Defense Standardization Program

The DLA Consumable Hardware team participates as a Standardization Management Activity (SMA) in the Defense Standardization Program for consumable hardware commodities and the THDS Standardization Area. We standardize to provide the warfighter with equipment that is interoperable, reliable, and technologically superior at the lowest cost. Items bought to specifications usually require less lead-time, reduced stock levels, and result in fewer back orders. 

Lead Standardization Activity

DLA Consumable Hardware has the Lead Standardization Activity (LSA) responsibility for DLA consumable hardware commodities, and the THDS Standardization Area.

This support involves the approval of standardization project numbers in the generation/modification of standardization documents, coordination review of standardization documents and coordination of standardization documents such as Military/Federal specifications and standards, Non-Government Standards (NGSs), and Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs). We also look for opportunities to standardize items that are procured by the DLA Consumable Hardware team in order to lower cost and reduce cycle time. For information regarding the Lead Standardization Activity functions, see the appropriate page for the identified NSNs:

See the DLA Aviation Standardization page for NSNs:

• 5305 - screws
• 5306 - bolts
• 5307 - studs
• 5310 - nuts and washers
• 5315 - nails, machine keys and pins 
• 5320 - rivets
• 5325 - fastening devices 

See the DLA Land and Maritime Standardization page for NSNs:

• 5330 - packing and gasket materials
• 5331 - o-rings
• 5340 - hardware, commercial
• 5355 - knobs and pointers
• 5360 - coil, flat, leaf and wire springs

Qualified Products List (QPL)

A Qualified Products List (QPL) is a listing of products or family of products that have met the qualification requirements set forth in the applicable specification, including appropriate product identification, tests or qualification reference, and the name and plant address of the manufacturer and authorized distributor. A QPL listing is used by government activities to determine approved sources of supply for items they wish to procure.

The need for QPL is determined by verification requirements in a specification. These requirements can only be justified if:

• it is determined that time to conduct the tests identified in the applicable specification would exceed 30 days
• or special equipment not commonly available is required to conduct the tests
• or the tests are required for emergency life-saving equipment

Further specifics regarding the Defense Standardization Qualified Products Program can be found at the Defense Standardization Program Website .

Provisions Covering Qualified Products Lists are found in the SD-6 .

An applicant who wants more information or clarification on having their product qualified should:

• Register for an account at ASSIST
• Contact the Preparing Activity indicated in ASSIST for the specification they wish to have their product qualified to.

For questions regarding technical difficulty with ASSIST, the official source for specifications and standards used by the Department of Defense, or accessing the website contact the ASSIST team  or click on ASSIST Feedback .

For questions on QPLs, QSLs, or QMLs for DLA Land and Maritime commodities (e.g. microcircuits, electronic, hybrid or passive devices), email VQWEBTEAM@DLA.mil

For information regarding QPLs required by Society of Aerospace Engineers (SAE), documents visit the PRI website . To look up qualified manufacturers associated with SAE documents visit eAuditNet . You will be required to register for an account to access the qualified manufactures lists.

Parts Management Program

The Defense Parts Management Program is an integrated effort to streamline the selection of preferred or commonly used parts during the design of weapon systems and equipment under an overarching Systems Engineering framework. Key benefits of parts management include reducing the proliferation of parts, enhancing system supportability and reducing total ownership costs.

The DLA Troop Support Industrial Hardware supply chain, as a Standardization Management Activity (SMA) in accordance with DoD guidance (PDF), participates in the Defense Parts Management Program.

Details regarding the Defense Parts Management Program can be found at the Defense Standardization Program (DSP) website . 

Details about DLA Parts Management Program can be found at the DLA Land and Maritime Parts Management page. 

Item Reduction Program

The purpose of the Item Reduction Program is to reduce the number of sizes, and kinds, of items in the Federal Supply System that are generally similar in form, fit and function. Guidance for the Item Reduction Program is in the SD-23, Department of Defense Item Reduction Program .

Consumable Hardware, as a Standardization Management Activity (SMA), in accordance with DoD guidance (PDF), participates in the program. Details regarding the Item Reduction Program can be found at the Defense Standardization Program (DSP) website .

For more on how DLA Consumable Hardware participates in the Item Reduction program, see related subheading on the DLA Land and Maritime Documents Standards page .

