Info for PSI Suppliers

PSI Supplier Quality Requirements

Revised June 2023

The Supplier requirements below apply to all Suppliers and sub-tier Suppliers providing raw materials, manufactured components, products and services to Process Sciences. Acceptance of a Purchase Order from Process Sciences binds the Supplier to the Terms and Conditions listed in the Purchase Order and the requirements listed in this document. The Supplier is not authorized to outsource any portion of the Purchase Order requirements unless specifically authorized by Process Sciences and must flow down these requirements to any sub-tier Suppliers.

Note that these requirements correspond with the requirements of Process Sciences’ customers and with the requirements of AS9100D, Clause 8.4.3.

• Acceptance By accepting a Process Sciences, Inc. (hereafter “PSI”) Purchase Order, Supplier accepts and agrees to the standard terms and conditions enumerated below, in addition to any special terms included in the Purchase Order notes.
• Processes, Products, and Services Supplier will refer and adhere to Process Sciences’ Purchase Order and accompanying technical data (specifications, drawings, process requirements, work instructions), if any, in the fulfillment of PSI orders.
• Certificate of Compliance (CoC) PSI may require a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) be provided with shipment of certain goods. The Certificate of Compliance must include at minimum:
  • Supplier name, address, and date of certificate;
  • Part number, revision, purchase order number and quantity shipped;
  • Statement of conformity or results indicating that parts meet all PSI stated requirements;
  • Where a special process or standards requirement (material type, test methodology, etc.) is called out, the standard and revision must be referenced on the Certificate of Compliance; and
  • Signature of an authorized company representative.
• Competence Supplier shall ensure that employees and people working on its behalf are competent, qualified, and trained as needed to comply with all specifications.
• Confidentiality In addition to the other requirements recorded within this document, suppliers shall hold all information received from Process Sciences in confidence, and no third-party request for information is authorized unless approved, in writing, by Process Sciences.
• External Providers Process Sciences will score Suppliers based on Delivery, Quality, and Service. Suppliers will be issued corrective actions as warranted. Supplier will deliver the products within the time promised. In the event of a delay in the delivery of products or services, PSI reserves the right to withdraw the order without any liability to Supplier. Repeated delays may inhibit PSI’s ability to do business with that Supplier.
• Design and Development Control Process Sciences Suppliers shall maintain adequate design and development controls where required.
• Special Requirements Process Sciences’ suppliers will adhere to any special requirements, critical items or key characteristics that are specified on drawings, Purchase orders, etc.
• Test, Inspection, and Verification For calibration Purchase Orders, all gauges and instruments must be calibrated using standards whose accuracies are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. All provided calibration certifications must specifically state this traceability.
• Use of Statistical Techniques Supplier shall use appropriate statistical techniques with regard to product acceptance and related instructions for acceptance by the organization.
• Quality Management System A Quality Management System is maintained by Supplier shall include these elements:
  • PSI may require, in writing, a specific quality program, record, or proof of certification for conformity to
    • ISO 9001
    • AS9100
    • IS0 17025
    • MIL standards
  • Designated Sources If required by Process Sciences or its customers, Supplier will use customer-specified sources.
  • Nonconformities Process Sciences will not accept Supplier product that does not meet engineering drawing and/or Purchase Order requirements. Supplier product discovered after shipment by the Supplier to be nonconforming to any engineering drawing and/or Purchase Order requirement shall be immediately disclosed to Process Sciences upon discovery, including but not limited to quantity shipped, date shipped, and the extent of the nonconformance. Suppliers that receive notification of nonconforming product shall take appropriate action to contain the nonconforming condition and prevent it from occurring again. The Supplier will be notified if formal Corrective Action is required to be submitted to Process Sciences. The response shall be submitted within 1 week of issue or a time frame agreed upon between Process Sciences and the Supplier.
  • Counterfeit Prevention Supplier will prevent the purchase of counterfeit or suspect / unapproved products; ensure product identification and supply chain traceability; and institute controls that include the requirement of Material Certificates, Certificates of Conformity, and/or other supporting documentation as is appropriate. Material and part substitutions are not allowed.
  • Change Notification Supplier shall notify the organization of changes to processes, products, or services, including changes of their external providers or location of manufacture, and obtain Process Sciences approval;
  • Supplier Requirements for Aerospace AS9100 Supplier will notify Process Sciences for the following (may require an updated survey and approval):
