46.503 Place of acceptance
Source: FAR 46.503 on acquisition.gov
Every contract must specify the place of acceptance, which determines where government quality assurance and final acceptance occur, impacting inspection and liability responsibilities.
Overview
FAR 46.503 requires that every government contract clearly specify the place where acceptance of supplies or services will occur. The place of acceptance is closely tied to where Government contract quality assurance (CQA) is performed: if CQA is conducted at the source (e.g., contractor’s facility), acceptance should also occur there; if CQA is at the destination (e.g., government facility), acceptance should occur at destination. Supplies accepted at a location other than the destination are not subject to reinspection for acceptance at the destination, but should be checked for quantity, damage, and potential fraud or substitution upon arrival. This section also references FAR Subpart 47.3 for transportation terms related to delivery and acceptance.
Each contract shall specify the place of acceptance. Contracts that provide for Government contract quality assurance at source shall ordinarily provide for acceptance at source. Contracts that provide for Government contract quality assurance at destination shall ordinarily provide for acceptance at destination. (For transportation terms, see subpart 47.3.) Supplies accepted at a place other than destination shall not be reinspected at destination for acceptance purposes, but should be examined at destination for quantity, damage in transit, and possible substitution or fraud.