Nonconformance. A departure from the requirements specified in the contract, specification, drawing, or other approved product description.
Nonconforming Material. Any item, part, or product with one or more characteristics which depart from the requirements in the contract, specification, drawing, or other approved product description.
Deviation. A written authorization, granted after contract award and prior to manufacture of an item, to depart from a particular performance or design requirement of a contract, specification, or referenced document, for a specific number of units or specific period of time.
Waiver. A written authorization granted after contract award to accept a configuration item or other designated item which, during production or after having been submitted for inspection, is found to depart from specified requirements, but nevertheless is considered suitable for use "as is" or after repair by an approved method.
Request for Deviation. The formal document submitted by the contractor to the Government for the purpose of requesting departure from a specific performance or design requirement of a contract, specification, or referenced document.
Request for Waiver. The formal document submitted by the contractor to the Government for the purpose of requesting acceptance of designated nonconforming supplies or services.
Latent defect. One which cannot be ascertained from a reasonable inspection; not readily discernible.
Nonvoluntary recoupment. A recoupment which the contractor is legally and contractually obligated to provide; recompense that the Government can demand from the contractor.
Patent defect. One which is ascertainable from a reasonable inspection at time of acceptance.
Voluntary recoupment. Recompense provided voluntarily by the contractor for defects deemed to be contractor-caused. (The Government cannot demand reimbursement for patent defects discovered after acceptance, because acceptance is conclusive except for latent defects, fraud, gross mistake, warranted items, and the like.)
