Canceled Checked October 24, 2026
Canceled in 1996 without a direct replacement. ISO 9001 and AS9100 took its place on most contracts, but it is still cited on some older contracts and drawings.
What It Covers
The original US defense requirement for a contractor quality program: planning, documentation, inspection, corrective action, purchasing and records.
Who It Applies To
Only where an existing contract, drawing, or purchase order still invokes it.
Key Requirements
- A cited canceled specification can still bind you if the contract invokes it; check the contract, not the specification’s status.
- Most of its intent is met by an ISO 9001 or AS9100 system, but the mapping should be written down.
- Ask the contracting officer or customer to modernize the clause at the next modification.
What an Auditor Asks to See
- How you meet the cited requirement, and the mapping to your current system.
Where Systems Fall Short
- Assuming a canceled specification no longer applies because it is canceled.
How QES Helps
Flowdown reviews that map legacy clauses to your current system and draft the modernization request.
Related Standards
Sources. ASSIST Quick Search — Defense specifications and standards, status records (opens in a new tab). Status checked October 24, 2026. This page summarizes MIL-Q-9858A; it does not reproduce or replace it. Buy the standard from its publisher, or read the regulation in its official text, before relying on a detail. Not legal advice.