Qualification, Certification and Individual Acceptance

• • Qualification

  The qualification of a product constitutes the process of verifying that a defence system complies with a specified set of requirements (namely: Function, Interface, Environment, EMI/EMC, TEMPEST, COMSEC etc.) taking into account its intended operational use, as well as verification of compliance to airworthiness, seaworthiness or traffic homologation and other regulations depending on the nature of the defence system.
  
  The qualification process follows four major steps:
  
  

  • Qualification planning which should occur as early as possible.

  • Defining the qualification procedure which will define the qualification process in detail, in particular the means of qualification and processing of waivers / deviations.

  • Conducting qualification tests

  • Processing of waivers/deviations.

  
  The contractor shall notify (in accordance with the contract) the start of the qualification to allow the availability of the required experts and GFX.
  
  Qualification Tests begin once the contractor presents the screened mature defence system. During the qualification tests the defence system configuration may evolve because of the correction of the found deficiencies. Non compliances may be raised as waivers/deviations to be processed to the agreed procedure.
  
  OCCAR-EA on behalf of and in coordination with the Participating States will accept, conditionally accept, or reject the waiver/deviation and formally document the decision.
  
  The qualification process for the specific configuration of the defence system is closed once the defence system completes all qualification tests without any rejected waiver/deviation.
  

• • Certification

  Certification comprises the process of a national authority certifying that the Configuration of the Defence System complies with the applicable regulations especially in the area of the airworthiness, seaworthiness or traffic homologation, depending on the nature of the system. In some areas this is also referred to as accreditation (TEMPEST, COMSEC, and COMPUSEC).
  
  Certificates are issued by the competent authority on the basis of the qualification tests or additional test as required. Achieving the required Certificates is a prerequisite for the defence system to be cleared for its intended use. Based on national legislation, Military Authorities may decide to authorise the use of the defence system although certification is still outstanding.
  
  Changes to a qualified, or certified configuration of the defence system restart the qualification and certification process.
  The Participating States shall involve their National Certification Authorities/Representatives for the review of the Certification provisions contained in Programme Decisions and OCCAR contracts.
  
  The Programme Manager shall co-ordinate the general concept and resulting activities for certification in the Programme with the National Certification Authorities/Representatives of the Participating States prior to and during contract execution, in particular to ensure the consistency between civil and military certification requirements and activities.
  
  The National Certification Authorities/Representatives of the Participating States should harmonise their certification procedures and activities within the Programme as far as possible. The costs of those activities will be balanced in accordance with the Programme MoU and the Programme Decision.
  

• • Individual Acceptance

  The acceptance process includes four steps, similar to the qualification process:
  
  

  • Planning acceptance,

  • Defining the acceptance procedure,

  • Conducting acceptance tests

  • Processing of acceptance waivers/deviations.

  
  The individual acceptance is performed to demonstrate that the delivered item is compliant to contractual configuration.
  
  Accepted or conditionally accepted waivers/deviations will be taken into account during acceptance. During the acceptance process waivers/deviations need to undergo a formal process in which OCCAR-EA on behalf, and in coordination with the Participating States, conditionally accepts, or rejects them.
  
  The process is completed once the item passes all acceptance tests without any rejected waiver/deviation. The acceptance will trigger the transfer of property from contractor to the receiving Participating State.