Information Notice 1988-95, Inadequate Procurement Requirements Imposed by Licensees on Vendors

Inadequate Procurement Requirements Imposed by Licensees on Vendors

ML031150017
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	12/08/1988
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-88-095, NUDOCS 8812020287
Download: ML031150017 (8)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATI6R

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 8, 1988 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 88-95: INADEQUATE PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS

IMPOSED BY LICENSEES ON VENDORS

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

This information notice is being provided to alert addressees to potential

problems resulting from inadequate procurement requirements being imposed by

licensees on vendors supplying components under the ASME Code which may result

in the vendor's failure to implement critical portions of 10 CFR Part 50,

Appendix B, Quality Assurance (QA) requirements. It is expected that recipi- ents will review the information for applicability to their facilities and

consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, sugges- tions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On August 15-19, 1988, the NRC staff inspected Anchor/Darling Industries, Inc.

(A/DI), Hatfield, PA. The inspection included a review of A/DI's QA program, as it relates to the manufacture of mechanical shock suppressors (snubbers) for

safety-related applications. A/DI is a material supplier and is accredited by

the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) under a Quality Systems

Certificate. As such, the quality requirements of the ASME Boiler and Pressure

Vessel Code,Section III, Article NCA-3800, apply.

A/DI's QA manual specifies that only load-bearing parts of the snubber are

subject to the quality requirements of Section III, Division 1, of the ASME

Code. Subsection NF-2121 of Section III, "Permitted Material Specification,"

specifies that gaskets, seals, bushings, springs, compression spring

end-plates, bearings, retaining rings, washers, wear shoes, hydraulic fluids, etc., are exempt from the requirements of Article NF-2000, 'Material," and as

such do not require a Material Manufacturer's Certificate of Compliance pursu- ant to the provisions of NF-2130. The A/DI QA program does not address the

procurement and QA controls of the ASME Code exempt load-bearing parts. The

inspectors noted that A/DI considers several parts in the direct load path of

the A/DI mechanical snubber to be exempt from QA requirements because of the

NF-2121 exemption. These parts include the ball nut, ball bushing, thrust

881222j / /

IN88-95 December 8, 1988 race, ball bearing, and the load member on the

pound rated load). These parts are purchased AD-125 model snubber (125,000-

to have the benefit of a dedication process commercial grade and appear not

necessary to assure adequacy of the critical or any other quality controls

Therefore, safety-related snubbers produced characteristics of the parts.

by A/DI contain direct load path

parts, procured commercially, that may not conform

configuration. to the original tested

In another example, the NRC received a 10 CFR

from the Southern California Edison Company Part 21 report on August 8, 1988 regarding

parts in storage at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating a deviation found on

deviation involved cracks discovered in spare Station (SONGS). The

assemblies in storage. SONGS filed the Part safety valve guide and bearing

21 report on the basis that

failure of the valve'guide or bearing assembly

the valve. The parts are utilized in Units could affect the operability of

2 and

and were supplied by Crosby Valve and Gage Company, 3 main steam safety valves

Wrentham, Massachusetts.

Because the valve guide and bearing assemblies

are not pressure boundary parts, the parts were manufactured and supplied as commercial

consider these components to be critical and grade. Crosby did not

turing, procurement, and inspection records. did not retain pertinent manufac- purchasing requirements to impose Appendix B SONGS has since revised their

or ANSI N45.2 requirements on

safety-related parts excluded from Section III

requirements.

Discussion:

It is important that licensees place adequate

documents to vendors to control the quality of requirements in procurement

equipment, and services and subsequently verify safety-related components, audits of the vendor's QA program. Licensees compliance through periodic

components are to be manufactured under a QA are reminded that safety-related

Appendix B requirements. The NRC has determined program that meets 10 CFR Part 50

III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code that compliance with Section

ments for items covered by the Code. However, satisfies Appendix B require- this

that safety-related items exempt from Code requirements is not sufficient to ensure

Licensees are reminded that they are responsible comply with Appendix B.

for

vendors meet Appendix B requirements for safety-related ensuring that their

two above-described examples, it appears that items. Considering the

past licensee audits of A/DI and

Crosby have not been effective in assuring compliance

requirements. with regulatory

It is important that purchase orders to companies

Appendix B as well as the ASME Code to assure specify compliance with

that

functions have adequate quality assurance applied. all parts with safety

reinforce the NRC's belief that additional attention These examples further

effectiveness of licensee imposed procurement is needed to improve the

requirements on vendors to

control the quality of safety-related items.

