Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently Asked Questions about Qualification are listed below.


Qualification

Q: Can adopted non-government standards (NGSs) contain qualification testing and have Qualified Products Lists (QPLs) or Qualified Manufacturers Lists (QMLs) associated with them?
A: Yes, the policy, procedures, and criteria for the establishment and maintenance of the qualification program, and the associated QPLs and QMLs, are outlined in Appendix 2 of DoD 4120.24-M, DSP Policies and Procedures. Paragraph AP2.1.1., Responsibility for Qualification, states:

"...The requirement for qualification shall be specified in the applicable Federal or defense specification or an adopted NGS at the time of initial document promulgation...."

Inclusion of qualification and establishing an associated QPL or QML can occur in one of two ways:

  1. If the NGS developing committee concurs with a DoD request to include a government qualification requirement in the non-government standard, but does not want the qualification requirement to be a mandatory requirement for non-DoD users, the DoD adopting activity would be responsible for establishing and maintaining the QPL or QML for the NGS. The same justification and criteria that govern inclusion of qualification in a government specification apply when including a government qualification requirement in a non-government standard.

  2. Alternatively, if the NGS developing committee considers a qualification requirement to be desirable for all users, it is also possible to have industry-wide QPLs or QMLs associated with a NGS that are developed and maintained by third-party qualifiers from the private sector. Such industry-wide qualification efforts are now underway in the area of sealants, o-rings, and hose assemblies.
In scenario (1) above, DoD policy in DoD 4120.24-M, Appendix 2, paragraph AP2.3., requires the preparing activity to submit requests for the inclusion of qualification in new specifications, or the addition of qualification as a new requirement to existing specifications, to its Departmental Standardization Office (DepSO) for approval. [NOTE: in this context, the term "specifications" also encompasses non-government standards.] In scenario (2) above, this policy does not apply, since the private sector, and not DoD, will establish and maintain the QPL or QML.

If a military specification with no qualification requirement is being converted to a non-government standard and DoD is requiring qualification, approval is necessary. If, however, a military specification with qualification is converted to or replaced by an NGS with qualification, no approval is needed. DoD activities should reconsider the need for qualification at the time of conversion, since it may no longer be necessary or DoD may not have the resources to maintain the QPL or QML adequately. Two examples of QPLs associated with non-government standards are QPL-J1899 and QPL-J1966, which are managed by the Naval Air Systems Command and are based, respectively, on SAE-J1899 and SAE-J1966, SAE standards for lubricating oils.