\ Procurement policy \ What about quality ?
What about quality ?
 

Quality achievement: A need for SNCF, a contractual requirement
 
  • SNCF activities and rail transport safety require a constant quality control of ordered products and services.
     
  • SNCF defines the quality requirements to implement for the contracts. For some of them, the supplier must have a quality management system in accordance with the ISO 9001 standard requirements.
     
  • The quality requirements are specified in Quality Specifications.
     
The Railway Quality Certificate (AQF)
(supplies)
  • For rail specific industrial products, SNCF may deliver to the supplier a Railway Quality Certificate (AQF).
     
  • This recognition, which shows the confidence that SNCF puts in the supplier, remains its own decision.
     
  • It is granted to suppliers owning a certified quality management system, when SNCF assessment confirms the upholding of a high level of quality performance.
     
SNCF intervention
(supplies)
  • The supplier is responsible of the global quality it delivers to SNCF. However, SNCF may check the effectiveness of the quality scheme implemented by the suppliers.
     
  • The level of these intervention actions is directly linked to the criticality of the products, to the complexity of the product provided, to the volume of business carried out with the suppliers and, of course, to the degree of assurance provided by the suppliers.
     
  • SNCF interventions take place at various stages of the procurement process. They are carried out by Quality Supplier Department of the SNCF Procurement Department. They consists in product audits and various quality actions.
     
  • Suppliers assessment is an ongoing process which covers the whole delivered services. (i.e. : product storage and distribution, delivery)
     
  • For rolling stock, SNCF action consists in checking that the serial products are conform to the model product which received the operation authorisation.
     
SNCF intervention
(works and engineering studies)
  • For works and engineering design, quality surveillance consists, above a certain contract amount, by a cross-checked evaluation form signed by both parties at the end of the mission.
     
  • It allows the companies to improve themselves and to have a "customer" evaluation form for those who hold an ISO 9000 certification.