ML20149M643

Responds to to Kassebaum Suggesting Federal Std QA Program for Nuclear Power Industry Vendors W/Nrc Performing Audits & Publishing List of Quality Approved Vendors.Nrc Supports Suggested Efforts

ML20149M643
Person / Time
Issue date:	02/19/1988
From:	Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Jerrica Johnson SOR, INC. (STATIC O-RING)
Shared Package
ML20149M644	List: ML20149M643 ML20149M653
References
IEIN-86-021, IEIN-86-21, NUDOCS 8802260215
Download: ML20149M643 (3)

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W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 y*****j FEB 191988 Mr. Jim Johnson Yice President and General Manager SOR, Inc.

P.O. Box 591 Olathe, Kansas 66061

Dear Mr. Johnson:

Your letter to Senator Kassebaum of January 7,1988, in which you suggest a federal standard quality assurance program for U.S. nuclear power industry vendors, with the NRC performing audits and publishing a list of quality approved vendors, has been forwarded to my office for direct response.

In the U.S. we attempt to function with the minimum number of regulations necessary to protect the health and safety of the public.

In fact, as of now, it is not within our regulatory purview to approve nuclear power industry vendors. Our regulatory approach is presently structured such that each licensee is responsible for the quality of the hardware that is installed in its nuclear power plant. The NRC vendor inspections are one NRC mechanism to assure the licensee is achieving acceptable product quality.

Both the nuclear power industry and the NRC are aware of concerns regarding duplicative vendor audits by licensees and the need for standardization.

Fundamental quality assurance requirements are specified in Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50. At that level, there is standardization. As you note, though, there are different, but equally acceptable, programs for meeting Appendix B requirements.

For your information, the nuclear power industry is actively pursuing ways to reduce the number of licensee audits to which a vendor is subjected.

For example, the Coordinating Agency for Supplier Evaluation (CASE) has a program, acceptable to the NRC, which can be used by the industry to reduce "pre-award" audits of vendors. CASE is in the process of developing a program to reduce "post-award" audits as well. The Nuclear Fuel Users Forum is also working on reducing the audits of nuclear fuel suppliers, and we are aware of several utilities joining together to perform audits which satisfy the needs of each.

This effort is again aimed at reducing the number of audits a given vendor must i

experience.

The NRC is supportive of these efforts. We have approved the CASE quality i

assurance topical report, and we have met with the Nuclear Fuel Users Forum and other industry representatives to show our support of their efforts to j

reduce vendor audits. We have also issued IE Information Notice 86-21 which endorses the ASME certification program. The information notice is attached n

for additional background information.

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/I 880226021D 00 PDR ORG NR

i Mr. Jim Johnson '

In summary, we are aware of the problems you noto in the areas of vendor quality assurance requirements and audits. While not assuming indulitry's r

responsibility to assure the quality of procured components, we are working with industry representatives to minimize the problems without abrogating our t

responsibilities for the health and safety of the public.

i If you would like to discuss this matter further, please call or write me or l

r iss, Chief of the Quality Assurance Branch. He can be reached on Again, we thank you for your interest in enhancing quality assurance.

I trust r

4 you will find the above informative and responsive to your concerns.

l Sincerely, af a

h as E. Murley, Director l

Of ice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i

Enclosure:

IE Notice 86-21 cc: Sen. Nancy L. Kassebaum t

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. Mr. Jim Johnson:

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6835 IN 86-21 UNITED STATES

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMM]SSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.

20555 March 31, 1986 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 86-21:

RECOGNITION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS ACCREDITATION PROGRAM FOR N STAMP HOLDERS Addressees:

All nuclear power f acilities holding an operating license (OL) or a construction permit (CP) and all recipients of NUREG-0040 (white book).

Purpose:

This information notice is provided to licensees, construction permit holders, and vendors to inform them of the NRC's recognition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Accreditation Program for holders of N, NPT, NA, and NV stamps and Certificates of Authorization.

It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities.

However, l

suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC

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requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Discussion:

In March 1981, representatives of the NRC, ASME, and the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NB) signed an Exchange of Correspondence that outlined an agreement to work toward establishing a single set of quality requirements and recognition by the NRC of ASME's Accreditation Program for N, i

NA, NPT, and NV stamps and the associated Certificates of Authorization.

Quality System Certificates issued to Material Manufacturers (MM) and Material Suppliers (MS) are excluded from this recognition.

