Purchase Order as the Authoritative Requirement Source
Published .
Applicable Standards
AS9102Applicable Sections
- ✓Form 1 — Part Number Accountability
- ✓Form 3 — Characteristic Accountability
Related
- AS9100
- ISO 9001
Topics
- purchase-order
- contract-review
- fai
- documentation-control
- traceability
- flow-down
A supplier prepared a First Article Inspection (FAI) package using the engineering drawing and their internal manufacturing plan as the primary guides. The Purchase Order (PO) was treated primarily as a commercial document for pricing and delivery dates. The supplier submitted the FAI package to the customer for approval.
During review, the customer discovered discrepancies between the FAI report and the PO. The part number listed in AS9102 Form 1 had a slightly different suffix than the PO, and a specific quality clause flowed down on the PO was not addressed in the FAI package.
Key Takeaways
- The FAI package was rejected due to non-compliance with purchasing requirements.
- The supplier was required to correct all documentation to align precisely with the PO, leading to delivery delays and administrative rework.
- During review, the customer discovered discrepancies between the FAI report and the PO.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect or incomplete Form 1 part number traceability.
- Drawing notes not captured as characteristics.
Best Practice
Treat the Purchase Order as a primary technical and quality requirements document, equivalent in authority to the engineering drawing. All personnel must meticulously verify that part numbers, revision levels, specifications, and quality clauses on all manufacturing and inspection documentation match the PO exactly before submission.
Reflects the recommended position based on community discussion and expert review.
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