How to Fill Out and Submit the PQDR Form (SF 368)

To fill out SF 368, the Product Quality Deficiency Report, you identify the defective item by its National Stock Number, CAGE code, contract number, and serial or lot number, describe the defect in objective, measurable terms in Block 3, and submit the completed form through the PDREP Automated Information System within 24 hours for a Category I deficiency or three calendar days for Category II. The form is a fillable PDF from GSA, but most Department of Defense users file electronically through PDREP rather than mailing paper.1General Services Administration. Product Quality Deficiency Report2Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program. Product Quality Deficiency Reporting

What SF 368 Is For

You file an SF 368 when a new or newly reworked government-owned product fails to fulfill its expected purpose because of a problem with design, specification, materials, software, manufacturing, or workmanship.2Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program. Product Quality Deficiency Reporting That covers items that fail at receipt inspection, during installation, or during initial operation.3Defense Logistics Agency. Product Quality Deficiency Report Program

It is not the form for every receiving problem. Transit damage, short counts, wrong items shipped, and billing disputes each have separate reporting channels.4eCFR. 41 CFR 101-26.803-2 – Reporting Quality Deficiencies A quality deficiency triggers an investigation of the manufacturer; a shipping discrepancy targets the carrier. Filing the wrong form gets your report closed as invalid.

Category I or Category II

Classify the deficiency before you start typing, because the category sets your deadline.

Category I covers deficiencies that could cause death, injury, severe illness, or major damage to a weapon system, or that restrict combat readiness. Category I reports must reach the Screening Point within 24 hours of discovery.5Naval Supply Systems Command. Product Quality Deficiency Reports6Defense Logistics Agency. Approved Defense Logistics Management Standards Change 1443B – Product Quality Deficiency Reporting Policy Migration Updates

Category II covers deficiencies that affect performance or conformance without involving safety. You have three calendar days after discovery to submit.6Defense Logistics Agency. Approved Defense Logistics Management Standards Change 1443B – Product Quality Deficiency Reporting Policy Migration Updates

If discovery happens on a weekend, holiday, or during a facility shutdown, the clock starts the next operating day. The Screening Point will verify and can recategorize your report, which changes every downstream deadline, so classifying correctly at the outset avoids rework.

What to Gather Before You Start

Pulling the right identifiers together first prevents the back-and-forth that stalls investigations. Have these in front of you:

  • The National Stock Number, a 13-digit code made up of a 4-digit Federal Supply Classification and a 9-digit National Item Identification Number. It appears on the DD Form 250, DD Form 1348, product packaging, or the manufacturer label.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report
  • The manufacturer’s CAGE code, five characters, taken from the item’s markings or looked up in the DLA Cataloging Handbook H4.1.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report
  • The contract number, including the DoD Activity Address Code, contract serial number, and order number.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report
  • The serial, lot, or batch number from the manufacturer’s markings. These distinguish an isolated defect from a production-run problem.
  • The manufacturer’s part number, usually on the item or its packaging.

The DD Form 250 (Material Inspection and Receiving Report) and packing slips carry most of these identifiers in one place, so keep them nearby.

Filling Out the Key Blocks

The form runs to roughly two dozen blocks. These are the ones where errors do the most damage.

Block 1a and 1b: Originator

Block 1a takes the full name and mailing address of the activity originating the report. Spell out the activity name; do not use acronyms when the report will cross component lines, because an acronym that is obvious at your installation may be meaningless to a Screening Point at another command. Block 1b captures the contact person’s name, phone number, and email, so investigators can reach someone who actually handled the item.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report For deployed units, note “deployed” in this block.

Block 2a: Screening Point

Enter the activity that will validate your report before it moves on for investigation. If your organization does not have a designated Screening Point, leave the block blank.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report

Blocks 5, 8, 9a, 9b, 11, and 13a: Item Identification

Block 5 takes the NSN. Block 8 takes the manufacturer’s part number. Block 9a takes the five-character CAGE code, and Block 9b the manufacturer’s name, city, and state. Block 11 records the serial, lot, or batch number. Block 13a holds the contract number.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report Accuracy in these fields is what connects the deficiency to the right contract, the right production run, and the right manufacturer. A wrong CAGE code sends the investigation to the wrong company.

Block 7: Operating Time at Failure

Record how long the item was in service since it was new, overhauled, or repaired, measured in hours, miles, cycles, or another performance element. If the item failed on receipt before any operation, enter zero. This tells investigators whether they are looking at a manufacturing defect or a wear-related failure.

