If you are dealing with a 17025 accredited lab, then this is all covered in 7.1 Review of requests, tenders, and contracts.So an auditor from our Notified Body told us that the laboratories we contact to do raw material and final product testing doing for product release are to be considered critical suppliers by us, and that we need to draw up quality agreements with them including the usual clauses, including e.g. access for the Notified Body to do unannounced audits. Note that all laboratores are ISO 17025 accredited with the respective national authority.
This is a new requirement apparently and our head of QM thinks this is overreach, and not all of the labs are terribly keen on signing our agremeents, obviously. As we are a smaller player in the market we cannot nudge them to do so and there just aren't that many alternatives.
I 'm just wondering if this is something others also have heard from their Notified Body and am happy to hear everyones thoughts and advice on the matter.
This is where you will discuss and agree upon any specific requirements you have for the lab, including your quality agreements.
More specific is section 7.1.7:
The laboratory shall cooperate with customers or their representatives in clarifying the
customer's request and in monitoring the laboratory’s performance in relation to the work performed.