Level 1 materials must be closely tracked and controlled by who?

• A. Quality Assurance Investigator (QAI)
• B. Quality Assurance Tags
• C. Control Material PO (CMPO)
• D. Departure from specifications (DFS)

Answer: (C)

Level 1 materials require strict traceability and custody, and the responsibility for closely tracking and controlling them falls to the Control Material Purchase Order (CMPO). The CMPO establishes a formal record and assigns accountability for every step—from receipt to storage, use, and disposal—with unique lot numbers, quantities, and transactions. This creates a clear audit trail and limits access to authorized personnel, preventing mix-ups or loss of control.

A Quality Assurance Investigator is a role that may review and verify compliance, but doesn’t by itself implement day-to-day custody. Quality Assurance Tags help label items but don’t establish formal control or ownership. Departures from specifications indicate a problem, not who is responsible for controlling the materials. The CMPO, by design, is the mechanism that ensures proper control and traceability for Level 1 materials.