The quality control system is aimed at ensuring good quality and timely execution of various types of work at the Institute. It is designed to meet professional requirements, adhere to applicable laws and standards, and fulfill client needs, while allowing for further development of the Institute.

Quality control applies to the:

• Development of plans and design, tender, legal and other documents;
• Supervision of capital projects;
• Other consulting services;
• Field investigations and measurements;
• Laboratory tests and measurements;
• Engineering tasks;
• Scientific, educational and development tasks;
• and Promotional tasks.
  

Quality control includes planning, guidance, verification and recording activities, which are implemented within departments of the Institute, and at the Institute level, based on prescribed procedures. In addition to this system, individual departments may also implement other quality control procedures, as required.

The system does not apply to the Financial Department, whose activities and quality control methods are subject to special rules and regulations.

For quality control purposes, tasks are classified into two categories based on their level of complexity and importance to the Institute’s operations:
(I) Tasks of normal importance and/or complexity, and
(II) Tasks of high importance and/or complexity.

In principle, quality control is implemented within the functional department which performs the task. Category (II) tasks are subject to an audit at the Institute level.

At a department level, task performance and quality control are the responsibility of:

• the department manager;
• chief designers/analysts for the specific task;
• and others, as required.

At the Institute level, task performance and quality control are the responsibility of:

• the Director of the Institute;
• the task manager/coordinator;
• the auditor(s) for the specific task;
• and the Technical Council.

The task manager, chief designer, auditor and Technical Council member functions are not permanent; they are assigned separately for each specific task.

Category (I) task performance and quality control are based on the following sequence:

• Appointment of project team
  Following the signing of a contract, the Director of the Institute appoints the project manager and the chief designers.
  
  
• Development of Project Implementation Program
  The project manager prepares a Project Implementation Program, which contains an analysis of contract requirements, an assessment of required capacities, a project implementation and billing schedule, and other relevant items. The Program is approved by the Department Manager of the department which will implement the project, and then by the Director of the Institute.
  
  
• Project implementation
  The Department Manager directs project implementation and quality control as outlined in the Project Implementation Program, and arranges project progress briefings for the Director of the Institute and reporting to the Financial Department of completed phases of the project which should be billed.
  
  
• Preparation of deliverables
  The final report (design documents, study, etc.) is signed by the project manager, the chief designers, and the Department Manager, who thereby certify that appropriate quality control procedures have been implemented.
  The signed final report is forwarded to the Director of the Institute for approval prior to submission to the client.
  
  
• Audit
  As and when required, the Director of the Institute appoints project auditors at the Institute level, and/or requires a presentation of project outcomes, and/or convenes a review session of the Technical Council.
  
  
• Delivery to Client and Archiving
  The Director of the Institute signs the final report and approves its handover to the client. The final report is archived in the department where it was prepared and its library form is archived in the Institute’s database. As and when required, the final report is also archived in the Institute’s database.

A similar procedure applies to project implementation and quality control for Category (II) tasks, where project management/coordination and quality control are performed at the Institute level, in the following sequence:

• Appointment of project team
  Upon the signing of a contract, the Director of the Institute appoints the project manager, chief designers, and auditors.
  
  
• Development of project implementation program
  The project manager prepares a Project Implementation Program, which contains an analysis of the contract requirements, an assessment of required capacities, the degree of participation required from various functional departments, a project implementation and billing schedule, any outsourcing requirements, and other relevant matters. The Program is approved by the Director of the Institute.
  
  
• Project implementation
  Department Managers manage project implementation and quality control within their individual departments, as outlined in the Project Implementation Program and in cooperation with appointed auditors; they also schedule regular briefings of the project manager who, in turn, keeps the Director of the Institute updated on project progress and reports to the Financial Department completed phases of the project which should be billed.
  
  
• Preparation of deliverables
  The final report (design documents, study, etc.) is signed by the project manager, chief designers, and department managers of the departments within which the project was performed, certifying that appropriate quality control procedures have been implemented. The signed final report is forwarded to the Director of the Institute for approval prior to submission to the client.
  
  
• Quality control at the Institute level
  Appointed auditors prepare audit reports and submit these reports to the Director of the Institute. The Director of the Institute requires the involvement of the Technical Council and final presentations of project outcomes, as needed.
  
  
• Delivery to client and archiving
  The Director of the Institute signs the final report and approves its delivery to the client. The final report is archived in the files of the department(s) where the project was prepared, and both the library form and final report are archived in the Institute’s database.

In addition to the above, interim Technical Council briefings may be held, as needed. Members of the Technical Council may include outside consultants.