Any comment, if a supplier raise an NCR to the Client?

[Nadeem A.]

Hi All,

Within the context of oil and gas business, some construction contractors has an understanding to raise the NCR against the "Client" if there is a discrepancy or ambiguity in the Client requirement.

In my view point, it seems very awkward to raise an NCR against the Client/Customer, who is giving a business to the Contractor.

One of the requirements in ISO 9001:2015 QMS is to 'Review the Customer Requirements'. Contractor can communicate to the Client for any unclear requirement using other tools such as Request for Information (RFI) or any other process. But, in general, to raise the NCR to the Client may have negative impact to the contractor business (such as losing the next contract).

Any thought or comment would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Nadeem.

 

[dsanabria]

While technically it is correct to issue an NCR - realistically, I would not hold my breath in expecting an answer to the NCR.

Usually an NCR is a tool to be used when all other communication forms have been exhausted and the results are still the same.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

In limited fashion, I've seen a situation like this when the supplier rejected a customer supplied product, which was found to be unfit for the job. Standards, such as ISO 9001:2015 have requirements concerning such check.

If you provide more details of what was rejected by the supplier and subject of the NCR, we might be able to opine further and offer additional comments.

 

[somashekar]

... Within the context of oil and gas business, some construction contractors has an understanding to raise the NCR against the "Client" if there is a discrepancy or ambiguity in the Client requirement.

In my view point, it seems very awkward to raise an NCR against the Client/Customer, who is giving a business to the Contractor.

One of the requirements in ISO 9001:2015 QMS is to 'Review the Customer Requirements'. Contractor can communicate to the Client for any unclear requirement using other tools such as Request for Information (RFI) or any other process. But, in general, to raise the NCR to the Client may have negative impact to the contractor business (such as losing the next contract)...

The client, as I can see, is a very keen interested party to your QMS operation. So his needs and expectations have to be considered. Therefore if any discrepancy or ambiguity is noticed in the client requirement at any point of time, it is in the best interest of the contractor and the client that this is resolved to the satisfaction of the contractor (yourself) first. This is correction.
Whether a corrective action is taken up by the client is not in the contractor's QMS interest.
Therefore the action to get the correction done using a NCR process should be OK. No more than that. However, the means of correction can be many, but the purpose is to communicate a NC situation and get the same resolved. Certainly your NCR process is not made with the client in mind.
Communicate, Call over phone, Meet, Escalate., to correct the situation, but NCR is not the preferred route.

 

[John Broomfield]

... Within the context of oil and gas business, some construction contractors has an understanding to raise the NCR against the "Client" if there is a discrepancy or ambiguity in the Client requirement.

In my view point, it seems very awkward to raise an NCR against the Client/Customer, who is giving a business to the Contractor.

One of the requirements in ISO 9001:2015 QMS is to 'Review the Customer Requirements'. Contractor can communicate to the Client for any unclear requirement using other tools such as Request for Information (RFI) or any other process. But, in general, to raise the NCR to the Client may have negative impact to the contractor business (such as losing the next contract)...

Nadeem,

We had good results with an RFI process when requesting clarification of acceptance criteria.

The Requests for Information were usually part of design change control.

We kept our NCRs dry for controlling nonconforming product which may also invoke design changes if dispositioned "use as is" or "repair".

The NCR may replace the RFI but why take the hard road?

As you can tell I would not recommend it.

John

 

[Nadeem A.]

Thanks all for providing comments. Agreed with Somashekar and John, why take the hard and risky way, if you have different tools of communication available.

Like the following lines:

...................................................
Certainly your NCR process is not made with the client in mind.
Communicate, Call over phone, Meet, Escalate., to correct the situation, but NCR is not the preferred route.

This make sense as if we look at the 'Continual Improvement of QMS Model', Client/Customer is providing the requirements to the organization to construct and deliver the product to satisfy the Client's expectations. This is organization's (Contractor) responsibility to review and meet the customer requirements and expectations.

If the Client has provided wrong material or specification (customer property), then Contractor could 'Reject' that material/specification using any reporting format (e.g. Material Receiving Report, RFI, any other communication tool). Or raise a Change Order. Organizations depend on their customers, therefore should understand current and future customer needs, one of the basic QMS principle. The intention should be to make customer satisfied using prudent ways.


Thanks,
Nadeem.