Screen a commercial item as a basic component under 10 CFR 21, build its critical-characteristics worksheet, and get a recommended acceptance method (Method 1–4, per EPRI NP-5652 / NRC guidance) for every characteristic — then export the whole CGD record. Built for suppliers, procurement engineers, and QA staff entering the nuclear supply chain.
Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded or logged.
This tool organizes the commercial grade dedication logic found in public regulatory and industry guidance (10 CFR 21, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, EPRI NP-5652 / EPRI 3002002982, NRC-endorsed guidance, and DOE CGD procedures). It is intended for engineers, QA staff, suppliers, students and researchers to structure their thinking and draft a worksheet. It is not a licensing document and does not replace your facility’s approved CGD procedure, a qualified dedicating entity, or the independent technical evaluation and review that 10 CFR 21 requires. Critical-characteristic selection and acceptance-method decisions must be made and approved by qualified personnel under a controlled QA program. No verification is complete until performed and documented per that program. Digital/software dedication and safety-significant software carry additional requirements beyond this tool’s scope.
List the design, material, and performance characteristics that — once verified — give reasonable assurance the item performs its safety function. Select the minimum necessary and sufficient set; tie each one to the safety function above.
Answer the verification questions inside each characteristic card above. Recommendations update live and are summarized in the record below.
| # | Critical characteristic | Category | Acceptance criteria | Method(s) | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Step 1 and add characteristics to build the record. | |||||
Commercial grade dedication (CGD) is the acceptance process by which a commercial-grade item — one not originally supplied under a 10 CFR 50 Appendix B or ASME NQA-1 quality program — is accepted for use as a basic component in a safety-related application. Dedication provides reasonable assurance that the item will perform its intended safety function by verifying its critical characteristics through one or more of four acceptance methods, and by establishing suitable supplier controls. Once dedicated, the item becomes a basic component subject to 10 CFR 21 reporting.
Critical characteristics are the identifiable, measurable attributes that, once verified, give reasonable assurance the item performs its safety function. They are commonly grouped as: Product identification (part/model number, nameplate data, markings, enclosure type); Physical (dimensions, material of construction, surface finish, tensile strength, heat treatment); Performance (accuracy, set point, response time, flow/pressure rating, operability); and Dependability / built-in quality (development process, configuration control, coding practices — chiefly for digital/software items). Select the minimum set that is necessary and sufficient: too few gives no assurance; too many wastes verification effort.
Verify critical characteristics by inspecting, testing, or analyzing the item on (or after) receipt — dimensional checks, material verification (PMI), functional/performance tests, sometimes with a sampling plan. Best when the characteristic is directly and fully measurable on the end item.
Assess the supplier’s design, QA, and process controls to confirm they effectively control the critical characteristics, supported by a certificate of conformance. Best for process-dependent characteristics (heat treatment, welding, software development). Not viable if the supplier’s program is undocumented or not effectively implemented; for a distributor, both distributor and manufacturer controls must be confirmed.
Witness or verify inspections, tests, and NDE at the supplier’s facility at predetermined hold/witness points during fabrication or assembly. Best when a characteristic must be confirmed while it is still accessible — in-process welds, NDE, or performance tests that cannot be repeated after delivery.
Use documented, favorable operating history from multiple independent sources, with demonstrated control of design and process changes. Method 4 cannot stand alone — it supplements Method 1, 2, or 3; single-purchaser history is not sufficient.
An Appendix B / NQA-1 supplier delivers the item as a basic component under an NRC-accepted quality program, so no dedication is needed. CGD is the alternative path when you buy a commercial-grade item and take on the responsibility yourself to verify its critical characteristics and accept it as a basic component.
When an item performs a safety-related function (affects reactor coolant pressure boundary integrity, safe shutdown, or accident mitigation) and is being procured commercial-grade rather than from an Appendix B / NQA-1 supplier. If there is no safety function, dedication is not required for nuclear safety, though other quality programs may apply.
No. Method 4 must be combined with Method 1, 2, or 3, must draw on multiple independent sources rather than a single purchaser, and requires evidence that the supplier controls design and process changes.
Digital I&C dedication adds dependability/built-in-quality characteristics tied to the software development process, and typically relies on a commercial-grade survey (Method 2) of that process, supported by testing. This is a specialized area with additional NRC and EPRI guidance beyond this tool’s scope.
Methodology & sources. Structured from public guidance only: 10 CFR 21 (Reporting of Defects and Noncompliance), 10 CFR 50 Appendix B (QA Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants), NRC-endorsed EPRI NP-5652 / TR-102260 “Guideline for the Utilization of Commercial Grade Items” and EPRI 3002002982, NRC Regulatory Guide 1.164 / vendor-inspection guidance, and DOE commercial grade dedication procedures (e.g., LMS-PROC-116). The four acceptance methods, critical-characteristic categories, and selection factors reflect that guidance. This tool does not reproduce any proprietary EPRI document; consult the controlling standards and your site procedure for authoritative requirements.
A decision-support aid — not a licensing calculation or a substitute for a qualified dedicating entity. By Elliot Marsh — NeutronRise.