QUESTION:

From: J. Lopez – Rockwell

Company:  Rockwell
Sent: March 15, 2013
To: ATCS – QBlog, Ask The Experts
Subject: ISO 9001:2008 & API Q1 question – Supplier Provided Materials

We are in process of getting our ISO 9001:2008 certification, but we have the following questions.  Our customer has provided the raw materials needed to produce the product.  We are only doing the manual assembly.  We have not established criteria for supplier evaluations or selection, we also don’t have an approved supplier list develop.  How can we go about adding customers to an approved supplier list to ensure ISO requirements for supplier selection, evaluation and re-evaluation are met?
RESPONSE:

From: Bill Aston, ATCS – QBlog, Ask The Experts
Sent: March 20, 2013
To: J. Lopez, Rockwell Company
Subject: ISO 9001:2008 & API Q1 question – Supplier Provided Materials

Hello Juvenal,

Thanks for contacting Aston Technical Consulting Services’ QBlog.  Regarding your question, it is important to know that customers supplying their own materials are not considered to be suppliers.  Therefore they should not be included on your company’s approved suppliers list for selection, evaluation and re-evaluation.

The requirements of ISO 9001:2008, clause 7.4.1 are specific suppliers that provide materials or services to your company based upon purchase order requirements.  These are materials or services that are required for processing or manufacturing your company’s end product and not office supplies and etc.

Based upon the information provided in your email question, I suggest that your company ensure that the following ISO 9001:2008 and API Q1 certification requirements be addressed.

1. An approved supplier list must be developed and include selection, evaluation and re-evaluation criteria.  Again, this is only applicable to suppliers of product related materials or services and not to customer provided materials.
2. ISO 9001:2008, clause 7.5.4, “Customer Property”, requires that your company identify, verify, protect and safeguard customer property provided for use or incorporation into the product.  Therefore controls should be established to provide documented evidence of how this is accomplished.  Also, records must be maintained to document notifications provided to customers in the event that their property is lost, damaged or found unsuitable for use.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Bill  Aston, Managing Director, ATCS, Kingwood, Texas