The primary reasons for developing the Exchange of Correspondence were to eliminate overlapping require-ments and to allow NRC licensees and their subcontractors to use the results of the ASME/NB nuclear accreditation and inspection system as an acceptable method for satisfying NRC requirements for evaluating the programatic adequacy of their suppliers' documented quality assurance (QA) programs.

In a meeting on December 10, 1985, representatives of the NRC, NB, and ASME I

agreed that based on the requirements contained in the 1986 Edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code all of the conditions established in the Exchange of Correspondence as prerequisites for NRC recognition of the Accreditation Program had been met.

On this basis, the NRC has sent letters (see attached) to the National Board and ASME recognizing the holding of an i

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.d 86-21 March 31, 1986 Page 2 of 2 t

ASME N, NA, NPT or NV Certificate of Authorization as evidence that the holder of the Certificate of Authorization has a documented QA program that meets the In accordance with the Exchange of requirements of Appendix 8 to 10 CFR 50.

Correspondence, the NRC will make the appropriate chang,es to Regulatory Guides Licensees and their subcontractors, when 1.28 and 1.33 in the next revision.

assessing whether a potential supplier has an acceptable documented QA program, may rely on the fact that ASME has surveyed the supplier and issued a Certificate:

of Authorization of appropriate scope and for the desired location without performing any additiohal evaluation of the supplier's QA program.

Licensees and construction permit holders that take credit for the ASMEThey are remin Accreditation Program may have to revise their QA Program.that 10 CF changes to QA programs.

It should be noted that NRC's recognition applies only to the programmatic Licensees, construction permit aspects of the ASME Accredita. tion Program. holders, and their subcontracto l

supplier is ef fectively implementing the approved QA program.

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

have any questions regarding this notice, please contact the R listed below.

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8 d'an, Director dward Divisij of Emergency Preparedness and Engi ering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement Technical Contacts:

E. T. Ba ker, IE 301-492 4874 G. G. Zech, IE 301-492-9663 i

Attachments:

Letter to ASME 1.

List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices 2.

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UNITED STATES March 31, 1936 i

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March 18. 1986 l

Mr. Melvin R. Green, Managing Director Codes and Standard,s American Society of Mechanical Engineers 345 East 47th Street New York, New York 10017

SUBJECT:

NRC ENDORSEMENT OF ASME'S ACCREDITATION PROGRAM At the December 10, 1985 meeting of the NRC/ASME/NB Coordinating Comittee it i

was agreed that all conditions established in the Exchange of Correspondence as prerequisites for NRC recognition and endorsement of the ASME Accreditation Program had been met. At that meeting it was also agreed that the NRC would publish an infomation notice comunicating the NRC's recognition and endorse-(.-

ment of the Accreditation Program.

Enclosed is a copy of the infomation notice which is being sent to all licensees and to other parties on the information notice distribution list.

Sincerely,

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h $,b T M. Tay r Director ffice of I pection and Enforcement

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Enclosure:

Information Notice 1

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March 18, 1986 t

Mr. Donald J. Mcdonald, Executive Director National Board of Boiler & Pressure Vessel Inspectors 1055 Crapper Avenu,e Columbus, Ohio 43229 i

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SUBJECT:

NRC ENDORSEMENT OF ASME'S ACCREDITATION PROGRAM At the December 10, 1985 meeting of the NRC/ASME/NB Coordinating Coernittee it was agreed that all conditions established in the Exchange of Correspondence Program had been met.as prerequisites for NRC recognition and endorsemen At that meeting it was also agreed that the NRC would publish an information notice communicating the NRC's recognition and e ment of the Accreditation Program.

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notice which is being sent to all licensees and to other parties on the information notice distribution list.

1 Sincerely, 1

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[Mes M. Tay

r. Director j/ 4ffice of Inspection and Enforcement

Enclosure:

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Information Notice t

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j SSINS h 6835 IN 86-21, Supplement I UNITED STATES i

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0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT t

WASHINGTON,.DC 20555 l

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December 4, 1986 l

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IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 86-21, Supplement 1:

RECOGNITION OF AMERICAN I

i SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL 1

ENGINEERS ACCREDITATION l

l PROGRAM FOR N STAMP HOLDERS y

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Addressees:

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All nuclear power facilities holding an operating licensee or a construction l

3 permit.

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Purpose:

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This notice is provided to licensees and construction permit holders to clarify j

l the information provided by IN 86-21 on the NRC's recognition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Accreditation Program for holders of N, NA, NPT, and NV stamps and Certificates of Authorization.

