What controls are required for 3rd party storage and distribution?

We are an SQF certified facility that makes cookies and RTE cookie dough. All of our finished products are stored frozen. Im still new to the company and we are growing fast. We are working on a contract right now to have our products stored and distributed by a 3rd party warehouse.  They are SQF certified.  I have a lot of things that I need to do to include them in our current HACCP plans etc. What do I need to do differently for 3rd party warehousing and distribution? For paperwork do I just need their SQF documents? Do I need a separate contract stating that they will follow the SQF code and keep our products temp controlled etc. This is new territory for our company. I also found out that we hold a contract for another 3rd party warehouse that is storage and distribution...they are not SQF certified.  How do I audit them?  I need a serious breakdown of what other people are doing. I run this part of the company on my own, so this is the only way I am able to bounce around ideas and ask for advise 

Hi , I am not exposed to SQF but I have worked on couple of things you  have mentioned in the scope of HACCP . I might not be so accurate in answering your question but will try to  jot down from my own experience . 

1. We are working on a contract right now to have our products stored and distributed by a 3rd party warehouse.  They are SQF certified.  I have a lot of things that I need to do to include them in our current HACCP plans. 

Yes , you need to include them in HACCP plan , you need to do a site audit to verify your requirements and  the controls are met and this has to be a legal document . You can ask for specific control they exercise , data for them and their validation . Traceability exercise is a must . 

2. What do i need to do differently for 3rd party warehousing and distribution

​Develop a procedure , write down all your requirements (product to data requirements  ). A site audit  is to be done to verify the requirements are met  . Please include the 3rd party in your risk assessment as well .  Ask the m to share all relevant data regarding  handling of your products , as in, if they store your product , they should give you all the temperature control data  , hygiene practice data , inspection of vehicle and temperature control ,  their logistics capabilities and plan . 

3. For paperwork do i just need their SQF documents 

A general thumb rule is a piece of paper will have weightage only when it is verified (Audit is a must )  . Check their certification body , there are bodies who just for doing business turn a blind eye  to most of the things and issue a certificate  and this might be a problem to you later . 

4. I also found out that we hold a contract for another 3rd party warehouse that is storage and distribution...they are not SQF certified.  How do i audit them?  I need a serious breakdown of what other people are doing.

I personally would not prefer choosing them as there are no guarantees to their system . 

Hope this helps . 

You would follow your current Service Provider or Contract Service Provider program to determine what you require of them - in general I'd get a full copy of their SQF certificate, summary of food safety protocols, GMP's, Copy of their SQF certificate.  I'd also go ahead and either go and audit them with a generalized walk-thru or commission a 3rd party food safety storage audit by an auditor or consultant.

As to the one that is not SQF certified - either you can audit them, request they commission a 3rd party audit or directly contract for an audit to be done.