---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 10.410"
title: "46"
number: "10.410"
heading: "Quality Standard System (QSS) requirements."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/10.410"
---

# §10.410. Quality Standard System (QSS) requirements.

- (a) Providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement must establish and maintain a Quality Standard System (QSS), in accordance with Regulation I/8 of the STCW Convention (incorporated by reference, see [§ 10.103](/cfr/46/10.103.md) of this part).
- (b) The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or monitored through a third party that is designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization.
- (c) **The Coast Guard-monitored QSS must—**
  - (1) Have a documented quality policy and quality objectives that align with the commitment by the training institution to achieve its missions and goals;
  - (2) Maintain a manual that documents the objectives, authorities, and responsibilities that are essential controls for the implementation of the QSS, including—
    - (i) The core procedures required to meet the missions and goals of the institution;
    - (ii) The documents necessary for effective design, planning, operation, and control for the delivery of courses meeting the regulatory requirements;
    - (iii) The filing and archiving of records so they are retrievable and legible;
    - (iv) Action taken to stop recurrence of system, process, and product nonconformity; and
    - (v) **Auditing, reviewing, and improving the performance of the training management system.**
- (d) Documentation from a nationally recognized academic accreditation body may be accepted by the Coast Guard as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section. The documentation must be readily available for inspection upon request.
- (e) The Coast Guard will accept documentation from a training institution certified under a national or international Quality Management System Standard as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section. The documentation must be readily available for inspection upon request.
- (f) The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section.
- (g) **Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period.** Organizations must cooperate with Coast Guard audits.

## Notes

### Amendments

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77903, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30881, June 28, 2019]

### Source

Source: USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77903, Dec. 24, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 14 U.S.C. 503; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 46 U.S.C. 2101, 2103, 2104, 2110; 46 U.S.C. chapter 71; 46 U.S.C. chapter 73; 46 U.S.C. chapter 75; 46 U.S.C. 7701, 8903, 8904, and 70105; Executive Order 10173; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4.

### Source

Source: USCG-2006-24371, 74 FR 11216, Mar. 16, 2009, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77903, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30881, June 28, 2019]