One of our all-time best selling military specifications was MIL-Q-9858, “Quality Program Requirements.” From 1958 to 1996, the document was a staple of the defense contracting system. It provided guidance for a quality management system for thousands of companies, large and small, involved in defense work both as a prime contractors and subcontractors.
What happened to MIL-Q-9858? The document was cancelled with the issuance of cancellation notice 2 on 10/1/1996 and left many companies in a quandary over what to do, since it was withdrawn without replacement. This means that there is no guidance given regarding what document can be used instead.
In the main, the move has been to use the ISO 9000 series of quality standards in lieu of the old MIL-Q-9858. ISO 9001 was adopted by the DoD in April 2001, as was the AS9100 in 2002 (for aerospace applications). This resulted in a sharp uptick in ISO 9000 registrations in the U.S.
What’s the main impact of the cancellation of MIL-Q-9858? This shift to industry quality standards has allowed the U.S. Department of Defense to move out of the business of certifying quality in it’s supply chain, leaving this work to third party auditors.
Military specifications and standards (both current and obsolete) and industry standards are all available from Document Center Inc. Use our website, www.document-center.com, or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We can assist you with all your standards questions and requirements.