title = "Supplier Quality Management and Audit Basics"

content = """
Supplier quality management ensures that materials, components, and services purchased from external suppliers consistently meet Ridgecrest Metalworks requirements. Weak supplier quality is a major source of production disruptions and customer escapes; proactive supplier management is essential to operational performance.

Approved Supplier List (ASL): All suppliers of quality-critical materials and services must be on the Approved Supplier List before purchasing begins. Initial approval requires: completion of a supplier questionnaire, review of quality certifications (ISO 9001, NADCAP for special processes), and a sample order with incoming inspection verification. High-risk suppliers may require an on-site audit before approval.

Supplier performance monitoring: Active suppliers are scored quarterly on three key metrics:
- Quality performance: Percentage of deliveries with no quality escapes or rejected material
- Delivery performance: On-time delivery rate against purchase order dates
- Responsiveness: Speed and effectiveness of response to quality issues and NCRs

Suppliers with consistent poor performance are placed on conditional status, required to submit a corrective action plan, and monitored with increased incoming inspection frequency. Suppliers who fail to improve are removed from the ASL.

Supplier NCRs: When incoming inspection identifies non-conforming material, a supplier NCR (SNCR) is raised. The supplier is notified and required to respond with containment, root cause analysis, and corrective action within the agreed timeframe. The cost of sorting, rework, or expediting caused by supplier non-conformance may be charged back under the supply agreement.

Supplier audits: Second-party audits of critical suppliers are conducted by Ridgecrest quality engineers, typically annually for key suppliers and when performance deteriorates. Audit scope covers the supplier's QMS, process controls, calibration system, and the specific processes and products supplied to Ridgecrest. Audit findings are communicated to the supplier with required corrective actions and a re-audit timeline.

Special process suppliers (heat treaters, platers, NDT providers) are qualified to the specific process specifications (e.g., NADCAP, AMS, or customer-specific specs) and must maintain their qualification and re-certify on a defined schedule. Loss of a special process qualification by a sole-source supplier is treated as a critical supply risk requiring immediate action.
"""

version = "0.0.1"
