Supplier Quality Requirements

1.0 PURPOSE
This document describes the general and special product assurance requirements that are in addition to the requirements in the ITW Heartland purchase order. The purpose of this document is to clearly define for each purchase of products or services, all of the necessary and applicable technical and quality requirements with which the supplier must comply to meet the requirements of ITW Heartland, its customers and/or regulatory authorities.

2.0 SCOPE
This procedure shall be adhered to by all suppliers. In addition, the supplier shall invoke (flow-down) all the requirements to all of the supplier’s sub-tier sources performing work for ITW Heartland.

3.0 SUPPLIER RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 Prohibited Practices
The following acts and practices are prohibited, unless approved by ITW Heartland in writing. Any violation by the supplier may result in disqualification of the supplier for future business with ITW Heartland.

3.1.1 Unauthorized Facility Changes
During performance on the contract, the supplier shall give ITW Heartland written notice before relocating any production, inspection or processing facilities; or, transferring work between different facilities; or, when applicable, prior to initiating any changes in the source of major components procured by the supplier and designated for use in or for installation on products scheduled for delivery to ITW Heartland or, making any other changes which may affect product quality, reliability or integrity including, but not limited to, changes of suppliers or changes in required certifications. Such changes are subject to approval by ITW Heartland. A change in ownership or a change in the individual designated as the management representative with respect to the suppliers Quality / Inspection System shall be construed as a facility change and requires the supplier to notify ITW Heartland.

3.1.2 Unauthorized Product Repairs & Salvage
The supplier may not perform any repairs such as welding, brazing, soldering, plugging, peening, bushing, or, use of paints, adhesives or plating, or use any standard or other repair practice or method, on products damaged or found to be discrepant during fabrication or processing, or, on defects in castings or forgings, unless such repairs are specifically permitted by the applicable drawing or specification, or are specifically authorized by ITW Heartland in writing for each occurrence. Unless specifically authorized by ITW Heartland, this prohibition also applies to reworking products by removing plating (stripping) and re-plating. In those cases, where ITW Heartland authorized product repair, salvage or stripping has been accomplished, the supplier shall include on the packing list / shipper or on a separate attached document a list of the products that have been subjected to such ITW Heartland approved repair, salvage or stripping, and the method used.

3.1.3 Altering Data on Documents
The use of any method that causes the original data on documents to be obliterated and unreadable (i.e. the use of correction fluids, correction tape, write-over, or other methods) to correct, modify or otherwise alter the data and/or entries on any certifications, test reports or other documents required by the contract, is strictly prohibited. Corrections may be made on reports such as FIRST Article Inspection Reports (FAIR), test reports, and routers, providing it is obvious that a correction was made and it is signed and dated by an authorized individual. Upon receipt at ITW Heartland, products or services represented by documents that show evidence that they have been corrected or altered in an unauthorized manner are subject to return to the supplier at supplier’s expense.

3.2 Contract Changes & Their Effectivity
The supplier shall incorporate, at the specified and agreed upon effectivity points, all changes initiated by ITW Heartland and communicated to the supplier through a formal contract change and/or amendment. Such changes may be in the form of revised drawings, specifications, tests, inspection, or fabrication methods, etc., and may apply to products as well as to the supplier’s management and administrative systems. The supplier’s business management system shall include appropriate controls and records, including controls at the supplier’s sub-tier sources, which provide objective evidence that changes were incorporated as required by the contract. Objective evidence may be in the form of date, lot, serial number, revision letter, or other positive identification. Such records are subject to on-site verification by ITW Heartland at the supplier’s facilities or the facilities of the supplier’s sub-tier sources.

3.3 Certifications/Documentation
By delivering products or services to ITW Heartland required by the contract, the supplier certifies that such products or services are in compliance with all applicable requirements of the contract, and objective evidence of compliance is available and will be furnished within 48 hours to ITW Heartland for review upon request. The supplier shall furnish with each delivery of products and/or services on the contract, all certifications, test reports, and other documents (hereafter certifications), issued by the supplier, or by the supplier’s sub-tier sources that are required by the purchase order or contract. The supplier is responsible to ensure that all certifications furnished by the supplier, or by the supplier’s sub-tier sources, are complete, legible and reproducible, accurate and in compliance with all contract requirements. ITW Heartland reserves the right to return all products to the supplier at supplier’s expense when the certifications that support the products and/or services are not properly executed.

3.4 Nonconforming Products & Material Review
3.4.1 Identification, Segregation & Control
Any products found to be nonconforming to ITW Heartland drawings, specifications, contract, or other applicable requirements either by the supplier or the supplier’s sub-tier sources, shall be identified, segregated and reworked or replaced with conforming products prior to delivery to ITW Heartland. ITW Heartland reserves the right to reject and return any nonconforming products to the supplier at the supplier’s expense.