It is expected that i

recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities.

However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC i

l requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

j Discussion:

J j

IN 86-21 informed licensees that the NRC recognized the ASME Accreditation j

Program for N, NA, NPT, and NV stamps and the associated Certificates of j

Authorization.

IN 86-21 also stated that quality system certificates issued i

to material manufacturers and material suppliers were excluded from this j

recognition.

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The statement concerning quality system certificate holders has been misinter-preted by several licensees resulting in quality system certificate holders being removed from approved vender lists.

This was not the intent of IN 86-21.

j Quality system certificate holders were excluded from the recognition announced i

in IN 86-21 because the quality system certificate program was not covered by 1

the exchange of correspondence between ASME, NRC, and the National Board of i

Boiler and Pressure vessel Inspectors.

If a licensee's NRC approved quality assurance (QA) program allows material manufacturers and material suppliers to

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be placed on the approved vendor list on the basis of a quality system certi-

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ficate, then that method of evaluating and selecting vendors is not affected l

by the issuance of IN 86-21.

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IN 86-2., supplement 1 December 4, 1986 Page 2 of 2 1

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

If you I

have any questions regarding this notice, please contact the Regional Administrator of the appropriate NRC regional office or the technical contact listed below.

l Towar

. Jordan, Director i

Divisio of Energency Preparedness L

and Engineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement

. Technical

Contact:

E. T. Baker, IE 301-492-9663 3

Attachment:

List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices l

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Attacht 1

IN 86-21, Supplement 1 December 4,1986 l

LIST OF RECENTLY ISSVED IE INFORMATION NOTICES i

Inforvation Date of Notice No.

Subject Issue Issued to i

86-98 Offsite Medical Services 12/2/86 A11 power reactor facilities holding an OL or CP 86-97 Emergency Comunications 11/28/86 All power reactor t

i System facilities holding i

an OL or CP and fuel facilities 86-96 Heat Exchanger Fouling Can 11/20/86 All power reactor Cause Inadequate Operability facilities holding Of Service Water Systems an OL or CP 1

86-95 Leak Testing lodine-125 11/14/86 All NRC licensees Sealed Sources In Lixi, Inc.

authorized to use Imaging Devices and Bone Lixi, Inc. imaging l

Mineral Analyzers devices 86-94 Hilti Contrete Expansion 11/6/86 All power reactor Anchor Bolts facilities holding i

an OL or CP 86-93 IEB 85-03 Evaluation of 11/3/86 All power reactor Motor-Operators Identifies facilities holding leproper Torque Switch an OL or CP Sett ngs 86-82 Failures Of Scram Discharge. 11/4/86 All power reactor Rev. 1 Volume Vent And Drain Valves facilities holding an OL or CP 86-92 Pressurizer Safety Valve 11/4/86 All PWR facilities Reliability holding an OL or CP 86-91 Limiting Access 11/3/86 All power reactor Authorizations facilities holding an OL or CP; fuel fabrication and i

processing facilities OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit

y.

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WASMINGTON, D C. 20665

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EDO PRINCIPAt CORRFSPONiiFtr.E CONTROL FROM:

Di tF : 02/09/80 Ffin Cor4TF(OL: 003443 DOC DT: ot/14/E:8 SEN. NANCY LANDON KASSEBAUM F I NAl. REPLY TO:

OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF OREEN SFCY NO: BR-49 MURLEY DESCt ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM JIM JOHNSON, SOR. INC. RE OUALITY ASSURANCE DATE: 01/P6/88 AS$1GNED TO: NRR CONTACT: MURLEY 7

CPECIAL INSTRllCTIGNS OR REMARKS:

REPLY DIRFCT TO Jih JOHNSON W/CC TO SFN. NANCY 1.ANDON KASSEBAUh MARK ENVFLQPF ATTN: DAN BOLEN NRR RECEIVED: JA!RJARY 27, 1988 ACIION:

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~ OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUNBER:

CRC 0049 LOGGING DATE: 1/25/88 ACTION OFFICE:

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AUTHOR:

Nancy L. Kassebaun--Const Ref AFFILIATION:

U.S. Senate LETTER DATE:

1/14/88

. FILE CODE: 10&R-14 Pt 50 QA l

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SUBJECT:

Quality assurance ACTION:

Direct Reply...

DISTRIBUTION:

OCA to Ack i

SPECIAL MANDLING: None NOTES 2 Jim Johnson DATE DUE:

SIGNATURE:

DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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