7.5.1 One central source of comfort for the Authority that Assets and services are being provided in accordance with good industry practice should be the Contractor's quality management system (such as ISO 9000 or an equivalent standard).
7.5.2 The Authority should retain the right to audit the Contractor's quality management system which should include the right to examine or inspect works or activities on or off-site to establish the adequacy and accuracy of the system documentation. The Contract should provide for the Contractor and Sub-Contractors to provide such assistance and access as the Authority requires and include provisions setting out the obligations upon the Contractor and Sub-Contractors to respond to any recommendations which result from an audit. No other rights or remedies (e.g. rights to terminate for default) should arise from such an audit since deficiencies in the quality management system will manifest themselves through poor performance (see Section 19.6.3 (Consequences of Poor Performance)). The audit is essentially a due diligence tool available to the Authority.