Supplier Audits

One of your principal customers wants you to audit your strategic suppliers? You need to evaluate the performance and the pertinence of the supplier relationship?

MLB Conseils proposes to help you prepare and carry out supplier audits of your strategic suppliers.

Typical overview (execution) of an assignment

Step 1: Define the assignment and the objectives

  • As soon as the contract is signed, the following needs to be carried out:
  • Preliminary assignment scoping meeting with the representatives of the company and presentation by the company as well as the key contacts for the assignment. During the preliminary assignment scoping meeting the following documents will be provided to MLB Conseils: Purchasing and Quality Manuals, Company Organisation Chart and any other material necessary for a thorough understanding of the relevant systems and processes
  • Phasing the assignment and preparation of a provisional timetable
  • Preliminary Analysis: the preliminary analysis is an information gathering, and review exercise comprising – on-site observations and interviews with Purchasing and Quality staff.
  • Following this preliminary stage, an Engagement letter setting out the full scope of the assignment will be drafted for approval and will serve as the final specification for the assignment.

Deliverable

A summary report of all interviews will be submitted and the assignment will be redefined in an Engagement letter.

Step 2: Carrying out the assignment

Supplier Audits:

  1. Preparation of the supplier audit documentation and agreement with the company
  2. Making appointments – Audit Planning
  3. Sending of pre-audit questionnaire, analysis of responses
  4. On-site Audit
  5. Audit report
  6. Progress Plan
  7. And eventually, follow-up of corrective actions

Deliverable

An audit report with scoring of the strategic suppliers audited by MLB Conseils. This detailed report will include:

  • A summary of the scope of the supplier audits (system, process, activities, products...) together with any limitations
  • An auditors’ reference
  • A summary of the audit plan
  • The questionnaire(s) conceived according to the areas audited,
  • A description of the audit work undertaken
  • The positions and responsibilities of the people met during the audit
  • Reference documents (of the supplier, of the company)
  • Scorings and audit observations (strong and weak points, nonconformities, etc.)
  • Conclusions with respect to the efficiency of the systems and processes audited and the dynamics of continuous improvement

Following approval of the progress plan, MLB Conseils can help you implement the progress plan (which details objectives and establishes a provisional plan of actions to be undertaken) and monitor all progress made.

It may be useful to evaluate how the company is perceived by its suppliers through the results of a questionnaire on the nature of the customer-supplier relationship. These results form the basis for recommendations aiming to improve customer-supplier relationships within the framework of establishing close and lasting links with suppliers responding to the needs and expectations of the customer.