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Vendor Quality Assurance (QA) Inspections
In a Federal Register notice (50 FR 47716) issued on November 20, 1985, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced a minor revision to its Enforcement Policy to describe how the policy applies to vendors that supply products or services to the nuclear industry for ultimate use in NRC-licensed facilities or activities. That revision reflected a Commission decision to support increased focus on NRC inspection and oversight of industry vendor activities. In addition, the NRC expanded various sections of the enforcement policy, including the purpose section and supplements, to encompass vendor activities and add references to the Notice of Nonconformance to vendors.
The NRC Enforcement Policy is applicable to non-licensees, including contractors and subcontractors, applicants or holders of NRC approvals (e.g., certificates of compliance, early site permits, standard design certificates, quality assurance program approvals, and employees of any of the foregoing, who knowingly provide components, equipment, or other goods or services that relate to a licensee's activities subject to NRC regulation.
Vendor inspections are conducted at vendor shops principally to examine whether the vendor has been complying with Appendix B to Title 10, Part 50, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 50), as required by procurement contracts with licensees. Notices of Nonconformances or Notices of Violations are issued to vendors for failures to meet quality commitments or the requirements of 10 CFR Part 21, "Reporting of Defects and Noncompliance," respectively. 10 CFR Part 21 was last updated on July 6, 2012.
For additional information, see the following related pages:
- NUREG-1055, "Improving Quality and the Assurance of Quality in the Design and Construction of Nuclear Power Plants," May 1984
- NRO SECY Paper on Enhancements to the Vendor Inspection Program for New Reactors
- NRO SECY Paper on Legal Constraints of Relying on Vendor Inspection Results of Foreign Regulators and the Need for Additional Resources to Achieve the Appropriate Number of NRC Vendor
- Inspection Procedures
- Generic Letters
- Information Notices
- Regulatory Information Summaries
- Commercial-Grade Dedication
- NUREG-0302, Revision 1 (10 CFR Part 21)
- Inspection Reports
- Vendor Inspection Program Plan
- Vendor Inspection Program Plan Annual Self-Assessment of Metrics for Fiscal Year 2012
- Vendor Newsletters
- Link to Regulations.gov for Part 21 Rulemaking Documents – Search for Docket – NRC–2012–0012
- 10 CFR Part 21 Clarification and Rulemaking