1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to support the flow down of specific quality assurance requirements, including those additional to ISO 9001. These requirements are required for contractual compliance due to CSC’s position in the supply chain of industrial sectors including defence, where AQAP 2110 is applicable. The applicable requirements of AQAP-2110 (NATO QA Requirements for Design / Development and Production) are included in this document.
CSC’s suppliers are expected to undertake robust contract review and ensure that all contractual requirements are achievable. This includes but is not limited to CSC drawings, technical specifications, Purchase Order referenced requirements, this document (CSC SQAR), and referenced standards (e.g. BS, EN, DEFSTAN, AQAP, ISO etc.)

2. Supplier Quality Management System

2.1. Supplier Quality Management System (QMS) requirements – CSCL requires all suppliers to operate under a documented Quality Management System certified to ISO 9001 by a UKAS (or international equivalent) accreditation body unless alternative competencies have been formally agreed and evidenced to CSCL.
2.2. Evidence of accreditation status and certification shall be made available to CSCL at the time of approval and subsequently on request for purposes including supplier re-evaluation.
2.3. The supplier shall notify CSCL – As soon as practicable of:

A change in accreditation / approval status (e.g. loss of ISO9001 certification, change of scope etc.)

• The delivery or suspected delivery of counterfeit goods to CSCL
• The compromise or theft of any CSCL commercial / confidential information such as data, records, procedures, drawings etc.

Within one week of:

• Major non-conformities raised at 3rd party audits
• Changes in key personnel including: Managing Director, Sales Manager, Quality Manager

2.4. The supplier shall have in place an up-to-date business continuity plan that addresses all significant risks associated with its operation and in particular its ability to supply CSCL with orders on time and in full.

• Business continuity issues which could affect CSCL orders shall be reported to CSCL (see section 6).

NOTE: Applicable requirements of AQAP-2110 (NATO QA Requirements for Design / Development and Production) are included in this document.

3. Training

3.1. The supplier’s personnel performing a service or providing a product to CSCL shall be trained and competent to perform the task. Where trainees are to be used, they shall be adequately monitored and have their work signed off by an appropriately competent individual.

3.2. CSCL requires suppliers to have provided awareness training to their staff on the following topics:

• Code of Ethical Conduct (Bribery and Corruption)
• GDPR and Data Protection
• Foreign Object Debris / Damage *
• Counterfeit Material Awareness *

(* where relevant to their operations): Evidence of such training shall be available for inspection by CSCL on request.

4. Control of non-conformities

4.1. If the supplier wishes for CSCL to accept non-conforming product as-is via a concession request, this shall be formally submitted in a timely manner with a full explanation of, and justification for, the request. CSCL is under no obligation to accept any concession request. We may reject the request without reason and require an alternative resolution to be put in place.
4.2. If a non-conforming product is received it will be quarantined at CSCL and a ‘supplier non conformance’ (SNC) raised & submitted to the supplier giving details of the issue. The supplier shall be required to propose a course of action to address the issue, for example, rework, replace, submit a concession etc.
4.3. SNCs submitted to a supplier by CSCL shall be completed and returned to CSCL within a maximum of 5 working days.
4.4. If a product / service supplied to CSCL does not comply with the requirements of the accepted purchase order or agreed contract, the supplier may additionally be issued with a ‘supplier corrective action request’ (SCAR). The supplier shall be required to investigate the cause of the non-compliance in accordance with their own in-house Quality Management System and provide CSCL with an appropriate report of its findings. CSCL will review the response to ensure we are satisfied that proposed corrective actions (where applicable) are likely to successfully address the issue that
has occurred and prevent any further recurrence or impact to CSCL.
4.5. SCARs submitted to a supplier by CSCL shall be completed in full and returned to CSCL within a maximum of 10 working days.

