scope:

To establish policy and specific responsibilities for planning and conducting a NASA Engineering and Quality Audit (NEQA) at contractor facilities and to ensure consistent evaluations of contractor compliance with NASA contractual safety and mission assurance requirements and engineering requirements.

NASA Engineering and Quality Audits (NEQAs) for NASA Projects shall be structured and completed as defined in this plan. This document establishes requirements for selection, preparation, performance, and closeout of NEQAs conducted of prime contractors, subcontractors, and vendors. Methodology and checklists for audit conduct are included in Appendices A and Z.

This plan is organized to provide necessary requirements for the implementation of NEQA at facilities and locations involved in manufacture, assembly, testing, and processing of hardware. This plan provides the methodology for planning, scheduling, performance, reporting and closeout of a NEQA. This audit can provide indicators of generic system anomalies that cause or contribute to the inability of personnel to warrant that the product satisfies specified requirements as well as specific problems in documentation or performance of required manufacturing/assembly operations.

APPLICABILITY. This procedure is applicable to all personnel who serve as chairperson or team members on NEQAs and to NASA contractors, both internal and external that perform work involving NASA policies, procedures and requirements on hardware, software, materials, and process equipment.