FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 46: Quality Assurance › Subpart 46.1
FAR 46.104 Contract administration office responsibilities.
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 outlines the responsibilities of the contract administration office when a contract is assigned to it for administration at the contractor's plant. It requires that office to perform quality assurance actions, verify conformance to contract requirements, maintain records, follow contracting office instructions, report defects, and recommend improvements. For contractors, this means that the contract administration office will be actively involved in overseeing quality and compliance, and may identify issues or suggest changes that affect the contract.
Applies to: Contract administration office cognizant of the contractor's plant
What it requires
- Develop and apply efficient procedures for Government contract quality assurance actions in accordance with the contracting office's written direction
- Perform all actions necessary to verify whether supplies or services conform to contract quality requirements
- Maintain suitable records of quality assurance actions and decisions regarding acceptability and defect corrections
- Implement any specific written instructions from the contracting office
Key terms: contract administration office · Government contract quality assurance · contract quality requirements · defects · contracting office
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
When a contract is assigned for administration to the contract administration office cognizant of the contractor's plant, that office, unless specified otherwise, shall—
(a) Develop and apply efficient procedures for performing Government contract quality assurance actions under the contract in accordance with the written direction of the contracting office:
(b) Perform all actions necessary to verify whether the supplies or services conform to contract quality requirements;
(c) Maintain, as part of the performance records of the contract, suitable records reflecting—
(1) The nature of Government contract quality assurance actions, including, when appropriate, the number of observations made and the number and type of defects; and
(2) Decisions regarding the acceptability of the products, the processes, and the requirements, as well as action to correct defects.
(d) Implement any specific written instructions from the contracting office;
(e) Report to the contracting office any defects observed in design or technical requirements, including contract quality requirements; and
(f) Recommend any changes necessary to the contract, specifications, instructions, or other requirements that will provide more effective operations or eliminate unnecessary costs (see 46.103(c)).
Sections it refers to
- 46.103 Contracting office responsibilities.
Sections that refer to it
- 46.103 Contracting office responsibilities.
← 46.103 Contracting office responsibilities. · 46.105 Contractor responsibilities. →
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.