You are managing a government defense project with strict predictive controls and a fixed-price contract. During the testing phase, quality inspections reveal that 18% of manufactured units fail to meet specification tolerances defined in the quality management plan. Investigation shows the root cause is a calibration drift in manufacturing equipment that began gradually six weeks ago. The cost of rework is $340,000, and recalibrating will halt production for one week, impacting the critical path. Your quality manager wants to adjust acceptance criteria to pass more units, your operations manager wants to continue production and rework later, and your sponsor wants to understand the control implications. What should you do first?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D. Option D is correct because it addresses all dimensions of the quality control failure in the proper sequence. First, quarantining suspect units prevents defective products from advancing (protecting scope and contractual obligations). Second, 100% inspection determines the full extent of the problem. Third, corrective action fixes the root cause. Finally, updating measurements ensures the control system captures the resolution. This approach maintains predictive control baselines and contractual specifications. Option A is incomplete—it doesn't address the six weeks of potentially defective production already completed. Option B (preventive action while continuing to produce defects) violates fundamental quality control principles and will compound rework costs. Option C suggests adjusting specifications to match defects, which is inappropriate for a fixed-price government contract with defined tolerances—this would require scope change and likely customer approval, and the question asks what to do 'first,' not proposing baseline changes before addressing the active quality failure.

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