QUALITY CONTROL IN PROCUREMENT OF AVIATION CRITICAL SAFETY ITEMS AND RELATED SERVICES.

SEC. 802. QUALITY CONTROL IN PROCUREMENT OF AVIATION CRITICAL SAFETY ITEMS AND RELATED SERVICES.(a) Quality Control Policy.—The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in regulations a quality control policy for the procurement of aviation critical safety items and the procurement of modifications, repair, and overhaul of such items.(b) Content of Regulations.—The policy set forth in the regulations shall include the following requirements:(1) That the head of the design control activity for aviation critical safety items establish processes to identify and manage the procurement, modification, repair, and overhaul of aviation critical safety items.(2) That the head of the contracting activity for an aviation critical safety item enter into a contract for the procurement, modification, repair, or overhaul of such item only with a source approved by the design control activity in accordance with section 2319 of title 10, United States Code.(3) That the aviation critical safety items delivered, and the services performed with respect to aviation critical safety items, meet all technical and quality requirements specified by the design control activity.(c) Definitions.—In this section, the terms “aviation critical safety item” and “design control activity” have the meanings given 117 STAT. 1541 such terms in section 2319(g) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (d).(d) Conforming Amendment to Title 10.—Section 2319 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—(1) in subsection (c)(3), by inserting after “the contracting officer” the following: “(or, in the case of a contract for the procurement of an aviation critical safety item, the head of the design control activity for such item)”; and(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:“(g) Definitions.—In this section:“(1) The term ‘aviation critical safety item’ means a part, an assembly, installation equipment, launch equipment, recovery equipment, or support equipment for an aircraft or aviation weapon system if the part, assembly, or equipment contains a characteristic any failure, malfunction, or absence of which could cause a catastrophic or critical failure resulting in the loss of or serious damage to the aircraft or weapon system, an unacceptable risk of personal injury or loss of life, or an uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety.“(2) The term ‘design control activity’, with respect to an aviation critical safety item, means the systems command of a military department that is specifically responsible for ensuring the airworthiness of an aviation system or equipment in which the item is to be used.”.