3.4.2 Notification of Nonconforming Material.
The Seller, upon learning of any quality related issues that may affect its performance to this purchase order, whether pre-shipment or post-shipment, shall immediately notify ITW Heartland of the issues within no less than two (2) days.  Notification shall be in writing.  Seller must obtain ITW approval before dispositioning nonconforming product “use as is.”

3.5 Inspection Documentation
Inspection records shall be available for all lots of material purchased by ITW Heartland. All inspections including required certifications and tests shall be documented and retained on file.

4.0 VERIFICATION
4.1 Right of Entry
ITW Heartland and/or its customer or regulating agency is afforded the right of entry at the supplier for product verification and to ensure product conforms to the specified requirements (source inspection), as well as all facilities and records involved in the order.

4.2 Acceptable Product
Verification by ITW Heartland and/or its customer does not absolve the supplier of the responsibility to provide acceptable parts.

4.3 Supplier Responsibility
Inspection approval during verification, or at ITW Heartland, during or after manufacturing does not constitute final acceptance nor absolve the supplier of responsibility for subsequent rejection by the customer.

4.4 Calibration
Tools and equipment used in the final acceptance of manufactured product shall be calibrated in accordance with MIL-STD-45662, ISO 10012, ISO 17025, ANSI-NCSL-Z-540 or similar nationally recognized standard.

4.5 Requirement for the qualification of personnel
The seller’s Quality System shall ensure all relevant purchase order requirements are met and all applicable processes affecting the final quality of the product in the purchase order were rendered by qualified personnel

5.0 PACKAGING AND DELIVERY
5.1 Packaging
Parts shall be package in such a manner that no damage shall occur during the shipping process. Parts should be package such that they cannot contact other parts and will not break out of the shipping container. Packaging shall protect parts from Foreign Object Debris/Damage  – (FOD).

The Requirements found in section 6 apply to all purchase orders specifying that AS9100 requirements apply.

6.0 AS9100 REQUIREMENTS

6.1 Foreign Object Debris/Damage (FOD) Prevention
The seller shall maintain a FOD prevention program per the requirements of NAS-412. Sellers FOD prevention program shall include the review of design and manufacturing processes to identify and eliminate foreign object entrapment areas and paths through which foreign objects can migrate. Seller shall ensure work is accomplished in a manner preventing foreign objects or material in deliverable items. Seller shall maintain work areas and positive control of tools, parts, and materials in a manner sufficient to preclude the risk of FOD incidents. Seller shall ensure this requirement is flowed down to subcontractors where required to ensure FOD incidences are prevented.

6.2 Record Retention
Quality records not supplied to ITW Heartland must be kept for a minimum of (10) years from the date of shipment, unless a longer period is otherwise specified.  Quality records include the following, not exhaustive, list:  Test Reports, Inspection Reports, Route Cards/Travelers, Raw Material Certifications, FAIRs, and Calibration Records.  This data shall be made available to ITW Heartland upon request, at no charge.  Records shall be appropriately identified and stored to prevent deterioration or damage and protected from unauthorized access.

6.3 Quality Flow -Down to Sub-Tier Suppliers
The seller’s Quality System shall ensure all relevant purchase order requirements including requirements in this document, are flowed down to their sub-tier suppliers. The seller’s sub-tier suppliers are responsible to comply with the same specifications and requirements specified on this purchase order. The seller shall flow down to the supply chain the applicable requirements including customer requirements.

6.4 Unauthorized Product Changes or Substitutions
The supplier may not make any changes or substitutions to any products or services required by the contract, drawing, specification, standard, or other applicable document without prior written authorization by ITW Heartland. Authorization may be contingent on ITW Heartland conducting an on-site review of the proposed product or service changes at the supplier’s facilities, or the facilities of the supplier’s sub-tier sources.

6.5 Counterfeit Parts Program
Supplier shall develop a counterfeit parts program using AS6174 and/or AS5553 as a guide.

6.5.1 Definitions for purposes of this requirement:
(i) “Counterfeit Parts” shall mean a part, component, module, or assembly whose origin, material, source of manufacture, performance, or characteristics are misrepresented. This term includes, but is not limited to, (A) parts that have been (re)marked to disguise them or falsely represent the identity of the manufacturer, (B) defective parts and/or surplus material scrapped by the original manufacturer, and (C) previously used parts pulled or reclaimed and provided as “new”.
(ii) As used herein, “authentic” shall mean (A) genuine; (B) from the legitimate source claimed or implied by the marking and design of the product offered; and (C) manufactured by, or at the behest and to the standards of, the manufacturer that has lawfully applied its name and trademark for that model/version of the material.
(iii) “Independent Distributor” shall mean a person, business, or firm that is neither authorized nor franchised by an Original Component Manufacturer (“OCM”) to sell or distribute the OCM’s products but which purports to sell, broker, and/or distribute such OCM products. Independent Distributors are also referred to as unfranchised distributors, unauthorized distributors, and/or brokers.