State quality assurance aligned with NATO standards: MoD develops new professional standards
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine continues harmonizing the state quality assurance system with the requirements of ISO international standards and NATO AQAP standards.
In particular, the Main Directorate of State Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has initiated the development of two professional standards: ‘Quality Management System Auditor for Defense Industry Enterprises’ and ‘State Quality Assurance Specialist’.
These standards will establish uniform qualification criteria for the professional competence of personnel engaged in quality assurance within defense procurement. This initiative is part of the MoD’s broader effort to implement a state quality assurance system that complies with international standards in defense procurement.
The introduction of professional standards will facilitate the implementation of mechanisms for evaluating the competence of quality assurance personnel. These evaluations will be performed by the dedicated department at the Main Directorate of State Quality Assurance responsible for professional development and assessment.
The key functions defined by the professional standard ‘Quality Management System Auditor for Defense Industry Enterprises’ will include:
- Organization and conduct of quality management system audits to ensure compliance with ISO international standards and NATO AQAP standards;
- Risk analysis associated with quality assurance throughout the life cycle of defense products;
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of implemented quality assurance measures and development of recommendations for improving quality management systems.
The key functions defined by the professional standard ‘State Quality Assurance Specialist’ will include:
- Development of draft laws and regulatory acts in the field of state quality assurance;
- Preparation and implementation of international agreements on cooperation in the area of state quality assurance;
- Adaptation and implementation of national and military standards based on NATO quality assurance standards.
Upon completion of their development, the draft professional standards will be released for public consultation.