SOUTH KOREA - Air Force Col. Mimi Murphy, Defense Contract Management Agency Pacific commander, and Soon Woo, Quality Management Bureau general director of the Korean Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, known as DTaQ, recently signed the Host Nation Administrative Procedure.
The signing ceremony, held at DCMA Korea’s Gimhae facility, signifies the culmination of both parties’ efforts to work collaboratively with one another to implement the use of the NATO Allied Quality Assurance Procedure 2070 for mutual government quality assurance.
“DTaQ is impressed with the NATO format and U.S. quality assurance approach and are intensely focused on enhancing their own quality assurance department by using these benchmark systems,” said Molly Brown, DCMA International Host Nation Program manager.
Murphy expressed her gratitude at the ceremony for the partner nation’s willingness and dedication to use the NATO AQAP 2070 as their method of exchanging mutual government quality assurance with the U.S.
“This will become a new way of conducting business,” said Murphy. “By agreeing to this momentous change, DTaQ fosters continued confidence in the safety and quality of the products, supplies, and services delivered to our warfighters in the Republic of Korea, throughout the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.”
DCMA Korea had formulated the action plan for mutual government quality assurance in late 2012 and conducted initial discussions with their host nation counterparts in February 2013.
“We appreciate the diligent work by both our nations' quality assurance professionals in making this initiative a reality,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Camille Nichols, DCMA Korea commander. "Implementation of the NATO AQAP 2070 is paving the way for a new and exciting era of cooperation between our nations.”
After the ceremony, Brown provided 25 DTaQ personnel with AQAP 2070 instruction training over a two-day period.
“This is a significant step forward for a non-NATO nation as they are not required to use this standard for their government quality assurance activities,” said Brown. “We worked very close over the past year with our DTaQ counterparts, holding information meetings and providing specialized training for quality assurance methodologies and application."