A DC9 EXPERIENCED MACH TRIM TEST FAILURE AT AN OFFLINE STATION AND WAS DEFERRED WITH MAINT CTL HELP BY AN UNQUALIFIED TECHNICIAN.

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PREFLT INSPECTION REVEALED IMPROPER FUNCTION OF THE MACH TRIM COMPENSATOR TEST CIRCUIT REQUIRING A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AND DEFERRAL SIGNOFF UNDER MEL. THE MAINT CTLR SAID WE WOULD NEED A CONTRACT MECH TO DO THE SIGNOFF. WHILE I WAS STANDING AT THE GATE PODIUM TALKING TO MAINT CTL ON THE TELEPHONE; I THEN TURNED TO THE AGENT TO REQUEST THAT THEY CALL OUT A CONTRACT MECH. THE RAMP SUPVR WHO WAS STANDING NEXT TO ME SAID; 'I HAVE A MECH DOWNSTAIRS; DO YOU NEED HIM?' I SAID YES. HIS MAN WAS UP AT THE GATE IN 1 MIN. I TURNED THE PHONE HANDSET (WITH MAINT CTL) OVER TO HIM AND HE BEGAN WORK ON THE LOGBOOK/MEL WITH MAINT CTL OVER THE PHONE. HE FINISHED UP IN 5 MINS AND WE DEPARTED WITH THE MACH TRIM COMPENSATION SYS ON MEL. TURNS OUT THE MECH WHO CAME UP TO SIGN OFF THE LOGBOOK WORKS FOR THE COMPANY WHO CONTRACTS OUR RAMP SVCS BUT NOT YET (THOUGH APPARENTLY WILL SOON) CONTRACT OUR MAINT SVCS IN ZZZ. AS SUCH; HE WAS NOT YET QUALIFIED TO DO ANY MAINT OR SIGNOFFS FOR US. WE HAD ALSO JUST SWITCHED THE CONTRACT FOR OUR AGENT SVCS; SO EVEN THE AGENTS WERE NEW TO OUR OP! IN OTHER WORDS; THIS POLICY OF CONTRACTING OUT ALL SVCS AT AN OUTSTATION SET US UP FOR A PROCEDURAL VIOLATION BECAUSE NOBODY WAS EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW OUR OP WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK.