Subpart 46.4
Government Contract Quality Assurance
FAR Subpart 46.4 sets the framework for how the government verifies contract quality, requiring contractors to meet specified standards through inspections and corrective actions.
Overview
- FAR Subpart 46.4 establishes the policies and procedures for Government Contract Quality Assurance (GCQA), detailing how the government ensures that supplies and services acquired under contract meet specified quality requirements. This subpart covers the general framework for quality assurance, including where and how inspections are performed (at source or destination), special considerations for simplified acquisitions, handling of subcontracts, coordination with foreign governments, managing nonconforming supplies or services, and single-agency assignments for quality assurance responsibilities.
Key Rules
- General (46.401)
- Outlines the overall approach and authority for government contract quality assurance activities.
- Quality Assurance at Source (46.402)
- Specifies when and how inspections are conducted at the contractor’s facility before shipment.
- Quality Assurance at Destination (46.403)
- Details procedures for inspections upon delivery at the government’s location.
- Simplified Acquisition Threshold (46.404)
- Provides tailored quality assurance procedures for contracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold.
- Subcontracts (46.405)
- Addresses quality assurance responsibilities for subcontracted work.
- Foreign Governments (46.406)
- Covers quality assurance when contracts involve foreign governments or are performed overseas.
- Nonconforming Supplies or Services (46.407)
- Establishes procedures for handling supplies or services that do not meet contract requirements.
- Single-Agency Assignments (46.408)
- Describes how a single agency may be assigned responsibility for quality assurance on behalf of multiple agencies.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure appropriate quality assurance procedures are included in contracts and oversee compliance.
- Contractors: Must comply with specified inspection and quality requirements, including addressing nonconformances.
- Agencies: May coordinate or assign quality assurance responsibilities, especially for multi-agency or international contracts.
Practical Implications
- This subpart ensures that government contracts consistently deliver products and services that meet quality standards, reducing risk and ensuring value for taxpayers.
- Contractors must be prepared for inspections and quality checks at various stages and locations, and should have robust processes for managing quality and addressing deficiencies.
- Failure to comply with quality assurance requirements can result in rejection of supplies/services, delays, or contract remedies.