Re: Deviation Format
Hi, I need deviation format.
I note you've been around a few months, getting familiar with the Cove.
Your question is a good one and on a topic many people don't consider in advance.
Let me run a little "school" on deviations for folks who may not be familiar with the concept.
In a typical situation, suppliers enter into contracts with their eyes wide open and familiar with the kind of pitfalls that can happen during the process of making and delivering the requirements.
Sometimes, during the course of acquiring machines and materials, glitches occur. Often the glitch has to do with material: the customer requirements may have been for one grade or even brand of material, but for some reason it is unavailable or has become too costly. The supplier then requests a
deviation (in advance) to substitute other material or increase the price to use the original material.
[this is a deviation I am most familiar with]
Other requests for deviations may arise because a PPAP was perfomed on one machine or in one location, but force majeure has made it necessary for the supplier to use a different machine in the same location or an identical machine in a different location. This situation arose often during Hurricane Katrina and will be occurring now after the effects of midwestern flooding.
A third [and infrequent] request for deviation may occur because the supplier has found a "better way" which may result in better quality or lower price, but needs a deviation from the original contract or specifications to proceed.
It is important to note deviation is requested and granted BEFORE production. Compare this with "waiver" which is requested AFTER production because the completed product does not meet the contract specifications.
To my knowledge, occasions for deviations do not occur frequently enough for a "form," but certainly the "format" is relatively straightforward:
- State that the request is for a deviation from the original contract or specifications.
- List the details of the deviation sought.
- Explain WHY the deviation is sought - be very specific. If possible, list any advantage or benefit to the customer for granting the deviation (USUALLY a price concession or higher quality.)
- State that if deviation is not granted, supplier will declare force majeure to be excused from the contract if the situation is based on availability or price of the original material (there is never a good reason to subsidize the customer by losing money on a contract until AFTER trying to get a deviation.) Obviously, if the deviation was to change a process to benefit the customer, the supplier would be OK with sticking to the original contract if it isn't going to lose money.
Note some folks may interchange the terms deviation and waiver, but as long as a distinction is made whether the change from original requirements is BEFORE or AFTER production, everyone should be happy with either term. The difference, of course, is the supplier can get burned if the waiver [my definition] is not granted, whereas the supplier can get out with a relatively whole skin if the deviation [my definition] is not granted.