors must be prepared for Government oversight at any point in the production cycle, requiring transparency in both prime and subcontractor operations.
- Effective contract administration relies on the early integration of the QASP with the SOW to ensure the Government has a clear roadmap for measuring performance and identifying non-conformance before final delivery.