NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 8735.2B Eff. Date: August 12, 2013 Cancellation Date:	Management of Government Quality Assurance Functions for NASA Contracts
| TOC | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | Chapter6 | Chapter7 | Chapter8 | AppendixA | AppedixB | AppendixC | ALL |

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Government Contract Quality Assurance Overview

1.1.1 Government contract quality assurance refers to the various functions performed by the Government to determine whether a contractor has fulfilled contract obligations pertaining to quality and quantity. The term quality, when used within the context of this NPR, refers to compliance with requirements that are contractually levied upon the contractor, including, but not limited to, safety, technical, item configuration, reliability, and quality management system requirements.

1.1.2 Government contract quality assurance is provided in addition to, not as a substitute for, contractor responsibilities for assuring delivery of conforming product or services.

1.1.3 NASA may perform Government contract quality assurance functions directly or may delegate/assign these functions to non-NASA Federal agencies or quality assurance support contractors.

Note: Final product acceptance, denoted by signature approval, is defined as an inherently Governmental function and may only be performed by Federal Government employees. Support contractors may, however, recommend acceptance of a product or service or act as a liaison for a Material Review Board (MRB) or other similar function.

1.1.4 Government contract quality assurance functions are planned and conducted on the basis of contract risk, per NPD 8730.5, to achieve confidence levels commensurate with the severity of consequences associated with noncompliance and to mitigate circumstances where there is an elevated likelihood of noncompliance.

1.2 Roles and Responsibilities

1.2.1 The Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance provides policy direction for all NASA quality assurance matters. Included in this role are technical guidance on the type and extent of quality assurance requirements appropriate for NASA acquisitions; functional oversight relative to Contract Administration and Audit Service (CAAS) quality assurance delegations; functional oversight relative to the adequacy of quality assurance personnel staffing and training; and independent assurance of the adequacy of program/project office quality assurance surveillance functions per NPR 8705.6.

1.2.2 NASA Center Directors are responsible for providing quality assurance services for all projects and programs hosted by, or assigned to, their Center, including the implementation of management controls to ensure proper performance of Government contract quality assurance functions. These responsibilities are typically delegated to the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) office (see paragraph 1.2.5 below).

1.2.3 Program and/or project managers are responsible for the quality of their assigned products and services, including planning and budgeting for implementation of Government contract quality assurance functions and provision of personnel resources. To implement requirements of this NPR, program/project managers shall:

a. Determine acquisition item criticality using input/support provided by the Center SMA office (Requirement).

b. Develop and implement Program/Project Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans (PQASP) per Chapters 2 and 3 of this NPR using input/support provided by the Center SMA office (Requirement). When required, PQASPs are to be submitted to the Contracting Officer.

c. Appoint a program/project SMA Lead or request SMA Director assignment/provision of a NASA SMA Lead in accordance with local Center organizational governance procedures (Requirement).

1.2.4 Contracting officers are responsible for:

a. Including in solicitations and contracts, as requested by the program/project or SMA lead, applicable FAR/NFS clauses and technical standards pertaining to quality (e.g., quality management system, non-destructive evaluation, calibration, workmanship).

b. Issuing Letters of Delegation (LOD) to non-NASA Federal agencies and contracts to quality assurance support service contractors, as requested by the program/project manager or SMA Lead, specifying quality assurance requirements to be delegated and contracted.

c. Designating in the contract, as requested by the program/project manager or SMA Lead, the place or places where the Government reserves the right to perform quality assurance (i.e., at a Government, contractor, or subcontractor facility). The circumstances under which Government contract quality assurance is to be performed at source and/or at subcontractor facilities are described in FAR 46.402 and 46.405, respectively.

1.2.5 NASA Center SMA Directors, as assigned by the Center Director, are responsible for providing support to contracting officers and program/project managers in the:

a. Selection of acquisition sources that present acceptable quality risk.

b. Selection and assignment of qualified civil service quality assurance professionals, including the NASA SMA Lead, when requested.

c. Development of Government contract quality assurance requirements to be incorporated into PQASPs, quality assurance LODs, support contracts, and commercial item acceptance procedures.

d. Performance of contractor surveys, audits, inspections, or other quality assurance functions considered necessary by the program/project office, contracting officer, and/or Center SMA office.

1.2.6 The NASA SMA Lead appointed by the program/project manager or the Center SMA Director is responsible for supporting the program/project manager and contracting officer on all matters related to Government contract quality assurance, including:

a. Developing PQASPs, LODs, and/or quality assurance support contracts.

b. Identifying key processes, products, documents, records, and performance characteristics requiring Government assurance actions and determining the appropriate level and type of Government contract quality assurance actions to be applied.

c. Ensuring clear and mutual understanding of delegated/assigned quality assurance functions between NASA, the delegated agency, and quality assurance support contractors.

d. Ensuring that delegated/assigned quality assurance functions are properly and effectively performed over the life of the program/project in accordance with the LOD or support contract.

e. Evaluating the adequacy of the PQASP, LOD, support contracts, and commercial item acceptance procedures based on contractor performance and other changing risk factors.

f. Coordinating and integrating quality assurance functions performed by different parties to ensure that the requirements of this NPR are satisfied and to avoid duplication of effort.

1.2.7 Non-NASA Federal agencies are delegated authority to perform CAAS on a reimbursable basis as formally agreed to in a LOD.

Note: The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an example of an agency that performs delegated CAAS functions on NASA's behalf.

1.2.8 Quality assurance support contractors perform quality assurance functions on behalf of NASA as tasked under contract.

1.2.9 Third parties are independent organizations that perform specified quality assurance functions on behalf of, and are overseen by, private industry and the Federal Government. Requirements related to third parties are provided in Chapter 7 of this NPR.

1.2.10 NASA personnel, at all levels, are responsible for reporting to the Office of Inspector General and the Office of General Counsel Acquisition Integrity Program Office when they become aware of noncompliant conditions or failure experiences which may constitute evidence of fraud, malpractice, or other serious misconduct.

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