Timely Incorporation of Changes

DOE-STD-1073-2003

Configuration Management

6.3.7 Timely Incorporation of Changes

Contractors must incorporate approved changes into controlled documents in a timely

manner. The contractor should control and limit the backlog of changes that have not

been incorporated. Contractors should consider incorporating small changes in batches,

where appropriate. When there is a large backlog of changes that have not been

incorporated on a document, the documents may not reflect the physical facility or the

approved safety basis consequently diminishing the value of the documents. Document

control procedures should specify the limit of the number of changes that may be

outstanding for a document before the document is revised. That limit may vary

depending upon the type of document, document priority, complexity of the changes, and

the degree of overlap of those changes.

6.3.8 Distribution of Documents

Whenever a document is issued or superseded by a new revision, the contractor

organization responsible for document control must send a copy of the new revision to

each controlled document user of the document, along with a request for written receipt

acknowledgment. Contractors can facilitate the return of receipt acknowledgments by

sending a receipt acknowledgment form with the revised document. Document control

procedures should specify guidelines for the maximum time between issuance of the

revised controlled document and distribution. For example:

Level of importance of controlled documents...

Maximum time before distribution...

Most important (e.g. TSRs)

24 hours

Important

72 hours

Least important

7 days

The recipients (controlled document users) should update their copy of the document (for

example, by inserting changed pages), and discard any obsolete pages or copies of

documents. The recipient must return a written acknowledgment of receipt to the

document control organization. The controlled document users should periodically

review controlled copies in use to ensure their accuracy and their consistency with the

master copies.

6.3.9 Control of Superseded or Canceled Documents

The contractor should ensure that the document control process includes measures to

ensure that superseded or canceled documents are replaced. If someone requests a copy

of a superseded or canceled document, the provider should clearly and distinctively mark

the document as "Superseded" or "Canceled" before providing the document.

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