Are You Meeting Subcontractor (Supplier) Development Requirements?

[Andrews]

What is the status of compliance in QS9000 certified companies in meeting the sanctioned interpretation requirement of getting their sub contractors certified to ISO9000?

[D.Scott]

We are QS-9000 but we are not a tier 1 supplier. The requirement for us only states we must continue to develop our subcontractors with a goal of compliance. We have no certification requirement.

So, I guess I get to check the over 90%.

Dave

[db]

Dave, why do you feel the requirement is for only tier ones?

[Andrews]

Dave,

did the external auditor agree with your stand that suppliers other than tier 1 need not require certification to ISO9000 from their subcontractors. If so how did you convince him. Because the sanctioned interpretation does not say that it applies only to Tier 1 suppliers.

[D.Scott]

- SUPPLIERS: Suppliers are defined as providers of: a) production
materials, b) production or service parts, or c) heat treating, plating, painting or other finishing services., directly to Chrysler, Ford, General Motors or other customers subscribing to this document. See SITE.
- SUBCONTRACTOR: Subcontractors are defined as providers of production materials, or production or service parts, directly to a SUPPLIER to Chrysler, Ford, General Motors or other customers subscribing to this document. Also included are providers of heat treating, painting, plating or other finishing services. See SITE.
- SITE: Site is defined as a SUPPLIER OR SUBCONTRACTOR location at which value-added production processes occur. "Site" also includes distributors of parts manufactured by other companies.

A SUPPLIER is often referred to as TIER 1 and a SUBCONTRACTOR is often referred to as TIER 2. A TIER 1 SUPPLIER provides products, materials or manufacturing services directly to Ford, GM, Chrysler or those customers listed on page 79 of QS9000 3rd Edition. These CUSTOMERS are often referred to as an OEM. A TIER 2 SUBCONTRACTOR provides products, materials or
manufacturing services to SUPPLIERS.

The reference to SUBCONTRACTORS in the sanctioned interpretation for SUBCONTRACTOR DEVELOPMENT only refers to TIER 2 sites WITHIN the aforementioned customer or OEM's supply chain.

EXAMPLE: A Tier 1 supplier named ACME Widget Company, which provides fiberglass molded parts to Navistar, a customer subscribing to QS9000, must develop their subcontractors (Tier 2 companies) as described in the Sanction Interpretation C9. A QS9000 certified provider of the raw fiberglass to ACME Widget Co., which would be considered a TIER 2 in the supply chain,
does NOT have to develop their subcontractors as described in Sanctioned Interpretation C9.

When another Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) not listed on page 79 of QS-9000 and not GM, Chrysler or Ford, requires their suppliers to obtain and maintain QS-9000, this sanctioned interpretation does NOT apply.

Whether Suppliers (Tier 1) elect to have their Subcontractors (Tier 2) certified, assessed periodically by an OEM customer-approved second party or 3rd party registrar or assessed by the OEM is up to that supplier. When a QS-9000 certified SUPPLIER (TIER 1) elects to "qualify" their SUBCONTRACTORS on their own, they must obtain WRITTEN Approval from ALL the customers or
OEMs affected by that SUBCONTRACTOR'S product, material or service. In ALL cases the requirements on the SUPPLIER and the SUBCONTRACTORS must be met by
December 31, 2002.
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I have confirmed this with them in two seperate communications.

Dave

[Sam]

Dave,
Just a thought but how would the phrase "or other customers subscribing to this document.", enter into the equation?

[D.Scott]

Good point Sam

That was brought up. The consensus at AIAG and the registrar "ruling" is that the phrase used in context includes only those who have set their names to page 79 of the 3rd edition QS-9000. The fact that a company is accredited to QS-9000 does not in this sense include them as a subscriber.

Once again, this is direct from our registrar and is the interpretation of their auditors. We have had 2 of our facilities audited (surveillance) since this came out - one included 4.6 Purchasing as a full element audit.

Dave

[Andrews]

Dave,
Have you got a written correspondence from AIAG that all QS9000 certified companies and those requiring QS9000 from suppliers are not the subsribing companies referred in the definition of supplier and subcontractor.If so can you please share it with us.