5. Identification, Traceability and Certification

5.1. CSCL requires traceability of product through the supply chain to minimise the risk of counterfeit product and to ensure the integrity of product and testing certification.
5.2. A certificate of conformity is required for all products and services unless explicitly stated otherwise on our purchase order. The certificate of conformity shall be deemed as an authorised contractual guarantee that the goods and services referenced on the certificate meet drawing, specifications, technical data and contract requirements in full.
5.3. Unless explicitly waived in writing by CSCL the certification listed below shall be supplied as a minimum. Where additional certification is requested on the CSCL. Purchase Order then this shall also be supplied:

• Metallic raw material – shall be traceable to the cast number of the mill of
  origin and supplied with a mill test certificate to EN 10204 Type 3.1, or where
  specified on the purchase order Type 3.2 certification.
• Manufactured parts – Traceability shall be maintained for all products
  throughout production from raw material to finished product (including product
  quantities, split orders, nonconforming product etc.) Raw material used shall
  be Lot traceable to manufacturers part no, lot no, date code, with Mill Test
  Certificate supplied for metallic parts.
• Commercial off the shelf parts – Shall be supplied with a minimum of a
  certificate of conformity (2.1 or 2.2).

5.4. The level of certification (2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 etc.) will be typically specified on the purchase order supplied. Where no details are given the default level of certification (per 4.3) shall be supplied.
5.5. The certification statement should also make reference to the certified quality management system in operation: for example – ISO 9001:2015.

6. Process validation

6.1. Inspection, measuring and test equipment.

• All inspection, test and measuring equipment used in the manufacturing of products for CSCL shall be suitable for its intended purpose and capable of achieving the required accuracy of measurement.
• Equipment shall be subject to scheduled calibration to ensure continued suitability for its intended purpose.
• Calibration shall be undertaken in a controlled internal environment or approved external laboratories. All calibrations shall at a minimum be traceable to National or International standards.
• Copies of certification which demonstrate proof of traceability to national or international standards for in-house calibrations shall be made available to CSCL on request.
• Where a failed calibration has a potential impact on the acceptability or correctness of product supplied, details of the failed calibration and impacted product shall be reported to CSCL within one week.

6.2. Where internal calibration occurs the business shall have a laboratory manual in
place detailing at a minimum;
i) Person responsible for the laboratory and its calibration activities.
ii) Calibration methods.
iii) Minimum training and competence requirements.
iv) Equipment used for calibration, and how this is controlled, maintained and calibrated.
v) Laboratory environmental controls (to maintain stable conditions for calibration).
vi) Details of how calibrations are recorded and these records are retained.

7. Commercial

7.1. Contract Review – CSCL requires that contract reviews conducted by the supplier shall include as part of their standard process, an assessment of the following (where applicable):

• Ability to meet product / service requirement and lead times.
• Requirement for supply of drawings referenced on Purchase orders (including to versions requested).
• Materials / grades specified for manufacture.
• Product / material certification and Test Report requirements. (e.g. mill material grade, 3.1, 3.2, NDT test reports, Third Party certification etc.)
• Details of required quality document flowdown from CSCL customers (e.g. AQAP 2110, BAE SSQAC, GS3001-NP, Honeywell SPOC, etc.) if specifically detailed in a PO or a document referenced within a PO.

7.2. Should a CSCL purchase order be unclear or ambiguous then the supplier shall query and clarify with CSCL before proceeding. Clarification may be requested by telephone but shall be followed up by email to ensure such communication is documented.
7.3. Commercial notifications: The supplier shall notify CSCL at the earliest opportunity of:

• Any significant production issues which could affect CSCL orders (especially where this may lead to a delay in delivery) due to occurrences including, but not limited to, breakdown, replacement/commissioning of manufacturing equipment, industrial action, loss of facilities, resource issues. (See also Section 1.3)
• Business continuity issues which could affect CSCL orders. (See Section 1.4)
• Proposed use of, or changes to approved sub-contracted suppliers. (See Section 7)

8. Sub-tier/subcontracted suppliers

8.1. No orders issued by CSCL to the supplier can be further sub-contracted, or subcontractor changed from those agreed, by the supplier without written authorisation by CSCL.
8.2. Where the supplier requires to further sub-contract an order in part or in full, approval shall be requested from CSCL’s Supply Chain Department.

9. Environmental controls

9.1. Where specified environmental controls or monitoring are required for the manufacture of products or services supplied to CSCL, records of this control shall be available to CSCL on request. Where specified on a purchase order then these shall be supplied on delivery of the product along with any other required certification.

10. Record retention

10.1. Records relating to product / services supplied to CSCL shall be kept for a minimum of seven years and shall be retrievable to supply within two days of a request for this information.

