FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 46: Quality Assurance › Subpart 46.4
FAR 46.408 Single-agency assignments of Government contract quality assurance.
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 assigns government-wide responsibility for quality assurance support for certain commodities to specific agencies: the Food and Drug Administration for drugs, biologics, and other medical supplies; the Department of Agriculture for food (except seafood); and the National Marine Fisheries Service for seafood. It also states that agencies needing such support should request it directly from the cognizant office. This matters to contractors because it clarifies which agency provides quality assurance for these products.
Applies to: Government agencies acquiring certain commodities and the agencies assigned quality assurance responsibilities
Key terms: quality assurance · drugs · biologics · medical supplies · food
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Government-wide responsibility for quality assurance support for acquisitions of certain commodities is assigned as follows:
(1) For drugs, biologics, and other medical supplies—the Food and Drug Administration;
(2) For food, except seafood—the Department of Agriculture.
(3) For seafood—the National Marine Fisheries Service of the Department of Commerce.
(b) Agencies requiring quality assurance support for acquiring these supplies should request the support directly from the cognizant office.
← 46.407 Nonconforming supplies or services. · 46.501 General. →
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.