Glossary term
Inspection and Test Plan (ITP)
A document that lists each inspection and test during manufacture, the acceptance criteria, the records produced and who must witness or review each step.
Last reviewed by the OdysseyGPT team
What it is
An inspection and test plan (ITP) lists every inspection and test during manufacture, its acceptance criteria, the record it produces, and whether the buyer must witness it, hold it or review it.
Key Takeaways
- Each activity has a procedure, acceptance criteria and a record.
- Hold and witness points affect schedule and cost.
- Compare the buyer's ITP requirements with your standard plan at bid stage.
Why it matters
An inspection and test plan (ITP) sets out, step by step, how equipment will be inspected and tested from material receipt to final dispatch. For each activity it names the procedure or standard, the acceptance criteria, the record or certificate produced, and the intervention level for each party: for example a hold point, where work stops until the buyer's inspector releases it; a witness point, where the inspector is given notice and invited to attend but work may proceed if they do not; or a review point, where records such as material certificates are checked. Tenders often require the bidder to submit a draft ITP or accept the buyer's ITP, and differences between the two are a common source of deviations.
How OdysseyGPT uses it
OdysseyGPT can list the inspection, testing and certificate requirements found in the specification, each with its clause cited, so an engineer can compare them with the manufacturer's standard ITP. Agreeing intervention points with the buyer stays a human decision.
Evaluation questions
When is the ITP agreed?
A draft is often submitted with the bid and the final ITP is agreed after award, before manufacture starts.
How does the ITP link to material certificates?
It names the certificate type for each material test, for example an EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certificate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hold point in an ITP?
A step where work must stop until the buyer's or a third-party inspector has inspected and released it.
Why do ITPs cause deviations?
The buyer's required tests, witness points or certificate types often differ from the manufacturer's standard plan, and each difference must be declared or priced.
References
Supplier quality requirements (hold and witness points)
Air Products
Inspection and test plans in construction quality management
Compliance Council