Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is the part of quality management that is focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled. This wording comes from the ISO 9000:2015 vocabulary, and the Government of Canada uses it in the terminology annex of the Library and Archives Canada digitization guidelines. It describes a confidence-building function, not inspection alone.

In public procurement, the term works at two levels. Inside a supplier, quality assurance is part of a quality management system, usually built on ISO 9001. Between a supplier and a government buyer, it becomes a contract mechanism: the buyer states what quality assurance it requires and how it will confirm that the requirements are met. NATO's defence quality publications and the CanadaBuys Buyer's Guide both treat it this way.

The ISO 9000 definition and what it covers

ISO 9000:2015, titled Quality management systems: Fundamentals and vocabulary, is the reference for the terms used across ISO quality management standards. Its definition ties quality assurance directly to quality management. Quality assurance is one function within a larger system, and its purpose is to give customers, regulators and other stakeholders confidence that outputs will conform to requirements.

The Library and Archives Canada guidelines show how this works in practice. They describe quality assurance as checking the operation and output of a process against agreed benchmarks, so that the results are acceptable substitutes for the originals. They also recommend that each batch of digitized images be certified as having passed quality control, which keeps the two activities distinct.

Quality assurance compared with quality control

ISO's explanation of quality management separates the two terms. Quality control involves inspecting actual products or services to find errors or defects. Quality assurance reviews the delivery process for services, or the quality management of manufacturing, so that errors are prevented before they reach the customer. ISO adds that quality assurance is most effective when it is carried out regularly through independent audits.

For a bid team, the distinction affects how you describe your approach. Inspection and testing of finished work speak to quality control. Documented processes, internal audits, corrective action and records speak to quality assurance.

ISO 9001 as the supplier baseline

ISO 9001 sets out requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a quality management system. It uses a process approach built on the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle and risk-based thinking. Quality assurance aligns most closely with the Check and Act stages, where an organization monitors performance, evaluates whether requirements are being met and takes action to improve.

ISO identifies internal audits as the way an organization verifies how its system is functioning. Certification to ISO 9001 therefore shows a buyer that a supplier has put assurance mechanisms in place and runs them as a regular, structured activity.

Government Quality Assurance and AQAP 2110

In defence procurement, NATO's Allied Quality Assurance Publications apply the idea to contracts. AQAP 2110, titled NATO Quality Assurance Requirements for Design, Development and Production, defines Government Quality Assurance as the process by which the appropriate national authorities establish confidence that contractual requirements relating to quality are met. Assurance is therefore not only the supplier's responsibility. A Government Quality Assurance Representative acts for the acquirer and oversees the work.

AQAP 2110 requires a supplier's quality management system to meet ISO 9001:2015 and then adds NATO-specific requirements. These include configuration management, risk management, traceability and quality planning.

The CanadaBuys Buyer's Guide on standards and quality assurance applies the same logic to federal requisitions. Clients must state their Government Quality Assurance requirements, including quality assurance and quality control, in the requisition and attached documents. The level required depends on the technical requirements and the supplier's performance history, and the client designates the inspection authority and the point of inspection. The guide identifies ISO 9001 and AQAP 2110 among the recognized qualifying programs.

What quality assurance means for suppliers bidding on Canadian public contracts

Read the quality assurance clauses of each solicitation closely. Check whether Government Quality Assurance applies, who the inspection authority is and where inspection takes place. Confirm whether the buyer names ISO 9001 or AQAP 2110 as the expected framework.

• Hold current ISO 9001 certification, which is also the foundation for AQAP 2110 work on defence contracts.
• Keep audit records, quality plans and corrective action logs ready to show on request.
• Be prepared for a Government Quality Assurance Representative to review your processes during contract delivery.