Fastener headmarking registration

If you are a fastener manufacturer,and want to sell fasteners to DLA or for use by DLA customers, you must have a "logo" stamped on your fasteners which provides traceability to you as the manufacturer.

To register your company logo, download the DLA Logo Fastener Identification Symbol Confirmation Form (PDF) and send it together with a legible reproduction of you company’s actual logo:

• Via email:
  aviationlogo@dla.mil
   
• Via mail:
  Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR)
  Attn: DLA Aviation VEB Logo Registration
  6090 Strathmore Road Richmond, VA 23237

Any questions concerning this program can be address to aviationlogo@dla.mil. Companies listed in the Mil Handbook 57 Logo Approvals Table (see below) reflect those fastener manufacturers who have applied for logo registration and who have met the requirements of MIL-HDBK-57.

View the MIL Handbook 57 Logo Approvals Table ( XLSX, updated July 16, 2024)

Value Management (VM) Program

Value Management (VM) is an overarching program that was established by Office of Federal Procurement Policy for the purpose of reducing costs, increasing productivity and quality and improving reliability and maintainability.

VM is an effort that analyzes functions of systems subsystems, equipment, services and supplies for achieving the essential functions at the lowest life cycle cost consistent with required performance, reliability, quality and safety.

DLA's Consumable Hardware team maintains VM Programs. Several functional areas of the VM Program provide services that are oriented toward reducing the costs of items yet maintaining the necessary safety, quality, reliability, and maintainability aspects of items.

Some of the Value Management programs supported within DLA Consumable Hardware are:

• Value Engineering (VE)
• Price Challenge
• Reverse Engineering
• Sustaining Engineering
• Should Cost
• Spares parts Breakout
• Change Proposal (VECP)
• Replenishment Parts Purchase or Borrow (RPPOB) Program

Industry and government employees may submit VE/VM requests for assistance through the Value Engineering Assistance Request Module .

NOTE: To access the ARM tool, first time users without a DoD Common Access Card (CAC) must register for access (PDF) through DLA’s Account Management and Provisioning System (AMPS).

For information regarding the VM programs, see the following sites for the corresponding hardware items:

See the DLA Aviation Value Engineering page for NSNs:

• 5305 - screws
• 5306 - bolts
• 5307 - studs
• 5310 - nuts and washers
• 5315 - nails, machine keys and pins 
• 5320 - rivets
• 5325 - fastening devices 

See the DLA Land and Maritime Value Engineering page for NSNs:

• 5330 - packing and gasket materials
• 5331 - o-rings
• 5340 - hardware, commercial
• 5355 - knobs and pointers
• 5360 - coil, flat, leaf and wire springs

Qualified Suppliers List for Manufacturers (QSLM) | Qualified Suppliers List for Distributors (QSLD)

This qualification program encompasses the best industry practices and incorporates these elements into the DLA Troop Support Construction & Equipment & Industrial Hardware supply chains' acquisition process. Through the program, we pre-qualify manufacturers and/or distributors to supply certain items based on an assessment of the provider's applied process controls. Applicants must demonstrate that the controls which they have in-place and in-use on a daily basis comply with the established QSL criteria, providing maximum assurance that the products procured conform to specification and contractual requirements. The table below links to the criteria, provisions, and application forms for the six QSL commodities. (Note that the same forms are used for initial qualification, 3-year renewal, revision and re-qualification following removal or disapproval.)

Visit the QSLM/QSLD page for full descriptions and lists of criteria & provisions, qualified companies and a list of removed companies.

Organic Manufacturing Program

Organic Manufacturing (OM) is part of DLA Consumable Hardware's Value Engineering offerings, and utilizes the OM process as a supplemental tool to the spares procurement process. The decision to use an in-house or organic’ source of supply may be based on high costs for low quantity purchases, long production lead-times by private industry, diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS), or a lack of bids from private industry.

OM assists the Procuring Agency in establishing relationships with defense manufacturers, assesses expertise, confirms quality assurance and technical protocols for public manufacturing organizations and oversees project order implementation.

