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Quality
While there is one overall quality program, the driving forces behind its implementation can be traced to three distinct quality systems or standards: NQA, ISO, and CMMI.
DRS Consolidated Controls, Inc. (DRS-CCI) has been a supplier to the Commercial Nuclear industry for over 35 years. Over this time period, DRS-CCI has maintained an NQA program to ensure the quality of products provided to the Commercial Nuclear industry. The initial NQA program was developed in compliance with ANSI N45.2, 1971, ''Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Nuclear Power Plants", and has been updated throughout the years to meet the changing quality requirements. With the implementation of Appendix B, ''Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50, "Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities", DRS-CCI updated its NQA program and has been in compliance with these requirements since that time.
The DRS-CCI NQA program is also in compliance with the following: NQA-1; ASME NQA-2a, Part 2.7 – Software; and 10 CFR Part 21
NQA vendor audits that have been performed over the years to ensure compliance have resulted in no major findings. Recent NQA audits include:
- April 2011 – Fairbanks Morse Engine NQA Audit
- August 2010 – Six-member NUPIC audit led by Entergy
- October 2009 – Westinghouse NQA Audit
- April 2009 – General Electric NQA Audit for the Lungmen 1&2 project
- January 2008 – Seven-member NUPIC audit led by Progress Energy
DRS-CCI transitioned from a quality system based upon military standards (MIL-Q-9858A) to an ISO 9001 based system in the mid to late 1990’s. Certification was obtained in 1998 and has been maintained since that time. DRS-CCI certification to ANSI/ISO/AQS 9001:2000 has also established a well defined, methodical, and documented corrective/preventive management system used to investigate and then eliminate root causes.
Additionally, DRS-CCI has been certified to meet the requirements of ISO 14001 with regards to environmental policies and standards. This certification was obtained in 2000 and has been maintained.
In February 2011, DRS-CCI as a part of DRS Defense Solutions was assessed to be in compliance with the CMMI Level 3 requirements. The Capability Maturity Model-Integrated (CMMI) is a model developed at Carnegie Mellon Universities Software Engineering Institute that can be used to determine the maturity level of product development programs. Attainment of Level 3 compliance is indicative of an organization that produces high quality products in a structured and repeatable manner. CMMI focuses on program management and all disciplines of engineering.
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