U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE | Keeping America Informed | OFFICIAL | DIGITAL | SECURE

732 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401-0001

http://www.gpo.gov | www.facebook.com/USGPO | twitter.com/USGPO

October 4, 2019

The following are the major revisions made to the publication Contract Terms, Quality Assurance 

Through Attributes Program for Printing and Binding (QATAP), GPO Publication 310.1, Effective 

May 1979 (Rev. 09-19).

■ Updated all references to the GPO name change.

■ Deleted all references to “film” or “negatives”.

■ All metric measurements have been deleted.

■ Tightened tolerances based on improvement in technology.

The list of major revisions to printing and finishing attributes are as follows:

Attribute Category QL New Demerits

P-1 HICKIES AND SPOTS 1

5 to and including 10 counts

11 to and including 20 counts

Greater than 20 counts

4

20

100

P-1 2

10 to and including 15 counts

16 to and including 25 counts

Greater than 25 counts

4

20

100

P-1 3

15 to and including 20 counts

21 to and including 30 counts

Greater than 30 counts

4

20

100

P-1 4

20 to and including 25 counts

Greater than 25 counts

4

20

P-3 MOIRE 2 Any avoidable moire 100

P-3 3 Any avoidable moire 20

P-3 4 Any avoidable moire 20

P-4 REGISTER 1 1

0.5 through and including 1 row

Greater than 1 row

20

100

P-4 1 2

0.5 through and including 1 row

1 through and including 2 rows

Greater than 2 rows

4

20

100

P-4 1 3

1 to but not including 2 rows

2 through and including 3 rows

Greater than 3 rows

4

20

100

P-4 1 4

2 through and including 3 rows

Greater than 3 rows

4

20

P-5 TEXT AND 

ILLUSTRATION IMAGE 

POSITION 1 4

1/16" to but not including 1/8"

1/8" through and including 3/16"

Greater than 3/16"

4

20

100

P-5 2 1

0.02" to but not including 0.04"

0.04" through and including 0.07"

Greater than 0.07"

4

20

100
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE | Keeping America Informed | OFFICIAL | DIGITAL | SECURE

732 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401-0001

http://www.gpo.gov | www.facebook.com/USGPO | twitter.com/USGPO

P-5 2 2

0.02" to but not including 0.04"

0.04" through and including 0.07"

Greater than 0.07"

4

20

100

P-5 2 3

0.02" to but not including 0.04"

0.04" through and including 0.07"

Greater than 0.07"

4

20

100

P-10 PROCESS COLOR 

MATCH 4

Objectionable shift

Serious shift

20

100

P-11 RUB-RESISTANCE 

OF PRINTED IMAGE 2 4

0.12 to but not including 0.14 density

0.14 through and including 0.16 density

greater than 0.16 density

4

20

100

P-11 2 5

0.12 to but not including 0.14 density

0.14 through and including 0.16 density

greater than 0.16 density

4

20

100

F-1 TRIM SIZE 1 & 2 4 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-1 1 & 2 5 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-1 3 3 Greater than .07" Major

F-1 3 5 Greater than .09" Major

F-2 MISPLACEMENT 

AND MISALIGNMENT 

OF COVER IMAGE 1 4 Greater than 3/32" Major

F-2 1 5 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-2 2 3 Greater than 0.07" Major

F-2 2 4 Greater than 0.09" Major

F-2 2 5 Greater than 0.09" Major

F-3 COVER POSITION

1, 2, 

3, 4, 5

Less than or equal to 1/16 in to the point 

where the text and/or endleaf is flush with 

the case Major

F-7 EXCESS GLUE 1 Greater than 1/16" Major

F-7 2 Greater than 1/16" Major

F-7 3 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-7 4 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-7 5 Greater than 1/8" Major

F-7

1, 2, 

3, 4, 5 Any damage from glue affecting print Critical

F-11 DAMAGED 

COVERS 1 4

Greater than 15% wrinkles, bubbles, or 

scratches Major

F-11 2 2 Greater than 5% Major

F-11 2 3 Greater than 10% Major

F-11 2 4 Greater than 15% Major

F-11 2 5 Greater than 20% Major