Quality Clauses

QUALITY CLAUSES

 

1. Seller’s Quality Program/Inspection System
The Seller shall, in performance of this Purchase Order (PO) provide and maintain a quality program or inspection system, which includes a provision to notify TCI of any significant changes that may affect quality(these changes include but are not limited to: company ownership, company name, manufacturing location, quality approvals, significant changes to process or inspection techniques) and or nonconformance(s) on previously produced or delivered items and shall be in accordance with the requirements of:

  1. AS9100/IS0-9001
  2. The seller shall maintain inspection system adequate to assure that supplies on this order meet all of the applicable requirements. The system shall also provide for the maintenance of records and date of all inspections and tests performed and shall make these records available for examination and verification by TCI and its customers and regulat01y authorities. The Seller’s Calibration program shall conform or be equivalent to the requirements of ISO-10012-l or ANSI/NCSI 2540-l in that only current calibrated equipment traceable to a national standard shall be used for product acceptance.

Note: Documented information retention requirement is ten years minimum unless otherwise specified in the purchase order. Prior to discarding, transferring to another organization, or destruction of such records, the Supplier shall notify TCI in writing and give TCI the opportunity to gain possession of the records.

2. Source Inspection
Items procured under this PO may be subject to source inspection by TCI at the Seller’s facility prior to shipment.  The Seller shall finish acceptable facilities and equipment necessary to perform the required inspections at no cost to TCI.  Please advise the appropriate TCI buyer 3 working days in advance of the subject material being available for source inspection.  Evidence of source inspection shall accompany each shipment of material, whenever source inspection is actually performed. No such inspection of tests shall in any way relieve Seller of its ligations to furnish all items in strict accordance with the requirements of this PO.

3. First Article Inspection
First Article Inspection (FAI) must be completed in accordance with AS9102 (A) and accompany the first shipment of any part number. First Article parts will be identified as such with a tag. The FAI requirement once invoked shall continue to apply even after initial compliance.  The following conditionS will require a full FAI or partial F/A (delta) to be performed: A change in design affecting form fit or function of the part. A change in the manufacturing source(s), process (es), inspection method(s), location of manufacture, tooling or materials that can potentially affect either fit, form or function of the item; a natural or man-made event, which may adversely affect the manufacturing process; a change in numerical control program or translation to another media that can potentially affect form, fit or function; a lapse in production for over two years.

Note:  FAI requirement does not apply to standard hardware, commercial off the shelf items, wire, cable, electronic piece parts, or outside processing.

4. Seller’s Sub-tier Sources
Seller’s quality system shall include procedures for determining and continued maintenance of the capability of sub-tier suppliers prior to issuance of Seller’s PO. Seller shall include the applicable portions of this PO in each of its purchase orders, if any, with each of its subcontractors where work is being performed as is scheduled to be performed in connection with this PO and require that, where applicable, such portions are inserted in all subcontracts at every tier.

5. Physical/Chemical Test Reports
Each supplied shipment of raw material shall be accompanied by a legible copy of chemical test reports, traceable to the original mill lot and heat number, for the material submitted. Upon request seller will supply physical test reports, legible and traceable to the original mill lot and heat number. These certificates shall ensure conformance to applicable specifications and shall contain an authorized signature and title.  Material conversion is allowed when defined by controlling specification or TCI drawing and heat lot traceability shall be maintained).

6. Functional Testing

  1. Each shipment shall be accompanied by a legible and reproducible copy of reports of actual test results identifiable with test parameters, and products submitted per the drawings and specifications. These reports shall contain the signature and title of an authorized representative of an agency performing the test and shall assure conformance to specified requirements. (Note: Functional tests are defined as operation inspections, e.g. mechanical, electronic, hydraulic, etc.)
  2. Testing is required for each shipment. However, the legible and reproducible copy of reports of actual test results. Orders shall be maintained by the supplier in accordance with contract/purchase order requirements and shall be made available for review within 24 hours of request; excluding weekends when serialized, the serial numbers shall appear on the certification. Sellers test procedure shall be submitted for TCI review and approval prior to any testing.

7. Inspection Records
Each shipment shall be accompanied by copies of actual quantitative records of inspection to include nature and number of observations, and traceable by part number to the material or services being provided by the Seller. When the supplier uses sampling inspection as a means of product acceptance, the sampling plan shall be justified on the basis of recognized statistical principles and appropriate for use (i.e., matching the sampling plan to the criticality of the product and to the process capability).

