THE DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF QUALITY ASSURANCE, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, INDIA(www.dgqadefence.gov.in)

The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) is under the Department Of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. This organisation is more than hundred years old and provides Quality Assurance (QA) cover for the entire range of arms, ammunitions, equipments and stores supplied to Armed Forces.

Apart from QA activities, the organisation is responsible for import substitution and associates with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the development of projects. It also ensures documentation, Codification and Standardisation action for minimizing the variety of components / equipments. The other services rendered are promotion of small scale industries, post procurement services, defect investigations and technical consultancy to the users, ministry and the production agencies.

The establishments under this organisation are spread all over the country where mainly the Ordnance Factories, Defence Public Sector undertakings and Industrial base exist.

Assessment and Registration Process of Vendors For Defence

The registration of all firms who have their own manufacturing and quality assurance systems is done in accordance with JSG:015:02:1995 which is a priced document and can be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Standardisation, DHQ PO, New Delhi 110011.

The procedure for vendor assessment comprises of a number of stages as described below:-

·          An intending vendor may initiate his case by filling up Pre-qualification Information Proforma (PQI), and forward it to the designated AHSP(Controllerate).

·          Vendor Assessment will be carried out by a nominated team of officers detailed by the local SQAEs/ QAEs on receipt of technical guidelines and authorisation from AHSP.

·          Before assessment, the SQAE/ QAE will obtain information in accordance with appendix 'B' to Joint Services Guide (JSG).

·          Acceptance / Rejection, Registration and Enrolment (in the Compendium) of the firms will be done by the Technical Directors. A written information is sent to the firm (With certificate, if applicable).

Procedure for Registration and Removal of Vendors - Compendium of Approved Suppliers.

As per existing Govt. orders, the Head of Office or any other authority nominated by him is competent to register and include the name of a firm in the list of approved suppliers maintained by that office subject to conditions & formalities which can be stipulated . The same authority is competent to order the removal of a firm from the list of approved suppliers.

On receipt of recommendations technical directors of DGQA organisation are the competent Accepting Authority to register and include names of firms on the compendium of Approved Defence Suppliers or for their removal from the compendium in accordance with the guidelines.

Indigenisation

To overcome the delay in commencement of indigenisation process, a system- based approach is being articulated. A detailed SOP on indigenization will be released shortly. 

Technical Committee

The Technical Committee is responsible for selection of items for indigenisation, selection of vendors, issue of tenders on a limited basis and evaluation of offers for ab-initio development for placement of Supply Orders.

The Technical Committee assists the Department of Defence Supplies, Ministry of Defence
in locating indigenous source of supply for Defence stores, whether to being imported.
The functions include :-

• Vetting and scrutiny of Depot lists and selection of items suitable for
  indigenisation / substitutions.
•  Planning for Indigenisation / substitution.
• Floating of tender enquiries, examination and processing of quotations.
• Technical vetting and scrutiny of drawings / specification.
• Conducting negotiations with the firms.
• Technical vetting and examination of quotation and evaluation thereof
• Preparation of techno-economic Comparative statements.
•  Vetting and scrutiny of import indents from indigenous angles
• Association with users to workout their short term, long term and life
  time requirements.
• Maintenance of firm's performance records.
• Checking availability of samples for preparations of drawings.
• Co-ordination of work relating of items by Technical committee.
• Maintenance of statistics.
• Preparation and issue of agenda and Minutes.
• Submission of agenda points for Central Technical committee (CTC ).

Grading of Vendors

All vendors will be graded and registered according to their quality system, technical facilities available with them and their financial status. The grading will be awarded based on a system of allotment of marks by the assessment team deputed to verify the firm in their report viz. "Vendor Quality Survey Report (VQSR)" given at Appendix "C" to this guide as per details indicated below.
Based on the marks obtained by the firm in the VQSR.

Application for Renewal of Registration

As far as possible, concerned AHSP will advise firm to apply for renewal of their registration six months before it due to expire. Not with standing receipt of such advise from AHSP, it is mandatory that all vendors registered in the compendium of approved suppliers will apply for renewal of registration in a letter, addressed to the Recommending Authority (AHSP) or his designated representative as per the specimen given at appendix 'f ' of the guide in case they wish to continue as approved supplier of the compendium. This application will be previous registration . Registration of firms who do not apply for renewal as prescribed above will lapse and their names may be removed from the compendium of approved suppliers as per para 39 above. No show cause is required to be issued to the vendors in such cases. As and when such firms apply later, assessment will be done as per the procedure for initial registration and assessment fee will be charged from such firms.

Grace Period

Even in cases where application for renewal has been made within the prescribed period , there will be cases when it may not be possible to process the case and issue fresh registration certificates for renewal before expiry of the registration. To cover such cases when applications for renewal have been made in time, it will be presumed that the previous registration is valid for three months after the date of validity during which period it is expected that renewal action will be completed. Accordingly such vendors will be deemed to be registered till the renewal action is completed.

Procedure and charges for Renewal of Registration

Essentially, the aforesaid procedure prescribed for initial registration will be followed for renewal also. The following guidelines may be followed regarding recovery of assessment fee and the requirement of a visit to the firm :-

(a)In case the firm has applied for renewal of registration for only those items / generic group of items for which it is already registered and it satisfactorily supplied all these items / generic group of items during the past three years without any adverse feed back, the registration of firm may be renewed based on its satisfactory performance / vendors ratings. In such cases and where there are no charges in the infrastructural charges, it is up to the discretion of initiating / recommending authorities on whether a visit is necessary. In all such case no assessment fee will be charged.

(b) In cases other than (a) above, where the vendor applies for additional items or has not supplied all the items or a specific generic group of items for which they are registered during the past three years or the performance of the firm is not satisfactory for any or all of the items / generic group, the firm will br asked to submit all the documents afresh and a reverification visit will be carried out. In such cases assessment fee will also be charged except where additional items applied for do not involve new technology / design.

(c)Application for general registration of registration or additional items from existing vendors WILL NOT be entertained earlier than expiry of 6 months from date of last registration / visit. Similarly no firm will be visited within a period of six months from the date of last visit.

Validity of Renewal