11. Site visit and supplier audits, including rights of access for customer and GQA

11.1. CSCL reserves the right to conduct audits at a supplier premises by prior arrangement.
11.2. CSCL upstream customers and associated partners including GQAR (Government Quality Assurance Representative) on defence contracts may also wish to conduct mandatory audits at a CSCL supplier’s premises. Requests for, and planning of these audits will be made through and arranged by CSCL. The supplier shall assist CSCL and its customers in the accommodation of such audits.
11.3. Access to supplier and external providers and support for GQA activities (per AQAP-2110 Edition D Version 1 JUNE 2016, Clause 4.3)
The Supplier and/or External Providers shall provide the GQAR and/or Acquirer:
i) The right of access to facilities where the contracted activities are being performed.
ii) Information pertaining to the fulfilment of requirements in the contract.
iii) Unrestricted opportunity to evaluate Supplier compliance with this Publication. iv) Unrestricted opportunity to evaluate External Providers compliance with this Publication. The Supplier will be informed before the evaluation takes place.
v) Unrestricted opportunity to conduct verification of product conformity with the contract requirements.
vi) Required assistance for evaluation, verification, validation, testing, inspection or release of the product for the accomplishment of GQA to contract requirements.
vii) Accommodation and facilities for performing GQA.
viii) The necessary equipment available for reasonable use for performing GQA.
ix) Supplier and/or External Providers personnel for operation of such equipment as required.
x) Access to information and communication facilities.
xi) The necessary Supplier documentation to confirm product conformance to specification.
xii) Copies of necessary documents, including those on electronic media.

12. Counterfeit materials/goods

12.1. The Supplier shall not deliver counterfeit goods to the purchaser under the contract. (See Defence Standard 05-135 for details)
12.2. The supplier shall immediately notify CSCL if they become aware that it has delivered counterfeit goods or suspected counterfeit goods.
12.3. In the event that work delivered under the contract constitutes or includes counterfeit goods, the supplier shall, at its expense, promptly replace such work with genuine goods conforming to the requirements of the contract.
12.4. The Supplier shall have a counterfeit material policy (See Defence Standard 05-135 for details) in place and shall provide appropriate training to relevant staff members on the identification of counterfeit material and the steps to take where such material is identified or suspected.

13. FOD/FOd (Foreign Object Debris/Foreign Object damage)

The supplier shall have a process to detect and prevent FOD / FOd. The process shall include;

• FOD / FOd risk review
• Training in FOD risk management
• Material Handling and product protection
• Tool and hardware accountability

14. IT security

14.1. Suitable arrangements shall be in place to ensure the security and integrity of CSCL data held on supplier IT systems and to prevent their loss, theft or dissemination to unauthorised third parties.
14.2. The supplier shall ensure compliance with all legal requirements relating to Cyber security including but not limited to ‘General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679’, ‘Data Protection Act 2018’, ‘The Network & Information Systems Regulations 2018’.
14.3. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to work towards certification to the UK Government backed ‘Cyber Essentials’ scheme to help minimise the potential for IT systems becoming compromised with the associated risk to business continuity.

15. Modern slavery/right to work

15.1. The supplier shall ensure it complies with the requirements of the ‘Modern Slavery Act 2015’ and verify all employees UK ‘Right to Work’ .

16. Confidentiality

16.1. All sensitive and proprietary information remains the property of CSCL and is to be treated as commercial and in-confidence. It shall not be shared with any third party without the explicit written consent of CSCL.
16.2. Any request by a third party for details of, or access to commercial / confidential / contractual information without prior CSCL consent shall be reported to CSCL immediately.

17. Management of special processes

17.1. Special Processes are defined and those for which the resulting output cannot be verified by subsequent monitoring or measurement e.g. heat treatment, non-destructive testing, painting, plating, hydraulic pressure testing, leak testing, mechanical testing etc.)
17.2. Where CSCL contracts a supplier to perform a ‘special process’ it will require visibility of any procedures to be used for the operation for review and approval
17.3. CSCL reserves the right to conduct further validation of SPP’s as deemed necessary, including audit of processing, facilities, equipment and personnel training, competence & qualifications (see Section 10).