DCMA Audit Validates AMS Quality Excellence

Chesterland, Ohio —  With more than 100 specific and probing questions about Quality systems and processes, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) audits of suppliers are extremely important to the safety and reliability of military aircraft. The audits help auditors enforce the high Quality standards expected from companies repairing the aircraft components used around the world by all branches of the U.S. military.
Over a period of several days, DCMA auditors recently  scrutinized every detail of Quality systems and processes at Aerospace Maintenance Solutions (AMS). The purpose of a audit was to verify the company’s compliance with Federal Acquisition Requirements (FAR) 52.246-11, as it relates to the Quality Management System. The verification confirms that when a unit has been repaired by AMS and returned to service, the aircraft end users can have confidence that the part has gone through the AS9110 Quality system that AMS currently uses.

Audits are conducted on-site, so auditors can see first-hand how the AMS Quality system functions. Audit questions applied to all areas of AMS, including the company’s engineering department, purchasing, control of records and documents, quality management system, customer relations, production, shipping, and other parts of the business. DCMA verifies, for example that AMS has “established, documented, implemented, maintained, and continually improved“ the Quality Management System. The DCMA verifies AMS has identified the appropriate processes and has implemented their application throughout the organization. DCMA also verifies AMS has sufficient information required to support the operation and the monitoring of processes supporting the Quality system.

Audit results from both the Lead Auditor and Senior Quality Assurance Representative from DCMA included no non-conformances when the Audit was completed. The audit occurs every 3-years and is requirement for AMS to work with the U.S. Air Force, other branches of the U.S. military, and some foreign militaries. The DCMA audit team consisted of a Lead Auditor and a Senior Quality Assurance Representative from Cleveland DCMA.