8. Nondestructive Testing
All parts requiring nondestructive testing shall be processed in accordance with drawing requirements. Personnel reading and/or interpreting nondestructive testing indications shall be certified/qualified in accordance with the applicable specification for the test method being employed. Testing records including radiographs shall be retained on file and will be provided to Buyer upon request at no cost to TCI. For distributors, these records may be retained by the manufacturer.

9. Government Source Inspection
Government Inspection is required prior to shipment from your facility. Upon receipt of this order, promptly notify the Government Representative who normally services your plant so that appropriate planning for Government Inspection can be accomplished.

10. Material Review Board Authority
Material Review Board Authority is retained by TCI. The Seller shall maintain control of nonconforming material discovered at Seller’s facility and shall not ship nonconforming material unless authorized by the TCI Buyer. When it is not feasible for the Seller to rework nonconforming items to specifications, or to scrap and remake, request for acceptance of nonconforming material shall be made, using Buyer’s Source.

11. Seller Corrective Action
If the Seller or his Seller is not performing in accordance with contractual requirements, the Seller (upon notification from TCI via Supplier Corrective Action Request or Supplier Process Improvement Request) shall take appropriate corrective action. The Seller shall make a formal report to TCI within fifteen (15) days from the date of notification, showing evidence of corrective action taken. Said corrective action shall be reviewed by TCI, and follow-up verification of corrective action may be required.

12. Certification of Conformance and Authenticity

  • CofC – A legible and reproducible Certificate of Conformance or Seller’s Statement of Quality will accompany each shipment, with the name and title of an authorized representative of the Seller. This certifies that the material/services provided by the Seller meet all drawing and/or specification requirements. Records supporting this certification shall be on file and shall be provided to Buyer upon request at no cost to TCI. Certificate of Conformance for raw material shall be traceable to the original mill lot and heat number for the material submitted. For machining and forming POs, suppliers must supply Certificate of Conformance for any raw material supplied and any processing conducted by sub-tiers.  TCI purchase order numbers must appear on all Certificate of Conformance.
  • CofA – When Noted on Purchase Order; A legible and reproducible Certificate of Authenticity or Seller’s Statement of Authenticity will accompany each shipment, with the name and title of an authorized representative of the Seller. This certifies that the furnished on this contract are genuine, new, and unused unless otherwise specified in writing herein; are suitable for the intended purpose; are not defective, suspect, or counterfeit; have not been provided under false pretenses; and have not been materially altered, damaged, deteriorated, or degraded. Records supporting this certification shall be on file and shall be provided to Buyer upon request at no cost to TCI.

13. Right of Access
Buyer and authorized representatives of Buyer’s customers shall have direct access to all areas of Seller’s and Seller’s subcontractor’s plants where work under this PO is being performed, to review progress and witness testing of the items related to this PO. Seller shall include this clause in all of Seller’s subcontracts under this PO. Seller shall provide and obtain for Buyer, Buyer’s Customers, and appropriate regulatory agencies. access to all facilities, including those facilities of Seller’s subcontractors, where work on items is being performed or is scheduled to be performed under this PO. Buyer shall have tight to perform in-process inspection, audits, and system surveillance at Seller and Seller’s Subcontractors’ facilities as part of conformance to the requirements of this PO.

14. Prevention of Counterfeit Parts
Seller shall have a documented counterfeit prevention policy in practice in place.

15. Supplier Awareness
The seller shall ensure that interested parties are aware of:

  • Their contribution to product or service conformity;
  • Their contribution to product safety;
  • The importance of ethical behavior.

16. Statutory/Regulatory Compliance

  • Conflict Minerals – New requirements under the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, also known as the Dodd-Frank Act requires publicly traded companies whose products contain metals derived from minerals defined as Conflict Minerals, which include tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold, are required to report annually to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It is TCI’s intention to fully comply with the requirements of the legislation and subsequent regulations. Therefore, upon request, Supplier shall provide TCI with required evidence that the products do not contain Conflict Minerals. Suppliers are expected to use due diligence to comply with these legal requirements and provide products free of Conflict Minerals originating from the DRC and surrounding countries.
  • RoHS(2) & REACH – Supplier agrees to provide, upon TCI request, “evidence of compliance” (e.g. lab test reports) regarding Supplier’s activities with respect to its compliance to regulated hazardous or dangerous materials under, for instance, RoHS(2) (Restriction on the use of certain Hazardous Substances) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical(s) as requested by TCI.

17. Control and Monitoring of External Provider’s Performance
TCI will collect and measure data, not limited to: On-Time Delivery and Quality, used for the purpose of controlling and measuring suppliers’ performance. On-Time Delivery shall meet a criteria of 92% to maintain an approved status. Quality shall maintain a criteria of 99% to maintain an approved status.

Form: F-QA.23 Rev.: 8/20/2018