General Purchase Conditions

These General Terms and Conditions (GTCs) are requirements for qualified external suppliers providing materials/services for CNC machining of metal components for the aerospace industry. These terms and conditions will be referenced on orders by reference to a specific GTC number.

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FER-STAL undertakes to provide the supplier with the necessary technical details, such as construction drawings of the parts, their digital models, technical standards and specifications, work instructions, and/or other technical requirements, including packaging instructions. The supplier is obligated to thoroughly review the technical requirements before commencing the order. If further clarification or assistance with interpretation is required, please contact FER-STAL’s Technical Department. This also applies to special requirements, critical components, and key characteristics.

FER-STAL requires the supplier to provide proof of approvals or qualifications for:

a) ISO 9001 Quality System
b) AS 9100 Quality System
c) Approvals for equipment and machinery planned for use in the production proces
d) Approval of the method of releasing parts for the FER-STAL company
e) Evidence of the qualifications of the personnel performing technological operations, e.g. qualified welders.
f) Identifying the person responsible for contract administration on both the supplier and the ordering party’s side (i.e. Contract Administrator, Purchasing Officer)
g) Competences for Testing and Calibration Laboratories according to ISO/IEC 17025

a) Product and service approvals in the form of an FAI report according to AS9102
b) Application of SPC statistical techniques to control ordered products
c) Monitoring and overseeing supplier production process performance in the form of PPM and OTD metrics. Assessment and review on an annual basis.
d) Supervision of the design process.

The supplier undertakes to use approved sources of special processes available on the approved supplier lists. This also applies to purchasing components/parts from approved manufacturers indicated on the drawing.

The supplier agrees to handle non-conforming products according to the non-conforming product supervision procedure (No. P-03-AS). Furthermore, the supplier understands that they cannot make any decisions regarding the non-conforming product without prior consultation with the FER-STAL Non-Conforming Product Committee. Contact with the KWN should be initiated by issuing a Notification of Deviation, also known as a Concession. Until the FER-STAL KWN issues instructions, the supplier agrees to identify and isolate non-conforming parts to prevent accidental inclusion of products in shipments.

The supplier is obliged to strictly supervise the purchasing process and prevent the use of materials of unknown origin in the production of FER-STAL parts (see standard AS9100 8.1.4 Counterfeit Parts).

The Supplier undertakes to inform FER-Stal about significant changes to the technological process, e.g. a change of machine and/or a change in the location of the production department, e.g. shifting production from one location to another.

The supplier and its subcontractors are required to sign a confidentiality agreement (NDA) with FER-STAL. Furthermore, if a portion of the order is subcontracted to a lower-tier supplier, the supplier undertakes to forward FER-STAL’s technical and commercial requirements to the lower-tier supplier.

The supplier undertakes to provide product samples as confirmation of the correctness of the technological process. This includes samples for the FAI report, material coupons used for the heat treatment process, and other samples specified by FER-STAL’s Technical Department.

The Supplier is obliged to archive quality and production records for a minimum period of 5 years from the date of placing the order or longer if required by the Client of FER-STAL and undertakes to provide copies of these records within 72 business hours of receiving a request for access.

In the case of materials used in aviation production according to AS9100, the sub-supplier is obliged to conduct employee awareness training in the following areas:

• employee contribution and influence on product safety
• ethical behavior
• consequences of behavior that violates aviation law, such as forging documents, providing false data, releasing non-compliant products as compliant products, and using unauthorized material substitutes.

The supplier undertakes to ensure access for FER-STAL personnel, FER-STAL customers, and aviation regulatory agencies (ULC, FAA, etc.) to the areas where the ordered items are manufactured. This also applies to on-site verification or validation of the production process at the supplier’s premises.

The supplier is required to present data and results of the technological process in English and in imperial units. This applies only to documentation delivered with the shipment, such as certificates of conformity and inspection reports. This requirement does not apply to the supplier’s internal documentation.

The supplier is required to conduct an annual eye examination for vision and color vision. The results of this examination must be confirmed by authorized medical personnel.