Contingency Plans - alternative product sourcing

Good Day Food Safety Team

Trust you are all well and safe

I am currently preparing for a customer audit and one of their requirements - contingency plans include alternative product sourcing in the event that the current supplier for some reason is unable to supplier and to determine  how quick can the alternative supplier  supply that item.  So a mock exercise need to be carried out of same.  I am looking for a template if any body has done something similar. 

Hoping to hear from any good people out there.

Thanking you so kindly

Take care and be safe always (sanitise and mask at all times)

Never heard of this version of contingency before, what standard are you going by?

This is what I can recommend, with the group's input in mind.

Generate a work instruction to be carried out by the party in charge of addressing any alternative sourcing request.  Decide on how fast you want the product once an even happens and, make sure your suppliers can guarantee the supplies within acceptable time frame. Highlight on your approved supplier list, which alternate sourcing suppliers to call first.

Something to start with:

Request By:  Sourcing Manager

Date: 

Event: Shortage

Supplier: Alternate Supplier Name

Product: Product Requested

Quantity: 

Special Instructions: Product Needed in XX amount of time*.  (*this is what shall be established with your alternate supplier)

Time of response:

I hope this helps!!

Stay Safe!!!

Never heard of this either.   But I have hundreds of ingredients in house.   An alternate source for everything we use, and keeping track of everything as we source and stop using certain things would be crazy.   I'd have to hire a part time employee...

Good morning Kel, 

I assume this customer request was pushed up the chain and reviewed in depth? It's not always economically feasible to meet each customer request, and this one in particular should be reviewed in detail prior to agreeing to it. It will involve alternate supplier pricing and approval, which may be extensive.

Greetings Kelpack,

Some GFSI standards require that you have an extra list of alternative approved suppliers in case of an emergency were your main can't come through. However, time of delivery is relative as you can't really know how long will it take for an alternative to get your order ready if you have never actually ordered something from them. My guess is your client pushed a bit far the requirement I mentioned.

As in post #2 put together a list that shows how you approve an alternate supplier (eg reputation, existing certification) and you can even ask for a collaboration offer and in the terms you can include estimated time of delivery for said materials and their specifications/MSDS and any other information possible.

All said in the end you will just give them an estimation, not the actual time and in case of an arguement you will need to defend your position strongly on that.

Regards!

Thank you my Food Safety Team, 

Much appreciated with the positive responses, It sounds much easier and I will be using all the contributions from all of you.

Using all the information, I have come up with a constructive document. 

This is not a standard requirement, but the  Customers Contingency plan on supply and demand.

Thank you everybody and stay safe.

Warm regards

For those requests, we refer them to our Crisis Management Plan which takes supply disruption into account with current back-ups for each component. This is a lot easier for a packaging manufacturer as there are very few components. Our Approved Supplier program and register also identify all back-up suppliers as well.