ACD 401.2, Updated Weapon Quality Assurance Procurement Requirements in NNSA Policy (NAP) 401.1A, Weapon Quality Policy

National Nuclear Security Administration Advance Change Directive Approved: 01-31-24 Expiration: 01-31-25 NNSA ACD 401.2 SUBJECT: UPDATED WEAPON QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS IN NNSA POLICY (NAP) 401.1A, WEAPON QUALITY POLICY. PURPOSE: Implement Weapon Quality Assurance (WQA) procurement requirements and standardized business processes that apply appropriate levels of control to suppliers of weapon products. URGENCY: To convey direction and prompt implementation of streamlined WQA procurement requirements that will standardize how Production Agencies (PAs) evaluate, select, and monitor suppliers of weapon products. BACKGROUND: Currently, PAs flow all the applicable NAP requirements (~157 ) to each supplier providing weapons or weapon-related products. This resulted in NNSA sites implementing their own graded approach to contractually flow WQA requirements to suppliers causing major inconsistencies in how controls were applied to suppliers. In some instances, suppliers stopped doing business with NNSA sites because of burdensome requirements, inconsistent application of those requirements, and the redundant assessments conducted by NNSA sites. This Advance Change Directive (ACD) enables PAs to significantly reduce the number of requirements that are being flowed to suppliers and standardize WQA procurement. It allows PAs to rely on industry standards (AS9100 and ISO 9001) when assessing the Quality Management Systems (QMS) suppliers have in place and encourages PAs to rely on assessments completed by other PAs to reduce the administrative burden on the NNSA supply base. NNSA plans to incorporate these updated requirements into an upcoming revision of NAP 401.1A, Weapon Quality Policy. APPLICABILITY: This ACD applies to all Federal NNSA elements and management and operating contractor (M&O) sites, M&O employees, and Federal Field/Production Office employees at each site, which use NAP 401.1A procurement requirements to purchase weapon products. The changes stated herein take effect upon this ACD release. REQUIREMENTS: 1. PAs must evaluate, select, and monitor suppliers of complex weapon products by following updated WQA procurement requirements in Evaluating and Selecting Suppliers of Weapon Products and Monitoring of Suppliers of Weapon Products. 2. PAs must procure complex weapon products from the PA Approved Supplier List. 3. PAs must verify that procured weapon products and commercial commodities meet specified procurement requirements outlined in Verification of Procured Weapon Products. For questions or comments on the ACD please contact the NNSA Weapons Quality Division (NA-121.3) at WQA@nnsa.doe.gov. BY ORDER OF THE ADMINISTRATOR: Jill Hruby Administrator https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%201_10232023v1.docx https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%201_10232023v1.docx https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%202_10232023v1.docx https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%202_10232023v1.docx https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%203_10232023v1.docx https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/product-realization/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements/WQA%20Procurement%20Requirements_Section%203_10232023v1.docx mailto:WQA@nnsa.doe.gov SUBJECT: UPDATED WEAPON QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS IN NNSA POLICY (NAP) 401.1A, WEAPON QUALITY POLICY.