Aerospace Supplier Quality System Maturity Assessment
Primes and registrars look for the same set of controls in small aerospace suppliers: order review, supplier approval, flowdowns, counterfeit prevention, traceability, FOD, FAI, key characteristics, receiving and corrective action. This assessment scores ten of them so you can see where to spend effort.
1. How is contract or order review performed before you accept an aerospace order?
AS9100D clause 8.2.3
2. How are special process suppliers approved and monitored?
3. How do you control customer and regulatory flowdowns to outside providers?
4. How do you prevent counterfeit and suspect parts?
5. How complete is traceability from raw material to shipped part?
6. How is foreign object debris (FOD) controlled?
7. How do you manage first article inspection (AS9102)?
8. How are key characteristics controlled in production?
9. How are certificates of conformance and material certs checked at receiving?
10. How do you handle nonconformances and corrective action?
How to use the assessment
Answer based on what actually happens on the floor and in the ERP, not what the procedure says. Ask the people who do the work. Each question scores 0 to 3, and the total is shown as a percentage in one of four bands. Use the result as a conversation starter for your management review, not as a certification claim. Repeat the assessment every six months and compare the answers question by question rather than only the total.
What the ten questions test
Questions are drawn from the clauses auditors sample most often in AS9100D: 8.2.3 for order review, 8.4 for external providers, 8.1.4 for counterfeit prevention, 8.5.2 for identification and traceability, 8.5.1 for production controls including key characteristics, 8.6 for release and receiving checks, and 10.2 for nonconformity and corrective action. First article and FOD are included because both are common customer-driven requirements.
- Order review and flowdowns before work starts
- Supplier approval and surveillance during sourcing
- Traceability, FOD and key characteristic control in production
- Receiving checks and corrective action at the boundaries
Reading your result
A low score in one area matters more than a high average. A shop scoring three on nine questions and zero on counterfeit prevention still has a serious gap. Look at which answers scored 0 or 1 and fix those first, because they usually correspond to missing evidence. Do not chase a perfect score; the top band is about enforcement in systems, which is only worth the effort if volume and customer requirements justify it.
Common mistakes when self-assessing
People overrate controls they own and underrate those they inherited. Ask someone outside the function to challenge the score. Another trap is scoring an intended control as in place when it is implemented in one cell only. Sample three recent orders for each question and see whether the evidence is there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this assessment a substitute for an AS9100 audit?
No. It is an internal self-check of ten control areas. A certification audit examines every clause of the standard and sampled evidence. Use it to prepare and to find gaps early, not to claim conformity.
What if my customers require NADCAP or AS9100 certification?
Then the controls in this assessment are the baseline. The certification scheme or customer will add requirements, so use the result to prepare and confirm the applicable standards from your contracts.
How often should we repeat it?
Every six months is a practical interval, and after any major audit finding, customer escape or change in contract requirements. Compare the answer for each question over time.
Does the score leave my browser?
The assessment runs in your browser. The results are for your use. Any follow-up with us is optional and is a separate action.
If the same gaps keep reappearing in audits, we can look at which controls could be enforced by your ERP instead of by memory.
Related Tools
AS9100 Contract Review Checklist (Clause 8.2.3)
A 36-item review checklist to run before you accept an aerospace purchase order or quote, covering customer requirements, flowdowns, capacity, special processes and records.
Quality & InspectionSpecial Process Supplier Surveillance Schedule Worksheet
Rank heat treat, NDT, plating and coating sources by risk, derive a surveillance interval, and see which reviews are overdue.
Costing & FinanceFOD Prevention Program ROI Calculator
Quantify what foreign object debris costs per year and what a prevention program must achieve to pay for itself.
Aerospace & DefenseAS9100 Audit Readiness Checklist
A 30-point checklist for AS9100 Rev D certification and surveillance audits, weighted toward the aerospace-specific requirements where auditors write the most findings.
More Quality & Inspection tools
See all- AS9100 Internal Audit Report Template
- AS9145 APQP and PPAP Checklist
- Aerospace Key Characteristic Cpk Calculator
- Aerospace Supplier Corrective Action Request Template
- AS9100 Risk and Opportunity Register Worksheet
- Aerospace Supplier OTD and Quality Rating Calculator
- AS9100 Management Review Minutes Template
- Aerospace Success-Run Sample Size Calculator
- Aerospace Test Uncertainty Ratio Calculator
Keep exploring
Free tools
- Measurement System Maturity AssessmentTen questions that score how well your calibration, MSA and gage records are controlled, with next-step advice by band.
- Procurement Maturity AssessmentNine scored questions that show how mature your purchasing function is across spend visibility, contracts, supplier management and ERP use.
- Export Control Program Maturity AssessmentTen questions that score how well your export control program covers classification, screening, licensing, training, records and oversight.
Guides
- Aerospace and Defense Seal Supplier Requirements: What Primes and Tier 1s ExpectAerospace and defense seal supplier requirements: AS9100, AS9102 FAI, spec qualification, flow-downs, ITAR drawings and CMMC for O-ring and seal makers.
- AI-Powered Supplier Risk Assessment: Continuous Monitoring, Predictive Scoring, and ERP IntegrationAssess supplier risk with AI-powered scoring. Monitor financial health, delivery performance, quality metrics, and geopolitical risk from ERP and external data sources.