Visual Guidance Lighting Equipment Approval Program

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL 1. PURPOSE. This order institutes, establishes, and describes the Visual Guidance Lighting Equipment Approval Program (VGLEAP). It provides information on the process for an organization to receive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Navigation Services acceptance as a third party verification body and how manufacturers may have their equipment verified and approved under the program. It lists FAA accepted verification bodies and approved products.

This order imposes requirements on third party verification bodies and manufacturers who choose to participate in the VGLEAP. The order describes the criteria that the FAA will use to determine whether a verification body qualifies for participation and the verification procedure for equipment. This order also addresses the life cycle support items and configuration management requirements for the listed approved equipment. The FAA, Navigation Services, will use this order to acquire Facilities and Equipment (F&E) funded navigation and landing systems for use in the NAS. The list of approved equipment in this order should only be used for F&E procurements.

2. DISTRIBTUION. This order is distributed in headquarters to division level in Technical Operations, Acquisition and Business Services, and the Office of the Chief Counsel; to division level at the FAA Depot and the FAA Academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center; and to the branch level in the Technical Operations service areas.

3. BACKGROUND. The Airport Service Office established a similar equipment approval program on January 1, 1990. The program named a commercial testing laboratory, under the oversight of an Industry Technical Advisory Committee, as the program certification body for equipment to be provided under the Advisory Circulars. On May 15, 1995, the FAA, realizing that there were additional commercial laboratories that may want to participate as certification bodies, established and instituted the Airport Lighting Equipment Certification Program. This program allows any commercial laboratory meeting certain criteria to participate as a certification body and provides for FAA oversight and acceptance of certification bodies. The Airport Service program is further described in AC 15015345-53B. On November 13,1992, the FAA issued policy for using non-developmental items (NDI) in FAA acquisitions. FAA Order 1810.6, Policy for Use of Nondevelopmental Items (NDI) in FAA Acquisitions, establishes the requirements for using NDI in all acquisitions to meet FAA requirements. To meet the policy, "Requirements shall be satisfied to the maximum extent through the use of NDI when such products will meet the user's need and are cost-effective over the entire life cycle of the item and are readily available without developmental cost." Navigation Services Organization has established the VGLEAP in response to this policy.

4. APPLICATION. This order applies to all visual guidance lighting equipment procured by Navigation Services with F&E funds.

5. ACTION. The FAA will establish and maintain a list of applicable specifications used by the VGLEAP. The FAA will issue an Advisory Circular detailing the responsibilities of the third party verification bodies and manufacturers who choose to participate in the program. The FAA will establish and maintain a list of accepted third party verification bodies (Appendix 1). The third party verification bodies will evaluate and approve visual guidance lighting equipment and authorize suppliers to mark qualifying products. The FAA will establish and maintain lists of currently approved equipment and manufacturers' addresses (Appendix 2). When there are multiple providers listed in this order, Navigation Services will purchase visual guidance lighting equipment from the approved providers using a competitive bidding process. When there is only one listed approved provider, Navigation Services will purchase visual guidance lighting equipment using a negotiated acquisition process. Should the FAA determine to procure equipment from the approved vendor list, a Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued and may include equipment and services required for the lifecycle support of the equipment requested.

Life cycle support may include, but not be limited to training, spare parts peculiar, special tools and test equipment, Depot level support and site spares. Navigation Services will administer this program. The FAA will audit the approved equipment suppliers' configuration management programs in accordance with FAA-STD-02 1 a.

6. INTERNET ACCESS. This order, the latest approved equipment list, the address list of approved visual guidance lighting equipment manufacturers, and the list of third party verification bodies are available on the Internet at the FAA Regulatory and Guidance Library Web site and/or the Technical Operations Web site. The direct Internet addresses are located in Appendix 2 of this order.

7. DELAGATION OF AUTHORITY. The Director, Navigation Services, is authorized to issue changes to the Appendices in this order as needed.

8. - 19. RESERVED.

CHAPTER 2. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION 20. GENERAL. FAA approved third party verification bodies will implement this program.

The FAA will use this program to acquire equipment under the FAA's F&E program. The purpose of the program is to assist the FAA in discharging its duty to ensure timely availability of visual guidance lighting equipment that meets the applicable FAA standards for safety, performance, quality, and standardization. Manufacturers are subject to a quality audit and twice yearly quality assurance inspections by the third party verification body. Manufacturers submitting products for approval must have a representative in North America to provide aftermarket services for the equipment. A simplified list of each party's responsibilities is given in Figure 1.