Supplier Audit Checklist?

[optomist1]

ok a subject near and at one time dear to my heart From my experience as an Adv SQ Mgr (Adv. = from concept to product launch + 30 days), With very few exceptions, suppliers were initially rated, qualified and approved via a 4-6 sheet excel spread sheet, commonly called an SEA or Supplier Eligibility Assessment. This was in many respects a necessary milestone to becoming an approved supplier (automotive). Primarily based upon the results of the SEA, suppliers were reviewed internally and team members voiced their feedback, (this was/is an exhaustive spreadsheet metrics scored from 1-5, everything from packaging, change order process, dunnage/logistics to business recovery plans.)

Once a supplier is approved, responds to RFQ/source package, and they are up and running, with few exceptions all subsequent audits/surveys (all onsite boots on the ground unless non production or low volume) were largely dictated by performance...most often as measured via Internal & External Scorecards. Long winded response but this method was/is vetted and proven. And whether an initial site visit SEA or periodic abbreviated site visit assessment, hard copy "evidence binders" were provided and discussed.

hope this helps...
Optomist1

 

[Jtavo]

Supplier Evaluation - to evaluate the Supplier of key products and services being delivered to your organisation. Not really a yearly thing unless something significant changes on yours or their side of the fence. You'd use such evaluations to assess initial risk - which would include the suppliers willingness to work with you and their viability (Risk Registers..) A templated / generic checklist would not serve. Use the Schedule of Work or whatever agreed source of information that details the specification / service your organisation has requested. (BevD's point 2). I note that your Org is AS9100. There cannot be any half measures in Aerospace - go Audit and get to know them.

 

[Ed Panek]

Suppliers are either acceptable or not - for many reasons. We can have an amazing supplier, but they've raised prices, making our product unmarketable at current prices. I cant fight my CFO using how "Awesome" they handle complaints and how amazing their training procedures are.

Basically a supplier survey is great, but its just a piece of the evaluation. If their product is on time, safe, performs to spec, theres not much they can say on the supplier evaluation form thats gonna make me dump them off our ASL. On the other hand if a supplier is not meeting expectations their supplier evaluation form has about 0% chance of saving them.

Where a form might be ok is vetting 5 new suppliers for the same product.

 

[Randy]

There might be times that you'd get more benefit out of roping goats. Every aspect of the process has multiple variables. Set one or two specific goals, shoot from them and be done with it or you have more fluff than a goose pillow.

 

[Syskid]

Supplier self surveys are as useless as a pet rock. Anyone has ever seen a supplier answering honestly and disqualifying themselves? One of those things that adds no value, wastes time on both ends and gives(?) a false sense of “security” about a supplier. Nothing beats factual supplier performance DATA to allow you to decide if a supplier is worthy of being maintained as a business partner or not.

As to the suggestion of relying on an ISO 9001 certificate as a means of assessing supplier worthiness, most knowledgeable people would also challenge that notion. A certified organization might have significant flaws and still be certified. Try, for example, requesting copies of the CB audit reports and see how the supplier reacts.

Actually yes, I have seen that more than once. Like the supplier who responded with, "We don't need to meet any of these requirements because we don't have any quality certification." We replaced them with a different supplier.