Some functions of the OM Offices for DLA Consumable Hardware include:

• Coordinate with organic manufacturing sites;
• Authenticate and validate part information;
• Follow-up on request for quotes and project orders;
• Serve as the central POC for all communications to track projects;
• Maintain a listing of OM sites, POCs and their capabilities;
• Maintain database of DLA Consumable Hardware NSNs manufactured organically;
• Promote the process within DLA Consumable Hardware and organic sites; and,
• Work with DLA HQ to develop and update OM policy for DLA Consumable Hardware and the DoD.

For more information related to the Organic Manufacturing Program related to DLA Consumable Hardware Commodities, see the corresponding sites for the applicable NSNs below:

See the DLA Aviation Organic Manufacturing page for NSNs:

• 5305 - screws
• 5306 - bolts
• 5307 - studs
• 5310 - nuts and washers
• 5315 - nails, machine keys and pins 
• 5320 - rivets
• 5325 - fastening devices 

See the DLA Land and Maritime Value Management page for NSNs:

• 5330 - packing and gasket materials
• 5331 - o-rings
• 5340 - hardware, commercial
• 5355 - knobs and pointers
• 5360 - coil, flat, leaf and wire springs

Government Furnished Property/Tooling/Equipment

For information related to GFP/GFT/GFE on Consumable Hardware awards, contact the contracting officer listed on the award documentation and ask for the contract administrator for the contract.  

For information in general related to GFP/GFT/GFE in the Department of Defense, see the Office of the Secretary of Defense GFP page for resources and tools related to GFP in federal acquisitions. 

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) & Hazardous Warning Labels (HWL)

All Material safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) must cite the solicitation number and the applicable CAGE code of the manufacturer, part number, and, where so identified, the National Stock Number (NSN). 

For information related to the following on DLA Consumable Hardware awards, contact the contract administrator:

• Hazardous Material Identification and Material Safety Data in accordance with FAR52.223-3 Hazardous Material Identification and Material Safety Data
• DLAD 52.223-9000 Material Safety Data Sheet and Hazard Warning Labels
• DFARS clause 252.223-7001 , Hazard Warning Labels

Shelf Life

Shelf life products are effective, usable or suitable for consumption for a limited time period. They are expected to deteriorate or become unstable to the degree that a storage period must be assigned to ensure the material will perform satisfactorily in service. DLA includes applicable shelf life clauses in solicitations and contracts. Specifying a maximum age on delivery will help to ensure that the customer receives products with the maximum shelf life remaining, resulting in more effective use of these products.

DLA Consumable Hardware participates in the Shelf Life Management Program in accordance with DoD Manual 4140.27 Volume 1 and Volume 2 .

For questions regarding the shelf life for a specific award or solicitation, contact the assigned contracting officer or contract administrator.

Engineering Support Request Process

Since June 1991, the 339 Records Management System Program, available through the DLA Enterprise External Business Portal (EEBP), gives military Engineering Support Activities online access in one place to access Engineering Support Requests.

The DLA EEBP provides industry and military service personnel with centralized access to DLA Business Services. If this is your first time using the portal, or if you are looking for more in-depth directions about how to use the portal, please see the DLA EEBP job aid (PDF).

• For further information about the 339 Records Management System Program or DLA EEBP in general, including access, see the DLA Enterprise External Business Portal (EEBP) webpage.
• For questions regarding a DD339 related to a specific award or solicitation, contact the contract administrator.

Alternate Offers / Source Approval Requests

If vendors/suppliers wish to supply their own part and be recognized as an approved source, they will have to submit a bid as an Alternate Offer/Bid. 

For "T" and "U" solicitations, the following applies:

Offers of alternate products will not be evaluated for the current procurement (see DLAD 52.217-9002 (PDF) - Conditions for Evaluation and Acceptance of Offers for Part Numbered Items)

Vendors/suppliers may submit a request to the location below for evaluation of the alternate products technical acceptability for future procurements of the same item. The request for evaluation shall cite the National Stock Number (NSN) of the exact product and the applicable level of technical data on the alternate and exact products. All offers of alternate product will be handled in accordance with DLAD 17.7501(b) (4) (PDF).

• For information on where to submit alternate offers, and requirements of Alternate Offers, see the latest version of DLAD Procurement Notes.
• Requirements for a Source Approval Request (SAR) may be found in the DLA Master List of Technical and Quality Requirements.