8.4 ...Suppliers control and evaluation

I have a question regarding Suppliers control and evaluation (8.4.1, 8.4.2, 8.4.3), based on the below information, what do you recommend me to do, I don't see the need for us to control or evaluate thesesuppliers.

We are a logistics company that provide receiving, storage, shipping and packaging services.

We do not buy materials that can potentially affect our services, or any other thing. For this we use regular PO basically for office supplies, PPE, etc. all this things can be purchased at any store and are not relevant for us. We do not buy any packaging materials, we receive them from our customers.

We identified three kind of suppliers that could be relevant to us:

1. Forklift maintenance/parts – We have a worldwide contract with the supplier, this contract is based in our HQ in other country, they do all maintenance and repairs in our forklifts, follow up is done with a software and we are in constant communication with them, in case one of our forklift is down they lend another one while ours is getting fix, so our operations doesn't get hit by this.

2. Calibration services – the only requirement we have is that the supplier is ISO 17025 accredited.

3. Temp agency’s –Temp agencies are under a contract and they are controlled by the purchasing department from another Business Unit (same company), which are ISO certified as well. We are responsible for the training of this people once they start working so they basically just provide labor for us. All requirements for this are in the contracts they handled.

 

I would point out that every 17025 accreditation has a particular scope so ensure the scope covers all the types of equipment you're getting calibrated.

 

i have similar issue, regarding thus above problem. any advice??

 

Do you have contracts for external providers such as:

• trucking;
• brokerage;
• shipping;
• security;
• pest control;
• warehouse maintenance;
• equipment supplier;
• waste hauler;
• etc.

You will need to demonstrate that the external providers' outputs and processes are within your control (i.e. 8.4.2a). You can have controls like:

• periodical review of the contract with external providers;
• evaluation of their personnel performance;
• inspection of their outputs, products, services;
• feedback mechanism to HQ regarding your providers' performance;
• regular meetings with them, etc.

You actually described some of the controls like constant communication, requirement for ISO certification and training given to external providers.