TACOM Ombudsman Directorate
Source Approval Request
SAR Package Requirements
Each SAR package is submitted for a single National Stock Number. A SAR Package must contain the follow eight major components or it will be deemed incomplete and rejected:
1. Cover Letter explaining the offor's intention of becoming an alternative source of supply for a particular item. Identification of the offeror as a small business or corporate affiliations with an established Contractor and Government Entity Code (CAGEC) and an US and Canada Joint Certification (JCP) Code. The letter must also identify by NSN and Manufacture Part Number the item of interest. If the item of interest is on an open solicitation that is currently on the street, include the solicitation information so that the the TACOM Ombudsman Directorate can coordinate offeror's interest to become an approve source with the appropriate Contracting Officer.
2. Manufacturer brochure or a synopsis of offeror's manufacturing operations and capabilities. Normally, any corporate literature or brochures can be use to fulfill this requirement.
3. Manufacturer or Supplier Statement certifying that the offeror will perform all or most of the manufacturing operations required to produce the proposed NSN. If an alternate manufacturer will be use in the production process, then the submitted statement must be for the facility and location where the actual manufacturing and supplier processes will occur.
4. Complete sets of drawings must be submitted for all SAR candidate(s). All drawings must include forging and casting, technical image and supporting drawing data. If the item is a safety or mission critical part, annotate drawings with the critical safety identifier and identify specific characteristics that are critical (i.e. dimension, material, composition, finish, etc.). For proper handling, if a drawing contains proprietary information then that drawing must contain a clear written proprietary marking.
5. Quality System Documentation describing the quality assurance system (e.g. MIL-Q-9858, MIL-I-45208, etc.) that will be used in manufacturing the part.
6. Identify all special processes and materials required in the manufacturing processes which are difficult to control or acquire. In addition to identifying special processes and materials, the offerors must describe their plans for controlling special processes and materials, as well as identification of all sub-contractors and vendors involved in the manufacturing processes. Examples of processes that must be accounted for are castings and forging, plating/coatings, various methods of welding, and exotic metals such as gold, titanium and depleted uranium.
7. A Qualification Test Plan is probably the most important SAR component because it is a detailed explanation of how the offeror is going to demonstrate that his version of the part will perform as well or better than the current part. The test plan should identify all procedures, equipments, and testing location. If the testing is to be done at an Independent testing laboratory, the offeror should identify the proposed vendor so that TACOM- Warren's quality staff can evaluate the vendor's capability.
Generally, a test plan cannot be developed without the assistance of the TACOM -Warren's engineers which the TACOM Ombudsman Directorate can assist offerors in identifying the correct engineering point of contact for all testing requirements. If military vehicles are required in support of testing, TACOM-Warren engineers' can also assist the offerors in making the necessary testing arrangements.
8. If the offeror is a manufacturer that is currently making the SAR candidate for the vehicle system's Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or the OEM's sub-contractors, submitting copies of the OEM's purchase orders and shipping documents along with the SAR Package can shorten the process. Also included in the SAR Package is information that helps to identify the item, such as cross-references to the OEM's part number and the military part number or National Stock Number (NSN) also speeds up the evaluation process. At the discretion of the engineers, qualification testing can sometimes be waived for offerors falling into this category.
TACOM does not accept qualification by similarity or conditional qualification. Due to combat reliability, SAR candidates must demonstrate the item they are providing is 'as-good or better' than the currently approved part. System testing is often required.
TACOM Ombudsman Directorate functions as a collection point for both TACOM and DLA SARs. Due to DLA less stringent requirements, additional development is often required on DLA SAR submissions.
Submit all SAR Packages to the TACOM Ombudsman Directorate at the following address:
U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM)Source Development Officer
6501 E. 11 Mile Road
AMTA-OMB, MS 309
Detroit Arsenal, MI 48397-5000
Phone: (586) 282-7594