    • changes in manufacturing location, management and or ownership
    • any product or process changes
    • any other changes that may affect Process Sciences’ product
  • Flow down requirements Suppliers shall flow-down all applicable requirements to Sub-Tier Suppliers as required by the Purchase Order.
  • Test Specimens If requested by Process Sciences, the supplier will provide test specimens for inspection/verification, investigation and/or auditing purposes.
  • Documented information All test reports, certifications and inspection reports (including receiving, in-process and final inspection) shall be retained, for a minimum of seven years, unless otherwise specified by Process Sciences. These records will be made available to Process Sciences, its customers, or regulatory agencies upon request.
• Right of Access Upon reasonable notification, Process Sciences, its customers, and applicable regulatory authorities shall have right of access to the relevant areas of facilities and to applicable documented information, at any level of the supply chain.
• Verification or Validation Activities Process Sciences, its customers and in some cases regulatory authorities reserve the right to perform verification and/or validation activities, and to audit or inspect Supplier’s processes, procedures, or Quality System. The Supplier shall provide all necessary data as required by applicable drawings, Purchase Order, specifications, and inspection instructions to facilitate on-site inspection at the Supplier’s premises.
• Employee Awareness Suppliers shall ensure that persons are aware of:
  • their contribution to product or service conformity.
  • their contribution to product safety;
  • the importance of ethical behavior
• Ethical Practices Supplier must comply with all applicable laws and regulations and be committed to the highest standards of ethics and business conduct. Supplier must not engage in unfair business practices (i.e. business gifts, etc.), and should avoid involvement in activities that could be perceived as a conflict-of-interest. Supplier will protect proprietary rights and intellectual property rights of customers and Suppliers and take care to protect sensitive information including personal, confidential, and proprietary information. Supplier to enforce all product safety requirements, including the management of critical items and key characteristics. Supplier will communicate any concerns regarding product safety to Process Sciences.
• Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Prevention In any process where Foreign Object Debris (FOD) has the potential of migrating into PSI products, Supplier shall have a mitigation system in place. FOD prevention controls should be in accordance with NAS-412.
• ESD Controls Suppliers who provide or handle ESD sensitive components must ensure adequate ESD protection. ESD prevention methods include, but are not limited to:
  • ESD Packaging & Containers; and
  • Internal Controls for ESD Prevention.
• General Requirements PSI may require any of the following, as appropriate, by inclusion on its Purchase Order:
  • Identification and revision status of drawings, process requirements, and any inspection/verification instructions, such as, first article inspection; and/or
  • Requirements for test, inspection, verification and the use of statistical techniques for product acceptance and/or any other instructions for product acceptance including key characteristics, where appropriate.
• Handling, Preservation, and Traceability Supplier shall ensure that all items are adequately protected from damage, loss, deterioration, or degradation. Each container shall be properly marked or labeled with part number, and (if applicable) origin and destination.
• Inspection and Testing All products and services shall be subject to inspection and approval by PSI after delivery. PSI reserves the right to reject any product or services that it deems non-conforming, defective, unsafe, unfit, in excess of the Purchase Order quantities or in any other way unsuitable for its purpose. PSI reserves the right to require replacement of rejected products or services. Supplier shall, at PSI’s option, either (i) promptly repair or replace the defective goods or services at the Supplier’s cost, or (ii) issue a full refund.
• Lot Control – Electronic Components
  • Suppliers who provide electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits, etc. shall ensure that only one lot is contained within each package (reel, tube, tray, etc.)
  • At no point should multiple lots be combined and shipped to PSI without adequate identification and/or segregation. Date codes can be used as a lot identifier as long as condition A is met. All outer packaging should be labeled to indicate the lot number being supplied.
  • Mixed lots which are received by PSI (in the same reel or tube) will immediately be rejected and returned to the supplier.
• Service Standards Supplier shall perform services using personnel of required skill, experience and qualifications and in a professional and workmanlike manner in accordance with best industry standards for similar services and shall devote adequate resources to meet its obligations. Supplier shall ensure that its employees are aware of how their performance contributes to the quality and safety goals of Supplier. Supplier shall ensure that all of its equipment used in the provision of services is in good working order and suitable for which they are used. PSI and its Customer reserve the right to enter Supplier’s facility for inspection and/or audit, at any time during fulfillment of contracted services.