This subpart sets out the requirements which must be met by States or private organizations which wish to qualify as primary inspection agencies under these regulations. It also sets out the various functions which will be carried out by primary inspection agencies.

There are four basic functions which are performed by primary inspection agencies:

Approval of the manufacturer's manufactured home design to assure that it is in compliance with the standard;

Approval of the manufacturer's quality control program to assure that it is compatible with the design;

Approval of the manufacturer's plant facility and manufacturing process to assure that the manufacturer can perform its approved quality control program and can produce manufactured homes in conformance with its approved design, and

Performance of ongoing inspections of the manufacturing process in each manufacturing plant to assure that the manufacturer is continuing to perform its approved quality control program and, with respect to those aspects of manufactured homes inspected, is continuing to produce manufactured homes in performance with its approved designs and in conformance with the standards (see § 3282.362(c)(1)).

There are two types of primary inspection agencies which perform these functions:

Those which approve designs and quality control programs (Design Approval Primary Inspection Agencies—DAPIAs) and

Those which approve plants and perform ongoing inspections in the manufacturing plants (Production Inspection Primary Inspection Agencies—IPIAs).

States and private organizations whose submissions under this subpart are acceptable shall be granted provisional acceptance. Final acceptance shall be conditioned upon adequate performance, which will be determined through monitoring of the actions of the primary inspection agencies. Monitoring of all primary inspection agencies shall be carried out as set out in subpart J. HUD accepted agencies can perform DAPIA functions for any manufacturer in any State and IPIA functions in any State except those in which the State has been approved to act as the exclusive IPIA under § 3282.352.

Primary inspection agencies approved under this subpart may contract with manufactured home manufacturers (see § 3282.202) to provide the services set out in this subpart. Any PIA which charges fees which are excessive in relation to the services rendered shall be subject to disqualification under § 3282.356.