Specification guide
O-Ring Certificate of Conformance
A certificate of conformance (CoC) for O-rings is the supplier's signed statement that the parts shipped conform to the purchase order and to the specification it names. For mil-spec O-rings you normally need one, because the contract or the purchase order asks for it; no regulation attaches a certificate to the part number itself, and on federal work the clause for a contractor's certificate in place of source inspection is FAR 52.246-15. A certificate of conformance is a statement, not test data, and it is a different document from the manufacturer's own certificate, the batch test report and an AS9102 first article report. At Conquest a certificate of conformance ships with every order and names the part number, the specification, the manufacturer, the lot, the quantity and the manufacturer's cure date.
Do you need one with mil-spec O-rings?
The requirement comes from your order, not from the O-ring. On a federal contract, FAR 52.246-15 lets the contractor ship supplies on a signed certificate instead of government source inspection when the contract administration office authorizes it in writing, and it never takes away the government's right to inspect or reject; FAR 46.504 sets out when a contracting officer may allow it. Prime contractors and higher-tier suppliers write their own certificate requirements into the purchase orders they send down the chain. Conquest's own purchase orders to its suppliers work the same way, with "Certs Required: Yes" on every order (see the supplier requirements page). If your print or contract names a military or SAE document, ask for the certificate, and ask for the manufacturer's certificate to that document as well.
What a certificate of conformance says
The wording varies by buyer and by clause, but the certificate that satisfies an aerospace or defense purchase order answers the same questions. The table sets them out with the reason each one matters to receiving inspection.
| Item on the certificate | Why it is there |
|---|---|
| Your purchase order number and line | Ties the statement to the order it answers |
| The part number as ordered, with the drawing revision if there is one | Shows the part shipped is the part you called out, not a near match |
| The specification and its revision | Names the document the parts conform to, for example AMS7276 behind an M83248/1 ring |
| The manufacturer | For a distributor's certificate, names who made the parts, so the lot traces back past the seller |
| The lot or batch number | Links the parts to the manufacturer's batch record and its own certificate |
| The quantity | Matches the certificate to the count received |
| A statement of conformance, a signature, the signer's name and title, and the date | Makes it a certification someone is accountable for; FAR 52.246-15 and Conquest's own supplier clauses both ask for a signed, dated statement |
For elastomer parts the manufacturer's cure date, given as a quarter and a year, travels with the lot, and the Conquest certificate of conformance prints it; the shelf-life guide explains how it is read and counted.
The documents a buyer can ask for, compared
Five documents get called "certs", and they answer different questions. The right-hand column is what Conquest ships, as its quality and certifications page states it.
| Document | Issued by | What it proves | From Conquest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformance | The supplier that ships to you | The parts conform to your order and the named specification | Every order, naming the part number, specification, manufacturer, lot, quantity and the manufacturer's cure date |
| Manufacturer's certificate of conformance | The company that molded the parts | The maker's own statement that its lot meets the document | With specification parts |
| Batch test report | The manufacturer | Measured results for the batch against the specification's tests | Where the program requires it and the manufacturer issues one |
| Compound data sheet | The manufacturer | Typical properties of the compound, not of your lot | On request |
| AS9102 first article inspection report | The supplier of the part | Every drawing characteristic verified on a representative part | On request (AS9102 guide) |
A data sheet describes the compound in general and a test report describes one batch; neither replaces the certificate, and the certificate does not replace them. Beyond its own certificate, Conquest can supply the manufacturer's certification from either end of the chain: the certificate on the raw material, or the certificate from the maker of the finished part. Name the one your program needs on the purchase order.
Lot, cure date and traceability on the paperwork
The lot number is the thread that holds the paperwork together: it appears on the supplier's certificate, on the manufacturer's certificate and test report, and on the bag. The cure date is the manufacturer's quarter and year of molding, and shelf life under SAE ARP5316, now issued as AS5316, is counted from it. If your program sets an age limit, put it on the purchase order in quarters or years from the cure date. The lot traceability guide covers how a defense buyer checks the chain from the certificate back to the maker.
Conquest keeps its certificates permanently for customers whose contracts require it and for 15 years for everyone else, and its digital records, kept from 2020 on, are retained indefinitely. If your contract sets its own retention period, put it on the purchase order.
What to write on the purchase order
- "Certificate of conformance required", with the specification and its revision
- "Manufacturer's certificate required" for a specification part, and a test report if your program needs batch results
- "QPL source required" where the document has a qualified products list
- The age limit you accept, counted from the cure date
- AS9102 first-article documentation, full or partial, if your quality plan calls for it
A quality-system certificate covers the system that handles your order; the parts themselves are proved by the paperwork above. Send the callout through the quote form, and a person replies within one business day.
Sources
- FAR 52.246-15, Certificate of Conformance, and FAR 46.504, Certificate of conformance, acquisition.gov, read 2026-09-24
- Procurement Quality Clauses F-840-005-F, revision 1/26, Conquest Seal: clause 5 (the certificate a supplier furnishes) and the purchase-order line "Certs Required: Yes"
- Conquest Seal, quality and certifications page (/certificate): what ships with an order, read 2026-09-24
- SAE AS9102C, Aerospace Series, First Article Inspection Requirements (SAE Mobilus, title and revision only)
- SAE ARP5316E and AS5316, Storage of Elastomer Seals and Seal Assemblies (SAE records, title and status only, read 2026-09-14)
- Conquest Seal, company statement of 2026-09-24: the manufacturer's cure date printed on its certificate of conformance, and its record retention (certificates kept permanently where a customer's contract requires it, 15 years otherwise; digital records, kept from 2020 on, retained indefinitely)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a certificate of conformance with mil-spec O-rings?
Normally yes, because the contract or purchase order asks for one. Ask as well for the manufacturer's certificate to the military or SAE document the print names.
Is a certificate of conformance the same as a material certification?
No. The certificate of conformance is the supplier's signed statement that the lot conforms; a material certification or test report comes from the manufacturer and states the compound or the batch results.
Does a certificate of conformance include test data?
No. It is a statement of conformance. Measured results come on the manufacturer's batch test report, where the program requires one and the manufacturer issues it.
Who signs a certificate of conformance?
An authorized person at the supplier that ships the parts, with a printed name, a title and a date. The manufacturer signs its own certificate separately.
Does Conquest send a certificate with commercial orders too?
Yes. A certificate of conformance ships with every order, commercial or specification, naming the part number, the specification, the manufacturer, the lot, the quantity and the manufacturer's cure date.
Is a certificate of conformance the same as a first article report?
No. A first article report records every drawing characteristic measured on a representative part; a certificate states that the whole lot conforms. The AS9102 guide covers the report.
How long does Conquest keep its certificates?
Certificates are kept permanently for customers whose contracts require it and for 15 years for everyone else. Conquest's digital records, kept from 2020 on, are retained indefinitely.
Related guides
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