In this scenario, the most appropriate action for the quality engineer is to expedite the review and disposition of the nonconforming material with the Material Review Board (MRB). This approach ensures that the nonconformance is assessed quickly by a team of experts, leading to an informed decision on whether the material can be used or needs further action. This aligns with ISO 9001:2015 requirements for handling nonconforming outputs and ensures that decisions are made based on a thorough review process. Reference:
ISO 9001:2015 - Quality management systems -- Requirements, specifically the clauses dealing with nonconforming product management.