Purchase Order as the Authoritative Contractual Requirement
Published .
Applicable Standards
AS9102Related
- AS9100
Topics
- purchase-order
- contract-review
- requirements-flowdown
- specification
- order-of-precedence
- configuration-management
A supplier received a Purchase Order (PO) with requirements that were ambiguous or conflicted with other technical data. For example, the PO did not specify a part revision level, or it explicitly called out a material or process specification that had since been superseded.
The supplier proceeded with production by making an assumption, using either the latest engineering revision or the current industry standard, rather than adhering strictly to the explicit terms of the PO. This resulted in a product that did not conform to the binding contractual requirements documented on the purchase order.
Key Takeaways
- The delivered hardware and supporting certification package were rejected for failing to meet the customer's flowed-down requirements.
- This discrepancy required a formal PO amendment and disposition of the non-conforming product, causing schedule delays and administrative costs.
- The supplier proceeded with production by making an assumption, using either the latest engineering revision or the current industry standard, rather than adhering strictly to the explicit terms of the PO.
Best Practice
The Purchase Order is the definitive contractual authority; its requirements must be met exactly as written unless formally amended. Proactively review all purchasing documents for clarity and accuracy, and formally resolve any ambiguity, conflict, or missing information with the customer before beginning work.
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