Why don’t registrar auditors audit clause 7.4 Purchasing of ISO 9001 when it comes to purchasing their services? After all, they’re providing a service that affects the quality of your operations, processes, and eventually, products.ISO 9001 states that your company “Shall evaluate and select suppliers based on their ability to meet your requirements.” Do you ever state your requirements to your registrar? Probably not, because it’s their contract that you sign. And even if your company issues a contract to the registrar in the form of a purchasing order, it’s unlikely that you add any of your requirements. The registrar normally has complete control of the contractual relationship, and you have no way out until the contract is up. Have you ever thought about what you and your company really want from an audit? Do you just go through the motions?

What if you wanted to try out a registrar’s services for only the initial audit? A company may evaluate sample parts from a potential supplier as part of the initial selection process. Why does your company have to be locked in to a three-year contract? What if you don’t like your supplier’s performance? How can you get out of a contract that doesn’t even state your specific needs?

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