Purchasing standards Procurement

Prior to the publication of ISO 9000, several nations had developed national quality system standards, with many used only in the procurement of military equipment. With the emergence of the NATO Quality Control System standards in 1973, the Quality Panel of the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers set out to develop an equivalent standard for non-military applications. The result was BS 4891, which was published in 1972. In 1974 this was followed by BS 5179 with the title Operation and Evaluation of Quality Assurance Systems. However, BS 5179 was intended only as a guide and it was not until 1979, with the publication of BS 5750, that major purchasers in the UK had a standard that could be invoked in contracts. A certification scheme was eventually established in 1983, following the UK government s white paper on competitiveness ... 

Included in this element are requirements for purchasing documents (specifications, drawings, and purchase orders), selection of suppliers, inspection and control of received material and record-keeping. For ESH/PSM, this element would focus on those aspects of the procurement process which support purchasing according to regulatory requirements, safety standards, risk management controls, etc. 

Additional challenges exist specifically for chemical commodities. Commodities are standard products with a defined quality, where price is the key buying criterion. Commodities are often volatile in sales and purchasing prices as well as volumes increasing crude oil prices lead to higher raw material prices in procurement while dynamic customer markets specifically in Asia lead to a sales price and volume volatility. These dynamics in volumes and values through the value chain directly impact company s profitability as shown in fig. 1. 

As one might expect, accountability is more stringent for substances classified in Schedules I and II. These compounds can be procured only from licensed sources, and amounts are recorded. After a certain period of time, the quantities of drug used, which have been recorded and witnessed in the laboratory notebook are tabulated and compared with amount remaining (unused), and the original amount issued. The balance is usually returned, or destroyed in the presence of an authorized witness. Dilute standard solutions can be purchased, in limited quantities, usually... 

Prequalification of products and manufacturers, purchasing, storage and distribution are complex processes that may involve many offices, procurement agencies, sections or departments and several stages of administration, finance and technical decisions. Pharmaceutical products are not ordinary commodities of trade and require special attention. Support from the offices responsible for quality assurance is crucial. The efficiency of the procedures depends in great part on the use of a proven method in a consistent manner. The use of a standard approach will ensure consistency in all activities involved in procurement of pharmaceutical products of defined acceptable quality. 

The official ASTA method 20.1 provides the methodology used to extract paprika and to determine the colour characteristics of the resulting extract. The extracts are evaluated for their colour and the term international unit of colour , uic, is used to set a basic scale to which we refer to assess the colouring power of the extract. For the purpose of our experiment we purchased a commercially available standard paprika extract and arranged to procure a crude, dried sample of paprika (from Morocco) along with a commercial sample of the extract obtained from this same material (i.e. the same lot of plant material that was used to produce the commercial extract was sent to us along with the extract sample). 

The value of root cause analysis is that conclusions are reached that may address a much broader range of issues than those immediately to do with the event being investigated. For example, the initial evaluation of the reverse flow problem in the standard example finds that the check valve failed. Further examination identifies a root cause that all check valves purchased from the manufacturer of that particular valve are unreliable and need to be replaced. This conclusion may, in turn, suggest weaknesses to do with the company s overall procurement system. 

Comments regarding the slowness of purchases in the past were made at the same meeting (January 18, 1942) by Dana Mitchell and Compton asked him and Szilard to put the matter in the form of a report to him. It was understood at that time that Murphree, the vice-president of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, was in charge of procuring the materials and it was desired to have the arrangements with Murphree clarified. Szilard also asked whether it would not be desirable to concentrate the work on the chain reaction in one place and whether it would not be advisable to choose the site for a plant with 100 watt capacity. A free for all discussion ensued on these points. A common feature of all suggestions was a desire to complete the project ahead of schedule. 

Therefore it is often necessary to define words within a project context, practically as part of the project procedures, especially when multicultural interfaces are involved. Words which require particular care include those used to define the performance parameters of plant and equipment, such as normal , design , and maximum (we will return to this subject), and those which are involved in the relationship with a supplier or sub-contractor, such as approval . Procure-mentrelated vocabulary definitions are a standard part of general conditions of purchase and contract the project engineer should review such definitions and their adequacy before proceeding with... 

Modular design combines both, the benefits of standardization and the benefits of customization. The advantages of modularity result from the reuse of parts and the repetition of operations. Hence, higher quality, lower cost of production, lower delivery time and easier spare parts procurement are expected [10]. Modularity facilitates collaboration and thereby helps to increase flexibility and to minimize economic risk. Since many modules already exist and can be purchased from an external vendor, the best module available (outsourcing) can be selected. Because of mutual independency a module is easier to design, produce, test, maintain and repair than a single more complex system [11]. As a result, a large product variance can be covered with a minimum quantity of modules. 

Establishing the purchasing data. Before procurement of trims and accessories, it is necessary to develop specifications for the items to be purchased. It is always better to have standard trim cards (duly approved by buyers) for each style in duplicate, a copy of which may be sent to the vendors along with the purchase order. The purchase order should clearly mention the specifications of trims like color, shade, and measurement (width and length) with tolerance limit, and where applicable the appropriate standard to which the product should conform. 

Gaseous Products Gases like Oxygen, Nitrogen are filled up under high pressure. All the fittings should be tested to be leak proof at up to 150-200 kg/cm and approved by statutory authorities. Gas cyUnders should be procured from approved manufacturers only and should have serial no, test pressure, date of discontinuation from service marked. Separate record should be kept for each of the gas cylinder procured. The valves should be tested prior to purchase. Only standard colour code should be followed, e g. yellow for chlorine, black for oxygen etc. by the manufacturer. 

The standard requires that processes be in place so that reviews are made of purchased products, materials and other goods, and related services to identify and evaluate health and safety risks—before their possible introduction into the work environment. To fulfill the Procurement provisions, safety specifications must be included in purchase orders and contracts. To assist safety professionals as they give advice on implementing those provisions, this chapter will ... 

LBVBI 5 - An aggressive buy quief program is in effect. Management provides financial incentives (e.g., budgets are increased up to 10 pacent for purchases of quieter equipment). Noise hazard abatement is an element in the performance standards of procurement personnel. 

Controlled drugs can be procured only from licensed sources, and accurate records of inventory must be kept as weU as the amount of drug used. Dilute standard solutions can be purchased from commercial sources, in limited quantities, usually without difficulty or license. 

Following an investment that is expected to reach one billion euros, the company has already raised the percentage of online transactions by 50%. A company portal has been set up, called click procure, for securing standard goods and material and providing all of the functions necessary for handling purchases on an electronic basis. Suppliers store their catalogs on the site, issue quotes, receive orders, send invoices, and obtain data on demand. Some 3,000 Siemens buyers and another 30,000 employees have access to this platform. In a similar move, more than 20,000 employ-... 

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