Block 19: Exhibit Disposition

Enter the current location and storage status of the deficient item. If you do not receive shipping or disposition instructions within 30 days, follow up with the Screening Point or Action Point.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report

Writing Block 3: The Deficiency Description

Block 3 is the heart of the report and the block that gets reports kicked back. A description like “item doesn’t work” invites clarification requests and can invalidate the report. The instructions call for a comprehensive account of the circumstances leading to the failure and a specific explanation of what is wrong with the item and how it fails to function with related parts or assemblies.7General Services Administration. Standard Form 368 – Product Quality Deficiency Report

Include whichever of these apply:

  • The condition of the packaging when received and the condition of the part when removed from packaging
  • Whether the defect was discovered before or after installation
  • How the deficiency was discovered and confirmed
  • Identification markings or stamps on the item
  • Whether serviceable tags were attached when the item arrived
  • Any tests or procedures used during installation or testing
  • Reference numbers of previous PQDRs for the same NSN or similar defect

If the item is dimensionally incorrect, list the actual measurements alongside the correct dimensions and cite the source for the correct figures, whether a technical manual, drawing, or comparative measurement of the old item. Stay objective and measurable. “The O-ring measured 2.3mm instead of the specified 2.5mm per drawing 12345” gives an investigator something to act on. “The O-ring seemed too small” does not.

Preserving the Deficient Item

The item itself is usually the strongest evidence in the investigation. As soon as you identify a deficiency, segregate it from other materiel and place it in a suspended supply condition code. Tag it with a DD Form 1575 (Suspended Tag — Materiel) and a DD Form 2332 (Product Quality Deficiency Report Exhibit).8United States Marine Corps. NAVMC 4855.1

Hold exhibits for 60 days from receipt of acknowledgment by the Screening Point, or until you receive disposition instructions, whichever comes first. Do not ship the exhibit without instructions from the Screening Point, and do not repair it during the holding period unless mission-critical requirements demand it. If operational need forces you to put the item back in service, retain photographs, test reports, and measurements that document the deficiency. Submit the PQDR even if exhibit control actions were not taken and the item was already repaired.8United States Marine Corps. NAVMC 4855.1

Photograph the defect from multiple angles, including any relevant markings. Keep copies of shipping labels and packing slips to verify chain of custody and the receipt date.

Submitting the Report

The primary submission channel is the PDREP Automated Information System at pdrep.csd.disa.mil. PDREP has its own electronic form interface that walks you through the same fields as the paper SF 368 and lets you upload supporting documentation to a centralized database.2Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program. Product Quality Deficiency Reporting

Access depends on your role. Government military and civilian personnel need a Common Access Card. Government support contractors need a CAC with a green stripe and signed nondisclosure agreements. Prime contractors with active government contracts can register, as can tier-2 subcontractors working under a prime.9Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program. Request Access Request a PDREP account before you need one. Registering for the first time while a 24-hour Category I clock is running is not a position you want to be in.

When electronic submission is not feasible, mail or email the completed SF 368 and supporting documentation to the Screening Point or Action Point listed in Block 2a.

What Happens Next

The Screening Point receives the report first. It validates the report for accuracy and completeness, verifies the category, checks warranty status, and checks for duplicate reports. If the report is invalid or incomplete, the Screening Point closes it and tells you why, or returns it for consolidation with a related PQDR. If valid, it moves on to the Action Point for investigation.6Defense Logistics Agency. Approved Defense Logistics Management Standards Change 1443B – Product Quality Deficiency Reporting Policy Migration Updates

Expect an interim reply within 20 calendar days for Category I and 30 calendar days for Category II. If an exhibit is required, those timelines start when the exhibit is received, not when you filed.6Defense Logistics Agency. Approved Defense Logistics Management Standards Change 1443B – Product Quality Deficiency Reporting Policy Migration Updates Possible outcomes include rework, replacement, a financial credit or refund, or broader corrective action across the contractor’s production line.2Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program. Product Quality Deficiency Reporting

Mistakes That Delay Investigations

  • Acronyms in the activity name. The form instructions specifically direct you to spell out the full name when the report crosses component lines.
  • Vague Block 3 descriptions. Without measurable specifics, dimensions, test results, or reference drawings, expect a clarification request.
  • Skipping the exhibit hold. Repairing or disposing of the item before the investigation closes removes the most direct evidence. When operational need forces your hand, photograph and document everything first.
  • Wrong reporting channel. Shipping damage, quantity shortages, and billing errors go elsewhere. Filing them on an SF 368 will produce an invalid determination.
  • Missing the deadline. A Category I report filed three days late has already missed its 24-hour window. Keep the category definitions in front of you at discovery so you classify correctly the first time.