Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) — definition
Documented set of procedures, responsibilities, inspection points and acceptance criteria defining how quality will be verified throughout design, manufacture, installation and handover of industrial equipment.
A quality assurance plan identifies who is responsible for each verification, which standards and drawings apply, at which points work must stop for inspection, and what documentary evidence is produced at each stage. It is normally agreed between buyer and supplier at contract start, referenced by the inspection and test plan, and closed out by the records handed over with the equipment.
Why it matters to industrial buyers
A documented quality plan reduces the risk of undetected defects by defining specific verification points before work is covered up or progresses to the next stage. Commercially, it also decides who pays when a defect is found late: an agreed plan makes the evidence and the responsibility unambiguous.
Key reference points
Purpose
To make quality verifiable rather than assumed — by naming the standard, the check, the evidence and the responsible party for each stage of manufacture and installation.
Responsibilities
A QAP normally names the supplier's quality manager, the buyer's representative and any third-party inspection agency, with their authority to accept, reject or release work.
Hold and witness points
A hold point stops work until sign-off is given; a witness point invites attendance but allows work to continue if the buyer declines. Both are listed with notice periods, commonly one to three weeks for overseas manufacture.
Inspection and test documentation
Typical evidence includes material certificates, weld procedure and welder qualification records, dimensional reports, pressure or leak test records, electrical and functional test results, and calibration certificates.
Applicable standards
Quality plans commonly reference relevant industry or ISO standards applicable to the equipment or facility type, plus buyer-specific hygiene or safety requirements.
Records and deliverables
The closed-out QAP, signed ITP, test records, non-conformance reports and their dispositions normally form part of the handover documentation dossier.
Commonly confused with
Inspection and test plan (ITP)
The QAP is the governing document — scope, responsibilities, standards, procedures. The ITP is the stage-by-stage table inside or attached to it, listing each check, its acceptance criterion, its evidence and whether it is a hold or witness point.
Factory acceptance test
A quality assurance plan defines ongoing verification throughout manufacturing and construction; a factory acceptance test is a specific formal test at the end of manufacturing before shipment, and is normally the final hold point in the plan.
Quality control
Quality control is the act of checking product against a criterion. Quality assurance is the system that makes those checks happen at the right time, by the right party, with recorded evidence.
ISO 9001 certification
Certification says a supplier operates a quality management system. A QAP says what will be verified on your specific order. A certified supplier without a project quality plan still leaves the inspection points undefined.
How it is used in practice
The quality assurance plan designates a hold point for buyer inspection of welded pressure vessel joints before insulation is applied.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quality assurance plan?
A documented plan defining how quality will be verified on a specific order: the applicable standards, the responsibilities, the inspection and test points during design, manufacture, installation and commissioning, the acceptance criteria and the records produced as evidence.
What should a quality assurance plan contain?
Scope and applicable standards, named responsibilities and inspection authority, the inspection and test plan with hold and witness points, test and documentation requirements, non-conformance and corrective-action handling, and the records handed over at completion.
What is the difference between a QAP and an ITP?
The QAP is the governing document covering responsibilities, standards and procedures; the ITP is the stage-by-stage table of individual checks, acceptance criteria, evidence and hold or witness designations that sits within it.
What is a hold point?
A stage in manufacturing or construction that cannot proceed without buyer or inspector sign-off, as defined in the quality assurance plan. A witness point, by contrast, allows work to continue if the buyer does not attend.
Who approves the quality assurance plan?
It is usually agreed jointly by buyer and supplier before manufacturing begins, sometimes with independent inspection agency input, and re-issued if scope or standards change.
How does a QAP relate to the factory acceptance test?
The FAT is normally the final hold point in the plan. Everything the FAT protocol tests should trace back to an acceptance criterion already stated in the QAP, so the test confirms the specification rather than renegotiating it.
How are non-conformances handled?
Through a recorded non-conformance report stating the deviation, the proposed disposition — repair, rework, use-as-is by concession, or reject — and who has authority to accept it. Concessions should require written buyer approval.
What should the RFQ say about quality assurance?
Require a project-specific QAP and draft ITP with the bid, state which points must be hold points, define notice periods for inspection, name the applicable standards, and list the documentation to be delivered at handover.
Is a supplier quality assurance plan needed for standard equipment?
For catalogue equipment a supplier's standard test and certification package is often sufficient. A project-specific plan earns its cost on custom, high-value, safety-critical or overseas-manufactured packages where late defect discovery is expensive.
Procurement answers
Using a quality assurance plan in supplier selection
A quality assurance plan is one of the clearest ways to separate suppliers on paper before any equipment is built.
Should a QAP be requested during procurement or after award?
Ask for the outline QAP with the quotation and the full plan after award. The outline version shows inspection philosophy, test points and documentation practice, which is a practical way to compare suppliers on quality capability. The post-award plan then fixes hold points, witness points, factory acceptance test criteria and the documentation pack handed over at commissioning.
What information is needed for an industrial RFQ?
A comparable RFQ states project location, the process or product being made, required capacity or throughput, technical and utility constraints, quality or certification requirements, delivery terms, installation and commissioning scope, target timeline, indicative budget band and whether financing is required. Without those fields, suppliers quote different scopes and the offers cannot be compared line by line.
How does supplier matching work at Global B2B Group?
A buyer submits a requirement, it is structured into a procurement request, relevant supplier categories are identified, and sourcing options are reviewed against the stated technical and commercial constraints. The buyer then continues discussions directly with the suppliers or partners that fit. Global B2B Group is supplier-neutral and does not manufacture equipment or represent a single manufacturer.
Quality, inspection and acceptance clauses are built into the structured RFQ so offers stay comparable.
Continue on the platform
- factory acceptance testing (FAT)
What is witnessed before equipment leaves the works.
- how to write an industrial RFQ
Scope, standards, commercial terms and the fields that make bids comparable.
- industrial procurement services for buyers
Scoping, qualified supplier sourcing, RFQ management and bid comparison.
Global B2B Group is supplier-neutral: we do not manufacture equipment or represent a single manufacturer. We are not a bank or lender — financing options may be explored with external financing partners, subject to eligibility, due diligence and lender approval.
Go deeper on the platform
Related terms
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
Formal verification test conducted at the supplier's manufacturing facility to confirm equipment meets agreed specifications before shipment to site.
Site Acceptance Test (SAT)
Formal verification test performed after equipment installation at the buyer's site, confirming it operates correctly under actual site conditions and integrations.
Handover Documentation
Complete set of technical, operational and safety records delivered to the buyer at project completion, enabling operation, maintenance and future modification of the asset.
Supplier Qualification
Structured assessment of a supplier's technical capability, financial stability, quality systems and track record before it is invited to tender or contracted.
Technical Specification
Structured document describing the functional, performance, materials, and interface requirements an item of equipment or system must meet.
Operational Readiness
State in which personnel, procedures, spare parts, documentation and systems are all in place for a facility to begin and sustain normal production operation.
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Reference content only. Global B2B Group is independent of equipment manufacturers and financing institutions; definitions are provided for education and do not constitute engineering, financial or legal advice.