QP5: Purchasing personnel participate with quality and/ or production personnel in determining materials specifications.

QP6: Purchasing personnel collaborate with production/ manufacturing personnel in solving production problems.

QP7: Purchasing is involved in the company’s new product development process.

QP8: We visit suppliers’ factories to assess their facilities; suppliers are recognized and rewarded for materials quality improvement.

QP9: We collect information (data) about quality performance (suppliers’ rejection rate, degree of internal customer satisfaction).

QP10: Suppliers participate in the company’s new product development process.

C. Availability (AP)

AP1: Our demand forecasts are inserted as slot requirements into the suppliers’ production schedule, thereby reducing the risk of delayed delivery, and providing a basis for making more reliable contractual commitments to suppliers.

AP2: You assign a supplier account manager in order to provide a focal point in your company to manage the relationship with the supplier.

AP3: The purchasing department is actively involved in evaluating and redesigning its own processes to adjust its processes to fit in better with the suppliers’ processes. (reduce lead-time to delivery).

AP4: Your company and suppliers pool knowledge and expertise in order to reduce lead-time to delivery.