Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) Template for Pressure Vessels and Skids

An inspection and test plan (ITP) is a table, agreed before fabrication starts, that lists every inspection and test in the order it happens. For each one it gives the document that controls it, the acceptance criteria, the record that proves it was done, and the intervention point for each party. The supplier writes it. The buyer and any third party inspector add their own points, and the buyer approves it before work begins [1, 2]. Where an approved or notified body (the organisation that assesses conformity under pressure equipment law) is involved, it sets its own points too.

Below are ITP templates for a welded pressure vessel and a pump skid, and a way to tie both to the purchase order (PO) and its payments.

Why this matters now

An ITP agreed after award is negotiated from a weak position, and late points can be priced as extras. Two buyers' published supplier quality specifications, from Santos (an Australian oil and gas producer) and Air Products (an industrial gases company), show how firmly the timing can be set. Air Products issues its own ITP with the order where inspection is required, for the supplier to build into its plan [2]. Santos asks for ITPs 4 weeks before any work starts, approves them before work begins, and may reject items offered for inspection before approval [1]. Better still, put your own points in the enquiry so bidders price them.

UK law also fixes some points for you. Under the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, welding procedures and welders for category II, III and IV equipment need approval from a competent third party, and for categories III and IV, NDT (non destructive testing) personnel need approval from a recognised third party organisation. Equipment that must meet the essential safety requirements ends with a final assessment: a final inspection of the equipment and its documents, and a proof test, normally hydrostatic [3]. This is general information, not legal advice.

What goes in each column

Buyers' specifications ask for much the same columns [1, 2]:

• Number and planned week, to show when notices fall due.
• Activity, listed in the order it happens.
• Location: in house or at a sub supplier.
• Reference document: the procedure or specification, with clause, that controls the activity.
• Acceptance criteria: the code, standard or project specification that sets pass or fail.
• Verifying document: the record that proves it, with the EN 10204 type for certificates.
• Intervention points: one column per party, with space for signatures.

Air Products uses H (hold), W (witness), R (review of records) and S (surveillance) [2]; other buyers add their own codes, so define them in the ITP header. Our guide to hold point vs witness point explains each and how waivers work. In the templates below, P means the vendor performs and records the check. Put notice periods in the ITP header: Air Products asks for at least 10 working days for hold and witness points [2], while Santos asks for 14 days for a hold and 7 for a witness [1]. These are company rules, not code requirements; set your own in the PO.

On a vessel stamped to ASME VIII Division 1, the Authorized Inspector also signs the Manufacturer's Data Report as having inspected it [7], so add that inspector's points.

Pressure vessel ITP template

Illustrative ITP for a welded 316L vessel in category II or above. V is vendor, B buyer, TPI third party inspector, AB approved or notified body.

The AB column is illustrative. The body's points depend on the conformity assessment route, for category II module A2, D1 or E1 [8], so confirm them, and whether it attends at all, at the pre inspection meeting.

Notes on the rows that cause most arguments:

• Certificates. Specify the EN 10204 type per item. For main pressure bearing parts of category II to IV equipment, PER 2016 requires a certificate of specific product control [3]. Santos, for example, asks for 3.1 on pressure retaining pipe, fittings, flanges and valve materials, and 2.2 on weld consumables [1]. Our EN 10204 certificate guide shows how to check one.
• PMI. Positive material identification confirms the alloy. A handheld XRF (X ray fluorescence) analyser cannot measure carbon, so it cannot tell 316L from 316; spark OES and laser LIBS analysers can [5]. Name the method if the L grade matters.
• Welding. The procedure is qualified by a test weld whose record supports the WPS (welding procedure specification). The welder who makes that weld is approved by it; other welders are approved by their own test under BS EN ISO 9606 [4].
• NDT. State method, extent and acceptance level per weld group.
• Hydrostatic test. Our hydrostatic test pressure guide explains the pressure. Buyers' specifications can add gauge and water rules: Santos asks for gauges with a full scale range of 1.5 to 3.0 times the test pressure, calibrated by an accredited laboratory within the previous six months, and demineralised water below 20 ppm chlorides for stainless steel [1].
• Data book. Agree its index early; Santos wants the table of contents within 28 days of the order [1].

Pump skid ITP template

A skid adds bought out items, so its ITP is shorter on fabrication and longer on testing.

ISO 9906:2012 sets acceptance grades 1, 2 and 3 for pump performance tests at test facilities such as the manufacturer's, with grade 1 tightest [6]. ISO lists it as under review, so check the current edition. Santos expects a FAT to cover visual, dimensional, pressure, electrical, software, function and interface checks, with 14 days' notice [1].

How the ITP ties to the order and payments

Attach the agreed ITP to the purchase order, with notice periods and the document list, then pay against ITP records, not dates. Air Products allows no shipment until it issues an inspection release note [2]. Santos gives that release only when every ITP activity is accepted and nonconformity reports are closed [1]. Hold back enough at delivery that finishing the data book is worth the supplier's effort.

Practical example

An illustrative 316L vessel is ordered for £96,000. Each payment milestone is tied to ITP rows.

Only £38,400 is paid before the vessel passes its hydrostatic test and final inspection.

The ITP also sets the inspection budget: three TPI visits, for PMI with material receipt, the dimensional check with the hydrostatic test, and the surface treatment check with final inspection. At an illustrative £850 a day plus £250 travel per visit, that is £3,300, plus two desk days reviewing records at £1,700: £5,000, about 5.2% of the order. Splitting the dimensional check from the hydrostatic test adds a fourth visit and £1,100.

Keep every bidder on the same ITP

ChemCapital sends one structured RFQ to all suppliers at once, so when you attach the draft ITP every bidder prices the same requirements. After award, formal purchase orders are confirmed by suppliers, suppliers post milestone updates, and an audit trail logs every interaction, revision and decision with timestamps.

Ready to send every bidder the same inspection scope? Start a free 14 day ChemCapital trial, with no credit card needed.