GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ACQUISITION MANUAL (GSAM)

## Part 546—Quality Assurance

### Subpart 546.3—Contract Clauses #### 546.302 Fixed-price supply contracts. #### 546.302-70 Source inspection by Quality Approved Manufacturer. For contracts and solicitations issued by FSS: (a) Insert the clause at 552.246-70, Source Inspection by Quality Approved Manufacturer, in solicitations and contract that provide for source inspection, except: (1) Multiple award schedule contracts. (2) Motor vehicle contracts. (3) Contracts awarded by the FSS Services Acquisition Center, unless you decide, together with the Central Office Quality Assurance Division (FQA), that inspection by Government personnel is necessary.
(b) You may authorize inspection and testing at manufacturing plants or other facilities located outside the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, under paragraph (a)(1) of the clause at 552.246-70 under any of the circumstances listed below. Coordinate the authorization with FQA and document it in the file. (1) Inspection services are available from another Federal agency with primary inspection responsibility in the geographic area. (2) An inspection interchange agreement exists with another agency for inspection at a contractor’s plant. (3) The procurement is for the Agency for International Development and specifies the area of source. (4) Other considerations will ensure more economical and effective inspection consistent with the Government’s interest.

#### 546.302-71 Source inspection. For solicitations and contracts issued by FSS, if Government personnel at the source will perform inspection, insert 552.246-71, Source Inspection by Government.

#### 546.312 Construction contracts. Insert the clause at 552.246-72, Final Inspection and Tests, in solicitations and contracts for construction that include FAR 52.246-12, Inspection of Construction.

### Subpart 546.4—Government Contract Quality Assurance

#### 546.400-70 Scope of subpart.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for the Federal Supply Service. Use by other GSA activities is optional.

#### 546.402 Government contract quality assurance at source.

(a) Government personnel or a Quality Approved Manufacturer must perform source inspection of supplies under any of the following contracts:

(1) FSS contracts selected for source inspection.

(2) Requirements contracts with a national scope, including shipments to GSA distribution centers.

(3) Requirements contracts with a regional scope.

(4) Definite quantity contracts for stock items.

(5) Contracts for Class 8010 items.

(6) Contracts for:

(i) Special-purpose vehicles.

(ii) Trucks over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW).

(iii) Trucks weighing 10,000 pounds GVW or less, not covered by a Federal standard.

(iv) Vehicles to be shipped outside the coterminous United States.

(b) Contracts may also provide for source inspection if the contracting director both:

(1) Coordinates with FQA.

(2) Determines it is in the Government’s interest due to the critical nature of the supplies.

#### 546.403 Government contract quality assurance at destination.

Require inspection of supplies at destination under each of the following:

(a) For purchases that exceed the micropurchase threshold, but not the simplified acquisition threshold.

(b) For schedule contracts, except those selected for source inspection.

(c) If contracting for either:

(1) Commercial or off-the-shelf products.

(2) Standard vehicles purchased for domestic consignees.

(3) Trucks weighing 10,000 pounds GVW or less, purchased for domestic consignees using a Federal Standard.

#### 546.470 Testing.

You may authorize testing to determine conformance with specifications and standards at the facilities of any of the following:

(a) Federal agencies.

(b) Manufacturers.

(c) Independent testing laboratories.

(d) Others, as appropriate.

#### 546.470-1 Acceptance testing.

(a) Acceptance testing determines conformance with purchase descriptions or specifications before a shipment is accepted. Do not use acceptance testing solely to furnish information to a producer or vendor as to whether a product conforms with specification requirements.

(b) GSA normally bears the cost of services for acceptance testing of samples of a shipment, except for retesting necessitated by prior rejection.

#### 546.470-2 Certification testing. Certification testing determines whether an item conforms with a specification for the purpose of executing a certificate of compliance required by the specification. The contractor has responsibility for certification testing.

### Subpart 546.7—Warranties

#### 546.704 Authority for use of warranties.

Consider the criteria in FAR 46.703 and decide whether to use a warranty in a specific acquisition.

#### 546.705 Limitations.

The contracting director must approve the use of warranties in cost reimbursement contracts, except those in FAR clauses 52.246-3 and 52.246-8.

#### 546.708 Warranties of data. (a) Use warranties of data only when you meet both of the following conditions: (1) You decide the use of a warranty is in the Government’s interest. (2) The contracting director concurs in your decision. (b) The technical or specification manager has responsibility for developing any warranties of data.

#### 546.709 Warranties of commercial items.

The specification manager must advise you which of the following apply:

(a) Whether a specification contains a warranty.

(b) Whether a commercial warranty applies.

(c) If an extended warranty is necessary, and recommend the duration of the extended warranty.

#### 546.710 Contract clauses. (a) Insert the clause at 552.246-17, Warranty of Supplies of a Noncomplex Nature, instead of FAR 52.246-17 in solicitations and contracts. Use the following alternates as applicable: (1) Commercial item acquisitions other than multiple award schedules. Use the clause at 552.246-17 with its Alternate I. (2) Other than commercial items in Class 8010. Use the clause at 552.246-17 with its Alternate II. (3) Other than commercial items in Class 8030 or 8040. Use the clause at 552.246-17 with its Alternate III. In addition, specify in the solicitation whether the items are “noncritical end use items “or “critical end use items”. (b) Multiple award schedules. Insert the clause at 552.246-73, Warranty—Multiple Award Schedule, in solicitations and contracts. Use Alternate I in solicitations and contracts for— (1) FSS Schedule 70 and the Consolidated Products and Services Schedule containing information technology Special Item Numbers); or (2) Federal Supply Schedules for recovery purchasing (see 538.7102). (c) Construction contracts expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Insert the clause at 552.246-75, Guarantees, in solicitations and contracts. (d) Pesticides. Insert the clause at 552.246-76, Warranty of Pesticides, in solicitations and contracts involving the procurement of pesticides.