Certain sectors have created specific requirements by developing their own standards and certifications, which they subsequently demand from their suppliers. To do this, it is quite common for them to use the International standard ISO 9001, expanding and adapting it to their own requirements.
NATO member states have developed their own quality management standards in the defence sector, albeit harmonised by common requirements.
Un ejemplo de ello es el sector defensa de los Estados Unidos de América. NATO member countries, in which there exist some specific requirements for quality management. Each member country develops its own standard, all of them to respond to the same requirements imposed by this organisation.
Let's take the case of the Spanish Ministry of Defence as an example, whose Directorate General of Armament and Material (DGAM) has, among other functions, that of intervening as Quality assurance technical body for armaments and defence material and has developed the PECAL standard (Spanish Publication of Quality). The requirements of the PECAL standards are a Combination of ISO 9001 requirements and specific NATO requirements for Defence Supplier Quality Management.
These requirements will vary depending on the supplier's activity, meaning that there are different PECAL standards, such as:
- PECAL 2110 (Edition 4) “NATO quality assurance requirements for design, development and production”.
- PECAL 2131 “NATO Quality Assurance Requirements for Final Inspection”
- PECAL 2105 “NATO Requirements for Deliverable Quality Plans”.
- PECAL 2210 “NATO Software Quality Assurance Requirements, supplementary to PECAL 2110 or PECAL 2310.".
- PECAL 2310 “NATO Requirements for Quality Management Systems of Aviation, Space and Defence Suppliers”.
In summary, the phases for a supplier to obtain the corresponding PECAL certification are:
- Formal request for PECAL certification audit from the organisation wishing to be certified, which in PECAL terminology is called IAMD (Armament and Defence Material Industry), to the Directorate General of Armament and Material (DGAM).
- DGAM remands the IAMD some Previous questionnaires what needs to be completed, and it requires the minimum documentation that must be provided to initiate the process. After analysing this documentation, it decides whether the applicant is ready to commence the audit process.
- In the event that the previous phase is positive, the following will be carried out on-site audit process“ on the part of personnel designated by DGAM itself at IAMD's facilities. Non-conformities may arise from this process that IAMD must resolve, with the audit team proposing certification once they have been resolved.
- If the previous phase is overcome, proceed to the Certificate issuance.
To renew the certificate, before its expiry date, the IAMD must make a new application and the process would be repeated, this time planning the audit with an accredited certification body.
The remaining NATO member countries have carried out a similar process of adapting the standard, although adapting its content to the specificities of each state.
