ISO 9001 Applicability

Hello,

Does a QMS need to be applied to all contracts even when there is no customer requirement stating a need for a QMS?

 

I'm not sure the basis for the question, so I'll answer broadly...

If you have a QMS, it is WAY easier to use it than to define and track which things to not use it for.
...assuming you have a functional QMS and not just a list of extra tasks...

Quality Management System....it is a system, not a tool to use or not use.
Build your system so it gives you value...then your question becomes "Do I have to always get value, or can I choose to pass on getting value?" and the answer becomes easy...

 

Due to the nature of our company less than 5% of contracts will require ISO 9001 compliancy.

I am trying to avoid undue overhead for the 95% of the company that will not be involved in QMS

 

I don't mean to be picky, but is the requirement "Compliance" or "Certified" ?

There is all the difference in the world.

 

Seeking certification

 

If 95% of your contracts require nothing, why bother with the 5%? I have to assume that the 5% represents a substantial chunk of income in that case.
There is no doubt that certification is costly, so the question becomes is it worth the investment? Last I checked, for our small company we would lay out $7600 the first year, and about $3000 per year for the next two. Can you recover that from your 5%?
This, of course ignores that whole value part of the QMS. We elected to forego certification, but because of the value, we remain compliant to the existing standard (and are audited against it by our customers). If you believe that it is possible to run 5% of the contracts on an "ISO system" and the rest "off the system" I cannot see that working at all, in fact you would introduce more complication and paperwork than just becoming certified.

 

I wouldn't just go through the whole process of getting certified if it is just to have a change at 5% of your contracts. First and foremost it is important to get more out the certification than just the contracts. I mean all your competitors for these contracts also have the required certificates so what is your differentiator? Certainly not the certificate.

If you decide to go for the certifications make your that your QMS is the differentiator. Show your customer how you handle your process and build a certain level of trust with them by given them a peek in your QMS. We have seen it with our customers, read below.

http://blog.qooling.com/qhse-management-system-as-sales-argument/

If you are ready to go for setup a certified QMS do it for the company not just for a very limited number of potential contracts.

 

If an organization intends to satisfy its customer, then of course YES. Irrespective of certification to ISO 9001, organizations definitely ran some form of QMS to ensure their products/services have QUALITY.