Supplier Quality System Development - Control by supplier over subcontractors

[jciszewski]

Currently our company is QS9000 certified and our goal is to be ISO/TS by the end of the year. In march our registrar wrote us up for as follows:

NONCONFORMANCE: Evidence that the type and extent of control exercised by supplier over subcontractors was established or that subcontractor development has been performed with the goal of compliance to QS 9000 was not always available contrary to requirements of QS 9000. Example: Purchase Orders and development actions were not available for Loc Pac.

Besides the fact we need to stipulate to the supplier our requirements, i really feel it is too late in the game to ask our supplier to become QS9000 compliant because of the TS requirement. Any suggestions:

Should they become QS compliant this late in the game or just go for ISO 9001. Is QS compliance acceptable?

 

[Jim Wynne]

Currently our company is QS9000 certified and our goal is to be ISO/TS by the end of the year. In march our registrar wrote us up for as follows:

NONCONFORMANCE: Evidence that the type and extent of control exercised by supplier over subcontractors was established or that subcontractor development has been performed with the goal of compliance to QS 9000 was not always available contrary to requirements of QS 9000. Example: Purchase Orders and development actions were not available for Loc Pac.

Besides the fact we need to stipulate to the supplier our requirements, i really feel it is too late in the game to ask our supplier to become QS9000 compliant because of the TS requirement. Any suggestions:

Should they become QS compliant this late in the game or just go for ISO 9001. Is QS compliance acceptable?

I don't think the finding is about what the subcontractor does or doesn't do, per se, but rather about your company's (alleged) failure to control the situation.

If you're pursuing 16949 registration, you have to comply with the requirements of 16949, in this instance with regard to subcontractors, which means that if third-party registration is required, the applicable standard is probably ISO 9001 ( it's definitely not QS-9000, although certain subcontractors might seek 16949 registration as well).

 

[jciszewski]

Supplier

Thanks so much for your help. Is the supplier required to be compliant to ISO or registered?

 

[jciszewski]

One other question, If the supplier is required to be registered, do they have to have this done by the end of the year? Our customers are requiring us to be ISO / TS by the end of the year. Or can we give them some time on that as long as they give us a plan to be registered to ISO.

 

[ralphsulser]

Your suppliers need to be pursuing certification to at least ISO 9001:2000 with a goal of TS16949:2002. If they have not achieved ISO certification, then they need to supply you with a written plan of progress and timing.
If you can provide evidence of their status, with an end date proposed, then your registrar should not write you a nonconformance.

 

[fuzzy]

3 Year Clock?

I think I remember a 3 year clock for supplier ISO registration that begins when your company becomes registered. Does anyone else support that with actual knowledge? Was it in an IATF bulletin or something?

 

[jciszewski]

It amazing all this help. So here is another question. This supplier we have does only goverment work for us (Non automotive). Our company is 70 % government & 30% automotive. So I am thinking I can disregard the TS requirement and stick with ISO for this supplier.

If this is the case, I would like to only request that they be ISO complaint. Is this possible?


Thanks again for everyones help.

 

[just67horns]

It seems to me that this supplier would only have to meet the governments requirements for suppliers. As they do not supply anything automotive, it seems to be a non issue. So, for this supplier, not even ISO is mandated, unless required somewhere else.

 

[Sharon_Noble]

Supplier site audits

I was searching the threads trying to find an answer to my question and this one was going in that direction ... then stopped !
My question is:
Our company is a Tier 1 Supplier fo Ford and Volvo, and Tier 2 to Lear (also aftermarket GM). We are preparing for our TS readiness review and I am wondering about the Supplier QMS developement. If our suppliers are ISO (no intent on becoming TS certified) do we have to perform site audits? We have quite a few critical suppliers and we are located British Columbia (not known for automotive industry) making it costly for East Coast trips on an annual basis. If anyone knows of any specific requirements for annual site audits of suppliers I would appreciate it.
Thanks so much!

 

[just67horns]

I would say if you have metrics showing acceptable performance from ISO suppliers, then you have no problem. But, when the supplier starts sending discrepant materials, it will become an issue and that supplier should show corrective action, and if still not responding, there needs to be an audit.