IN 88-95 December 8, 1988 NRC previously conveyed concerns in Information Notice 88-35, "Inadequate

Licensee Performed Vendor Audits," that licensee audits of vendors may not be

effectively evaluating the vendor's QA program and its implementation, specifi- cally in the area of procurement. The examples discussed in this notice

indicate that licensee audits are not assuring that vendors apply adequate

quality requirements for all parts within an ASME component that have a safety

function.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-3214 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

IN 88-95 December 8, 1988 NRC previously conveyed concerns in Information Notice 88-35, "Inadequate

Licensee Performed Vendor Audits," that licensee audits of vendors may not be

effectively evaluating the vendor's QA program and its implementation, specifi- cally in the area of procurement. The examples discussed in this notice

indicate that licensee audits are not assuring that vendors apply adequate

quality requirements for all parts within an ASME component that have a safety

function.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-3214 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

I

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE.

OFC :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :TECH EDITOR :C:VIB:DRIS:NRR:D:DRIS:NRR

______ ________________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ _____________

NAME :RLPettis:jeh* :ETBaker* :UPotapovs* :RSanders* :EWBrach* :BKGrimes*

DATE :10/07/88:mgc :10/16/88 :10/18/88 :10/18/88 :11/25/88 :11/28/88 OFC :D:DOEA:NRR :DD/DLPQ:NRR :C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR:

NAME :CERossi :JZwolinski :CHBerlinger*

---

 :-------------1

8  :--------------1:---------1/ __ -- ____________

--------------

_

DATE :12/ /88 / :12/;Z/88 :11/30/88:::

IN 88-XX

December XX, 1988 NRC previously conveyed concerns in Information Notice 88-35 that licensee

audits of vendors may not be effectively evaluating the vendor's QA program

and its implementation, specifically in the area of procurement. The examples

discussed in this notice indicate that licensee audits are not assuring that

vendors apply adequate quality requirements for all parts within an ASME

component that have a safety function.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-3214 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notice

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE.

OFC :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :TECH EDITOR :C:VIB:DRIS:NRR:D:

______ ________________- ____------------:--------------: --------------  :--------------o5sff- NAME :RLPettis:jeh* :ETBaker* :UPotapovs* :RSanders* :EWBrach*

__---:----------------:--------------: -------------- : -------------- :------------)

DATE :10/07/88:mgc :10/16/88 :10/18/88 :10/18/88 :11/25/88 :111Z6/88 OFC :D:DOEA:NRRo  : 0bF-i:Hld

______ _____

____ _____

---

----- #:-y---------4~---~- ~ :--------~--~-- -- ------ ------

NAME :CERossi  :

DATE__11/_/8_- - -----------------------------------------

DATE 11/

• /88 *#5/

IN 88-XX

December XX, 1988 NRC previously conveyed concerns in Information Notice 88-35 that licensee

audits of vendors may not be effectively evaluating the vendor's QA program

and its implementation, specifically in the area of procurement. The examples

discussed in this notice indicate that licensee audits are not assuring that

vendors apply adequate quality requirements for all parts within an ASME

component that have a safety function.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operation Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-3214 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notice

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE. t

OFC :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :TECH EDITOR :C:VID:DRIS:NRR:D:DRIS:NRR

___

________________ _________------- _----- ____-- ______-_____----- :-_ _

-____________

NAME :RLPettis:jeh* :ETBaker* :UPotapovs* :RSanders* :E4Bth :BKGrimes

DATE :10/07/88:mgc :10/16/88 :10/18/88 :10/18/88 :11/tSf88 :11/ /88 OFC :D:DOEA:NRR

NAME :CERossi

DATE :11/ /88  :

IN 88-35 October , 1988 No spe *c action or written response is required by this IN. If yo1have

any quest s about this matter, please contact the technical contac sted

below or the ional Administrator of the appropriate regional of ce.

Charles E. Rossi, Direc r

Division of Operation ents Assessment

Office of Nuclear Re tor Regulation

Robert L. P tis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-321 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Informat Noti

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCU E PAGE.

OFC :VIB:DRIS:NR!XM I V:DJ NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :TECHD :E:-B:DRIS R:D:DRIS:NRR

---- k--- --- :--- T& ---- -------------- ___ -------------

____

NAME RLPtt eh*  : Baer :UPotaovs JnAw :EWBra :BKGrimes

DATE :10/07/88:mg :10/ /88 :10//88 :10/iS/88 :10 /88 :10/ /88 OFC :D: DOEA: N H  ::

NAME :CERoss

---

 :---- ---------- -____

--------------:-------------- _----------__ -

DATE :101/ 88:::::

IN 88-35 October , 1988 No specific action or written response is required by this IN. If you have

any questions about this matter, please contact the technical contact listed

below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operation Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR

(301) 492-3214 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notice

OFC :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :VIB:DRIS:NRR :TECH EDITOR :C:VIB:DRIS:NRR:D:DRIS:NRR

NAME RLPett

. jeh ':ETBaker :UPotapovs  : :EWBrach :BKGrimes

_____ --- ----  : --------  :- ------ _-:-___________-____________

---

-__________

DATE :10/ 7/88:mgc/ :10/ /88 :10/ /88 :10/ /88 :10/ /88 :10/ /88 OFC :D:DOEA:NRR'  :

NAME :CERossi

DATE :10/ /88  :