How does the QPD improve upon the existing qualification process?

Products or manufacturing processes are qualified the same way as always. The specific requirements for qualification are in the governing specifications. Qualifying Activities may publish additional procedures, and these may vary based on the commodity. After products or manufacturing processes are initially qualified, periodic requalification or retesting may be required, and an official of the manufacturer or supplier periodically must certify that no changes have occurred in a product’s design or manufacture that would warrant requalification. Certain products, such as packaged lubricants, require qualification every five years. Most other products require certification every 24 months, although this period may be lengthened or shortened as determined by the Qualifying Activity.

Prior to the QPD, a QPL or QML was published as a paper document which could be downloaded as a PDF file from ASSIST. Because of the lead times involved in preparing and publishing the paper documents, there was often significant lag time between when a product or supplier was added to a QPL and when that change was made available to the public. The QPD creates a more efficient means of processing changes, as relevant records are managed as Qualification Data Sets (QDS) in a database. This gives Qualifying Activities the option of making changes to a QPL contemporaneously and, as soon as a Qualifying Activity publishes those changes, the information is immediately made available to all users of the QPD. By having all qualification information organized in a relational database, the QPD also provides reports and other tools that will enable Qualifying Activities, cognizant Departmental Standardization Offices (DepSOs) and Standardization Executives, and DSPO to better monitor and manage the DoD Qualification Program. The QPD also provides tools to help manufacturers, distributors, and other suppliers monitor and maintain their qualification on relevant QPLs or QMLs. Finally, the QPD will allow those who are seeking to buy qualified products access to the most current information on sources. This results in a more efficient and effective method for transferring critical modifications to the qualification data all stakeholders.

What are the different conditions that may cause a Qualifying Activity to update qualification data in the QPD?

• Manufacturer reports a change to a product (e.g., a design change, change in materials, or change in manufacturing process)
• Manufacturer reports a change in the location of the plant where the product is produced
• SAM.gov data reflects that a CAGE code on a QPL or QML is no longer in an "Active" status
• Qualifying Activity approves a new product or source
• Certification period has expired
• Manufacturer submits new test data
• Qualifying activity is alerted to discrepancies with qualified products from a manufacturer or supplier on a QPL
• SAM.gov data reflects a change in the location of the manufacturer's plant
• Manufacturer or supplier reports a new point of contact
• Manufacturer ceases production
• Manufacturer is suspended or debarred (as indicated by a change in status in SAM.gov)
• Product or part is found to be non-compliant

Where does the data in QPD come from?

Qualifying Activities are responsible for managing qualification for assigned specifications (either because they are the Preparing Activity for the governing specification or the Agent for the Preparing Activity of the governing specification). The records in the QPD comprise the same data formerly published in the legacy QPL and QML documents. Previously, a PDF document was prepared by the Qualifying Activity and forwarded to DAPS to be cataloged in the ASSIST. Now, the Qualifying Activity enters the same information directly into the QPD and, when the Qualifying Activity publishes the changes, the latest information is immediately available to all users.

What happened to the QPLs in ASSIST?

As QPLs and QMLs are published in the QPD the legacy QPL and QML documents are being phased out and replaced by their electronic equivalents in the QPD. As each QPL or QML is transformed to the QPD database, legacy QPLs and QMLs are removed from ASSIST and archived for historical purposes off-line. Ultimately, the goal is to publish each QPL or QML with a corresponding QDS in the QPD.

If QPLs cease to exist as documents, how do I find or reference the qualification data?

Qualification data is tied to a governing specification which calls for qualification. Although there will no longer be a QPL-1 document, the qualification data can be accessed much as before, either by searching for the governing specification (in this case, MIL-PRF-1) or by searching for QPL-1. Either way, whether searching one of the ASSIST applications, or directly within the QPD, you will be pointed to the QDS for MIL-PRF-1 in the QPD. There are some documents, such as MS drawings, where the qualification requirement is tied to a general specification. ASSIST also makes those linkages and will still lead you to the correct qualification information.

Why can't I find the governing specification, the part designation, or the manufacturer that I'm trying to locate?

The QPD does not include every specification, every part designation, or every manufacturer doing business with the government; it is limited to active and inactive specifications that have a requirement for qualification. Only government or manufacturer parts within those specifications are listed. Likewise, only the sources for products currently included in those qualification data sets will be located and found within the QPD. Additionally, if a specification is canceled or revised to remove the requirement for qualification, the qualification data associated with that specification will be archived offline and be unavailable to general users of ASSIST or the QPD. If you cannot find a QPL or QML in the QPD, please check the governing specification in ASSIST, as the specification may have been canceled or revised to remove the requirement for qualification.

What screen resolution setting provides the optimum presentation in my browser?

Setting the screen resolution to 1024 by 768 should provide the optimum display. Setting the screen to a lower resolution will make object appear larger, but may cause unnecessary scrolling both horizontally and vertically. A higher resolution will make objects on the screen smaller and possibly harder to read, giving the illusion of a larger screen.

What browsers should I be using with QPD?

Although the QPD was built using Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 6.0 (IE 6.0), we have attempted to provide compatibility with current versions of the most popular alternative browsers. Certain features found to be incompatible have purposely been avoided. Not all versions of all Web Browsers were tested, however, or verified as compatible. Also, as newer versions of any of the tested Web Browsers are released, future compatibility cannot be guaranteed. If you discover a problem with viewing the QPD, and you are using IE 6.0 or later, please report the problem using the QPD Feedback link at the bottom of this page.

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