QMS Content for one-man consultancy

Randy

Super Moderator
What EXACTLY would be the requirement to the one-man consulting company?

  • Have a QMS?
  • Have a FORMALIZED QMS?
  • Have ISO 9001 Certification?

What requirement are you referring to?
Yep 3 times.
Don't customers/clients have a desire for their expectations to be fulfilled?
Is it not a goal to achieve customer/client satisfaction?

If you're a self employed, 1 person entity, struggling for every nickle and dime you can possibly get, competing with others your size or bigger, as long as it's legal and ethical you'll jump through a small hoop backwards, butt 1st on the edge of a cliff to get the work, contract or whatever you want to call it.

Just get out of your comfort zone, absolutely and totally quit what your doing tomorrow, with no guarantee of income or anything else and register as a small business concern for US Federal contract work like I did 20 years ago with the Central Contracting Registry and then follow what comes up, as a potential contractor seeking eligibility for consideration you can be asked for any one of the 3 bullets you put down, and guess what, practice the hoop diving trick. I did, every single step and even had a "competent" friend do an internal audit of DSES, Inc. Thank goodness I wasn't asked for a certificate because I was flat a$$ed broke! Just this year to "qualify" for consideration by another CB I had to meet their requirements for some 3rd party environmental compliance training and a specific OSHA training course with about zero cash flow....I jumped thru the friggin hoop, I got the work! That's real world as some here can attest to.

To our friend the OP dean_bell, as Rox said, ya gotta do exactly what anyone else has to do, but being small you can really keep it simple, justify the elements of 9K that aren't applicable to you, document what you have to document, be able to show conformance .....AND JUMP THROUGH THE STINKING HOOP!
 

Dean Bell

Registered
Thanks for your feedback everyone! :)

As has been said, he has a need to develop external-facing processes (including documentation) that give external stakeholders confidence that he can meet their needs and expectations (i.e. comments from @Randy about jumping through hoops), as this will help him attract and retain customers.

Further, he will also need a set of internal processes and tools for how he goes about his business. A few quick thoughts relating to the bidding process suggests that this would include:
  • Tools and processes that ensure that he identifies customer needs and compliance requirements in the first instance;
  • Interface protocols with his customer representatives, and other relevant stakeholders during the bid process;
  • Tools and processes that define the desired end result (i.e. the final bid), including agreed criteria for payment of his services;
  • Bid management model that that recognises his full scope of services (i.e. costing, scheduling, technical proposal), including the scope of services provided by any subcontracted parties;
  • Due diligence processes for any subcontracted parties that he engages to put a bid together;
  • Defined methods for subcontractor engagement (e.g. back-to-back contracts, or a direct engagement agreement).
I'm sure that there are more, so feel free to supplement!

Cheers
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Tell him to keep it as simple as necessary and in the manner that he does his business. His QMS has to fit him and not the reverse.
 

Ninja

Looking for Reality
Trusted Information Resource
Input from a Type S, one-man consultancy that used to be ISO9001:2008

Follow Randy's line of thinking. This is the one case where "ISO in a box" may be the best choice (that ISNT what Randy said, but it is a way to "K.I.S.S."

Make the QMS fit you as simply as possible...if it is a marketing tool and "ticket to play", go get it.
If you go all out for full QMS, and then cut corners...you'll lose your customers.
If you "ISO in a box" and are responsible and reliable...your customers will be happy.
It isn't your ISO cert that will protect your future, it's your ability, integrity and reliability.
:2cents:

I dropped my Cert when I didn't need it anymore to get business...the {undocumented} systems still remain. As a one-man-show, you don't read or reference the docs anyway...
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
As a one-man-show, you don't read or reference the docs anyway...
And that is EXACTLY why I stated that a FORMALIZED QMS for a one-person (gotta be politically correct, gender neutral) organization is a ludicrous proposition.
 

Ninja

Looking for Reality
Trusted Information Resource
And that is EXACTLY why I stated that a FORMALIZED QMS for a one-person (gotta be politically correct, gender neutral) organization is a ludicrous proposition.

From a view point of "How does this QMS help me do a better job?", I agree with you...it is a ludicrous question.
From a viewpoint of "How do I get people to buy from me when they require ISO9000?", I agree with Randy...you do what you gotta do whether it makes sense to you or not.

(gotta be politically correct, gender neutral)
Nope, I don't. :p
 

Randy

Super Moderator
From a view point of "How does this QMS help me do a better job?", I agree with you...it is a ludicrous question.
From a viewpoint of "How do I get people to buy from me when they require ISO9000?", I agree with Randy...you do what you gotta do whether it makes sense to you or not.


Nope, I don't. :p


Yep and that's big difference between having a fish given to you on a regular basis (regular paycheck) and having to get the stinking thing yourself by 1st finding it and then landing it. (Scrambling for a paycheck)
 

Ronen E

Problem Solver
Moderator
It isn't your ISO cert that will protect your future, it's your ability, integrity and reliability.
In today's environment, nothing will protect your future, not even ability, integrity and reliability. The days of stability and predictability are gone. This is social media age, when people make uninformed, irrational and impulsive decisions very quickly, without lingering on what is true, right or moral, mostly motivated by selfish quick gratification. Enjoy today if you can and embrace the fact that tomorrow is likely to be different, but in ways you can't fully prepare for.
The only thing that seems to matter is the ability to sell (including selling something that isn't there).
 

Ronen E

Problem Solver
Moderator
Yep and that's big difference between having a fish given to you on a regular basis (regular paycheck) and having to get the stinking thing yourself by 1st finding it and then landing it. (Scrambling for a paycheck)
Seems like the common thread between the two is
you do what you gotta do whether it makes sense to you or not.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Pretty much, kinda like jumping out of an airplane, in the dark, at 30,000 feet. When you gotta, you gotta
 
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