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FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 246: Quality Assurance › Subpart 246.4

DFARS 246.406 Foreign governments.

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 tells DoD departments and agencies how to handle quality assurance when work involves foreign governments. It directs them to follow NATO's STANAG 4107 when requesting or providing quality assurance with NATO nations, and to perform quality assurance on non-NATO international military sales contracts. It also notes that MOUs with foreign countries may include annexes for reciprocal quality assurance, which should be checked before a contract is performed there.

Applies to: DoD departments and agencies handling quality assurance with foreign governments

What it requires

  • Follow STANAG 4107 when asking a NATO member nation to perform quality assurance
  • Follow STANAG 4107 when performing quality assurance at the request of a NATO member nation or NATO organization
  • Perform quality assurance services on international military sales contracts or in accordance with existing agreements
  • Inform host or U.S. Government personnel and contractors on the use of quality assurance publications

Key terms: STANAG 4107 · NATO · quality assurance · Allied Quality Assurance Publications · Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(1) Quality assurance among North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. (i) NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4107, Mutual Acceptance of Government Quality Assurance and Usage of the Allied Quality Assurance Publications—

(A) Contains the processes, procedures, terms, and conditions under which one NATO member nation will perform quality assurance for another NATO member nation or NATO organization;

(B) Standardizes the development, updating, and application of the Allied Quality Assurance Publications; and

(C) Has been ratified by the United States and other nations in NATO with certain reservations identified in STANAG 4107.

(ii) Departments and agencies shall follow STANAG 4107 when—

(A) Asking a NATO member nation to perform quality assurance; or

(B) Performing quality assurance when requested by a NATO member nation or NATO organization.

(2) International military sales (non-NATO). Departments and agencies shall—

(i) Perform quality assurance services on international military sales contracts or in accordance with existing agreements;

(ii) Inform host or U.S. Government personnel and contractors on the use of quality assurance publications; and

(iii) Delegate quality assurance to the host government when satisfactory services are available.

(3) Reciprocal quality assurance agreements. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a foreign country may contain an annex that provides for the reciprocal performance of quality assurance services. MOUs should be checked to determine whether such an annex exists for the country where a defense contract will be performed. (See subpart 225.8 for more information about MOUs.)

← 246.404 Government contract quality assurance for acquisitions at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. · 246.407 Nonconforming supplies or services. →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 246

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

DFARS 246.406 Foreign governments · SpendQuery