Quality Assurance

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for the processes, products, and services to be provided including the identification of relevant technical data on the purchase order, statement of work or accompanying attachments to either document.

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for the approval of products and services, methods, processes, and equipment and the release of products and services. These requirements will be stated on the purchase order, statement of work or accompanying attachments to either document.

ZeCoat requires vendors maintain competence, including any required qualification of persons.

ZeCoat will communicate our requirements for the external providers' interactions with the organization on the purchase order or SOW.

ZeCoat monitors and measures all external providers performance to quality and on-time delivery. Performance to contract will be monitored at each occurrence. Unsatisfactory performance will be communicated and may require formal corrective action.

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for verification or validation activities that the organization, or its customer, intends to perform at the external providers' premises.

ZeCoat maintains control of design and development according to specifications submitted with a purchase order. Any changes must be approved by ZeCoat and / or an applicable change control board.

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for special requirements, critical items or key characteristics. These requirements will be stated on the purchase order, statement of work or accompanying attachments to either document.

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for test, inspection, and verification on the purchase order or accompanying documents.

ZeCoat communicates our requirements for the use of statistical techniques for product acceptance and related instructions for acceptance. These requirements will be stated on the purchase order, statement of work or accompanying attachments to either document.

ZeCoat requires that:

• External suppliers implement a quality management system similar to the requirements of ISO 9001.
• External suppliers use ZeCoat-designated or approved sub-tier providers and / or process sources.
• External suppliers notify ZeCoat of nonconforming processes, products, or services and obtain approval for their disposition.
• External providers prevent the use of counterfeited parts.
• External providers notify ZeCoat of changes to processes, products, or services, including changes of their external providers or location of manufacture and obtain ZeCoat's approval.
• External providers shall flow down these requirements, including requirements as stated on the PO or accompanying documents, to any sub-tier approved vendors.
• External providers will provide test specimens for design approval, inspection / verification, investigation, or auditing as stated on the PO or accompanying documents.
• External providers shall retain documented information, including tests, inspections, relevant calibration, disposition and purchase orders for a minimum of 10 years.

When specified by a purchase agreement, ZeCoat maintains the right of access by ZeCoat, ZeCoat's customer, and regulatory authorities to the applicable areas of facilities and to applicable documented information, at any level of the supply chain. By accepting the purchase order, the external provider accepts ZeCoat's right of access to the external providers premises to attend meetings, conduct performance reviews, review work in progress, conduct investigations, resolve problems, conduct 2nd party audits, support improvement activity, and deliver training.

ZeCoat requires that supplier employees are aware of their contribution to product or service conformity, their contribution to product safety, and the importance of ethical behavior — including individual accountability, compliance to process, attention to detail, reporting of nonconformance, and confidential reporting mechanisms within a no-blame culture.