What does the public contract example show?
FAR 52.246-2 distinguishes inspection and testing from acceptance under applicable US federal fixed-price supply contracts. Its paragraphs (c), (j) and (k) discuss testing before acceptance and contractual acceptance treatment. This is a scoped public example of distinct events; it does not automatically govern a private switchgear or generator RFQ.
RFQ Templates is independent and is not affiliated with the US Government. This article is not legal advice. The buyer's contracts owner and responsible engineer must determine the actual approval roles, conditions and effects.
Sources: Acquisition.gov: FAR 52.246-2 Inspection of Supplies, Fixed-Price, August 1996
Which decision should each signature represent?
Give every approval field a defined purpose. A witness can record attendance or observations without being authorised to approve deviations, release equipment or accept contractual obligations. Do not infer that authority from the presence of a signature alone.
| Decision | Evidence requested in the RFQ | Authority to define |
|---|---|---|
| Witnessing | Notice, attendance and observed test scope | Who may witness or waive attendance? |
| Technical disposition | Approved results and unresolved deviations | Who accepts the technical evidence? |
| Shipment release | Required closeout and explicit release record | Who may authorise dispatch? |
| Contract acceptance | Applicable event and acceptance evidence | Who may bind the buyer? |
| Remaining obligations | Documents, retests and site work still due | What survives each milestone? |
How can a test report leave dispatch unresolved?
Illustrative example. A fictional switchgear package has a signed witness record for the tests actually observed. One required document remains open, and the buyer's approved process requires a separate shipment-release decision. The supplier labels the package FAT complete. The register records witnessed results and the open release condition separately.
This example does not prescribe whether the equipment should ship or decide the contractual effect of the report. It shows why a broad status label can conceal a missing decision. An authorised waiver, if permitted, must identify its scope rather than erase the underlying issue.
How should the supplier response be compared?
Request a clear statement of proposed hold points, notice requirements, permitted waivers and release evidence using the buyer's actual terms. Keep technical exceptions and commercial qualifications visible. Compare the same decision and authority across offers, rather than scoring every FAT signature as final acceptance.
Preserve the contract reference and approved disposition with the procurement record. Engineering sign-off is performed only by the registered engineer on the job. No test procedure, dispatch instruction or automatic acceptance rule is supplied here.
Common questions
What else should the bid team know?
Is witness attendance the same as shipment release?
No. Establish each decision under the actual agreement.
Does a signed report settle every deviation?
Not necessarily. Check the signature's authority and stated scope.
Does the FAR example govern every RFQ?
No. It is an explicitly scoped US federal contract reference.