Information Notice No. 91-21, Supplement 1:Inadequate Quality Assurance Program of Vendor Supplying Safety-Related Equipment

                                 UNITED STATES
                         NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
                     OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

                               December 7, 1993


NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 91-21, SUPPLEMENT 1:  INADEQUATE QUALITY ASSURANCE
                                             PROGRAM OF VENDOR SUPPLYING 
                                             SAFETY-RELATED EQUIPMENT

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors and all recipients of NUREG-0040, "Licensee Contractor and Vendor
Inspection Status Report" (White Book).

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this supplement to the
original information notice to alert addressees of additional information
related to the quality assurance program at Mock Manufacturing, Incorporated
(MMI).  It is expected that recipients will review the information for
applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to
avoid similar problems.  However, suggestions contained in this notice are not
NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is
required.

Description of Circumstances

On March 19, 1991, the NRC issued Information Notice 91-21, "Inadequate
Quality Assurance Program of Vendor Supplying Safety-Related Equipment" which
provided the findings from a May 1990 NRC inspection of the quality assurance
program at Mock Manufacturing, Incorporated (MMI).  MMI manufactures and
supplies replacement hardware for watertight doors that are used in nuclear
safety-related applications and, therefore, is subject to the requirements of
Appendix B to Part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR Part 50).  

On March 30, 1993, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the
Naval Criminal Investigative Service executed a Federal search warrant at Mock
Manufacturing, Incorporated, and its affiliate, Overbeke-Kaine Manufacturing
Company, Incorporated (O-K).

The NRC reviewed the seized documents which consisted of blank "cut and
pasted" certificates of conformance, material certifications, and
certifications bearing the seal of a registered professional engineer.  Other
documents seized disclosed that Mock Manufacturing, Incorporated, and     
Overbeke-Kaine Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, furnished closure doors
and replacement parts to approximately 32 nuclear power plants.


9311190458.

                                                      IN 91-21, Supplement 1
                                                      December 7, 1993
                                                      Page 2 of 2 


Discussion

After Information Notice 91-21 was issued, several licensees informed the NRC
that they did not accept material supplied by Mock Manufacturing, Incorporated
because of a lack of documentation and subsupplier control, including the lack
of material traceability.  These licensee actions were the result of
deficiencies identified during licensee implementation audits of the quality
assurance program at MMI.  In some cases, licensees reclassified the
nonconforming material as commercial grade and then dedicated it for safety-
related service.

One licensee received several documents from MMI that exhibited signs of
alterations for safety-related material and replacement parts which were
purchased to meet the requirements of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50.  The
extent of the alterations included date changes made to the "purchase order"
and "date shipped" blocks of a shipping notice from United States Steel
Corporation to Thypin Steel Company, Incorporated (a material supplier to
MMI).  No alterations were observed in the chemical analysis section of the
form which identified the metallurgical composition of the material.  The
licensee also identified a certification from Crane Packing Company that
exhibited alterations in the "date" and "date shipped" blocks.  The document
certified that the packing material conformed to MMI purchase order
requirements.  The licensee evaluated the effect of these alterations and
concluded that no safety concern existed.

The Mock Manufacturing, Incorporated, and Overbeke-Kaine Manufacturing
Company, Incorporated, documents recently seized by the DCIS represent
possible falsification of material and professional engineer certifications
which may have been relied upon by licensees.  The NRC has concerns that
nuclear safety-related material may be affected.

This information notice requires no specific action or written response.  If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact
the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

                                    /s/'d by BKGrimes


                                    Brian K. Grimes, Director
                                    Division of Operating Reactor Support
                                    Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact:  Robert L. Pettis, Jr., NRR
                    (301) 504-3214

Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices.