Orientation on First Article Inspection (FAI) Attachment 1.pdf

This document is an Orientation on First Article Inspection (FAI) from the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center's Quality Management Division at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The document provides guidance for contractors on the first article inspection and testing process, which is designed to ensure that a contractor can manufacture a product that meets all contract requirements. Key details include the purpose of FAI to verify the contractor's capability to produce conforming materials, the requirement to notify the Procurement Contracting Officer and Government Surveillance Element at least 30 days prior to the scheduled first article inspection, and the involvement of various government representatives such as the AMRDEC Quality Management Division and local Defense Contract Management Agency.

The document outlines the comprehensive inspection process, which includes examining certifications, employee training records, material characteristics, manufacturing processes, dimensions, marking, and functional testing. Common causes for FAI rejections are also detailed, including missing documentation, lack of quality program evidence, missing certifications, traceability issues, and non-conforming characteristics. The ultimate goal is to provide quality material to the Warfighter, with the FAI serving as a critical quality assurance mechanism to assess and validate the contractor's production capabilities before full-scale manufacturing.