Involvement of several Departments in Contract Review Process

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roedel12

Hi,

we are TS 16949 certified automotive supplier working on further improoving our services.

I am looking for a guideline on how contract reviews should be archived/processed.

Lets say a customer is sending us his "supply chain aggreement", sales is confirming familliar details in it like lead time, packaging, communication, forecasts ect.

How should those customer requirements be relayed to logistics?

Per TS16949 should logistics be offically informed about what customer requorements sales is signing off or not?
Or should logistics be involved in the contract review process?

Thanks in advance

Chris
 

Pancho

wikineer
Super Moderator
Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

We aren't registered to TS 16949, but the purpose of Contract Review is to ascertain that you can meet the commitments that you are about to make. Therefore, someone familiar with your logistics capabilities should indeed participate in the review of the contract before you sign.

Once the contract is signed, you need to make sure everyone in your team understands their responsibilities. We post to-do lists, schedules and the contract itself prominently, and hold weekly progress/planning meetings as part of our Project Management process.
 
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qusys

Trusted Information Resource
Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

I think multidisciplinary approach is key in this process.
Consider that in the process of contract review the manufacturing feasibility of the product shall be investigated, confirmed and documented, including the risk analysis.

As per this requirement I think all the processowner involved shall be informed and contribute from the starting. To come to your question, logistics shall be involved in the process of contract review and in the feasibility analysis. The risk is to accept something and then not be ready or not having resource or capability to meet the request.
APQP is good method the planning of new prodcut introduction as well.:bigwave:
 
R

roedel12

Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

Hi guys

Thanks for the feedback to both of you.
I am in charge of sales and i would love to involve logistics in the review process because many customer requirements regarding logistics cannot be fully understood by the sales staff.
Our logistics manager refuses to review any customer agreements saying a sales manager must have the ability to judge all logistic related processes on his own. Our operations manager argues the same way, saying the sales manger is responsible for all contract relate issues and should understand all logistic processes otherwise he,s lacking training..... well
I was hoping someone could point out a clear guidline in the Apqp process that reccomends the involvement of all related departments before confirming customer requirements untill i am experienced enought to understand all processes:bonk::bonk:
 

qusys

Trusted Information Resource
Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

Appreciated your thanks.

Questions for your mgmt: who is the owner of the contract review process?
Which are the input/output? What are the KPI'S? Which are steward of the process? WHich are the procedures and tool to manage the process? What the linked and support process?
I think that if your mgmr reflect on this topic, they will undestrand that it shall be managed in multidisciplinary approach.
Sales mgt or Customer representative can collect the requirements of the customer but they shall be assessed together, in team. Mgf feasibility, making for example a rish analysis of the project, shall be done unifying all the competence and knowledge of the process owner of your QMS.
I do not have documents for this, but APQP says this. Does your mgmt know APQP process or some method for project mgmt?:bigwave:
 
S

Sturmkind

Re: Integration of several Departments in Contract Review Process

Hi!

The AIAG APQP reference manual repeatedly stresses the need for a cross-functional team. No one department or person can be fully expert in all of the nuances needed for a successful product launch. Page 3 of the APQP manual states "The initial team should include representatives from engineering, manufacturing, material control, purchasing, quality, sales, field service, subcontractors, and customers, as appropriate."

Subcontractor involvement can be important as they can recommend their capability for providing restricted chemistry product to help enable dimensional fidelity of complex or unusual forms the customer may require. Certainly logistics and especially packaging folks should be involved since transport of product can effect dimensional, appearance, and reliability integrity of your product.

Best of luck getting the active involvement of the other departments responsible for the profit and success of your company.
 
R

Russ

Re: Integration of several Departments in Contract Review Process

A multidisciplinary approach is the most effective way to do Contract Review. These department managers need to understand that "they" are there for a reason. Otherwise your Sales dept. would be running everything. Are you not getting any support from their boss? I've seen contract review done well and done poorly. Done well causes a lot less headaches and makes the company more money!:agree1:
 
R

real-time

Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

My company wants to become TS16949 certified. We are already ISO 9001:2008 certified. Do you mind me asking how long it took you to to get 16949 certified?
 

qusys

Trusted Information Resource
Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

My company wants to become TS16949 certified. We are already ISO 9001:2008 certified. Do you mind me asking how long it took you to to get 16949 certified?

It depends on how much you are already compliance with the standard.
Take into account that before doing readiness review (stage 1) , you shall demonstrate that you are running ISO TS at least one year and have records for some items : I mean internal audit on ISO TS , mgmt review cycle etc. etc. You can ask to your CB.
From my experience you shall treat this a project with project mgmt approach.
It also depended on the largeness of Company (one site or Corporate approach with multiple site). I think two years abundant is an expected journey.
Check this topic also on other thread.
:bigwave:
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Integration of several Departments in contract review process

You may wish to check with the so called 'TS Rules'. The requirements are for performance data for a year. Audits and Management reviews are not considered part of the performance data.

It's not required to have a 'project management' approach at all! You certainly can build on an ISO 9001 based system, meeting the various TS adders and Customer Specifics along the way. In my 15 years of experience, it doesn't take 2 years either! In that time, people will have lost interest and forgotten what TS is about. That may be a specific experience, but as a (past) consultant, TS and certification can be achieved a lot sooner, following the TS rules, too. I'm sure others will confirm that.
 
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