FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 246: Quality Assurance › Subpart 246.4
DFARS 246.401 General.
The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.
In plain English
This section requires that the need for a quality assurance surveillance plan be addressed and documented in the contract file for each contract, except those awarded using simplified acquisition procedures. For service contracts, the contracting officer should prepare such a plan to help assess contractor performance; for supply contracts, the contracting officer should address whether one is needed.
Applies to: Contracts other than those awarded using simplified acquisition procedures
What it requires
- Address and document the requirement for a quality assurance surveillance plan in the contract file for each contract, except those using simplified acquisition procedures
Key terms: quality assurance surveillance plan · contract file · simplified acquisition procedures · contracting officer · contractor performance
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
The requirement for a quality assurance surveillance plan shall be addressed and documented in the contract file for each contract except for those awarded using simplified acquisition procedures. For contracts for services, the contracting officer should prepare a quality assurance surveillance plan to facilitate assessment of contractor performance, see 237.172. For contracts for supplies, the contracting officer should address the need for a quality assurance surveillance plan.
Sections it refers to
- 237.172 Service contracts surveillance.
← 246.370 Notification of potential safety issues. · 246.402 Government contract quality assurance at source. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 246
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · proposed 2025-01-17 · comments due 2025-03-18
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.