The project manager should have ensured that regulatory compliance, including import regulations for the specific machine model, was considered in the quality management plan. This would involve understanding and adhering to the legal and regulatory requirements that affect the project scope, deliverables, and processes. By integrating regulatory compliance into the quality management plan, the project manager could have anticipated and mitigated the risk of the machine being blocked by customs, thus avoiding delays and potential financial losses.
References:
Project Quality Management According to the PMBOK1
Machinery Regulation: An Essential Guide2
Project Scope Management according to the PMBOK3