What Is Surveillance?
Vendor surveillance is the buyer placing a surveyor at the supplier's works on its own behalf to monitor the manufacturing process, quality control and the delivery schedule. It is a common approach for buyers sourcing from distant regions instead of sending their own team.
Why Is It Done?
The aim is to see problems during manufacture rather than at delivery. Correcting a nonconformity that surfaces at delivery multiplies both time and cost, whereas a problem seen early at the works is resolved cheaply.
Who Requests It?
- Buyers sourcing from distant locations
- EPC contractors and project companies
- Energy, petrochemical, and infrastructure investors
- Industrial organizations purchasing critical equipment
- Public procurement bodies
Scope of Surveillance
- The supplier's quality management system and certificates
- Correct translation of the order specification into manufacturing
- Implementation of the inspection and test plan (ITP)
- Material certificates and traceability
- Subcontractor and outsourced process control
- Personnel qualifications (welder, NDT, operator)
- Equipment calibration records
- Manufacturing progress and schedule compliance
- Nonconformity records and corrective actions
- Status of the documentation package (data book) preparation
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC 17020
- ISO 9001
- EN 10204
- ISO 10005
Method and Equipment
- Document review and records system
- Photographic recording equipment
- Dimensional measurement instruments
- Measurement access for witnessed tests
Surveillance Process
- 1Defining Scope and CriteriaThe order specification, the inspection and test plan (ITP), the delivery schedule and the reporting frequency are agreed with the buyer.
- 2Supplier AssessmentThe supplier's quality system, capacity, subcontractors and past performance are reviewed; a risk level is assigned.
- 3Surveillance PlanBased on the risk level, the frequency of site visits, the hold and witness points and the reporting calendar are planned.
- 4On-site SurveillanceThe surveyor attends the works during manufacturing, performing document checks, process observation and witnessing of inspections.
- 5Progress and Schedule MonitoringProgress against the plan is monitored; the risk of delay is identified early and reported to the buyer.
- 6Managing NonconformitiesDeviations found are reported, corrective action is requested and its close-out is followed up.
- 7Shipment Release and Close-outThe final inspection and the documentation package are checked; release for shipment is granted and a close-out report is issued.
Surveillance Report
- Details of the survey company, the surveyor and the buyer
- References to the order, the specification and the ITP
- Date of the visit and scope of the surveillance
- Findings of the document check
- Stage of manufacture and progress status
- Inspections and tests witnessed
- Nonconformities found and the status of corrective action
- Assessment of the schedule and the risk of delay
- Photographic records
- Recommendations for the next surveillance visit
- Supplier and order information
- Visit dates and surveillance level
- Manufacturing progress percentage
- Inspections and tests witnessed
- Open nonconformities and closure status
Limits of the Report
Surveillance does not remove the supplier's responsibility and does not assume liability for the quality of manufacture. The surveyor reports what was observed during the periods spent on site; production during the periods of absence falls outside the report. A surveillance report is neither an acceptance statement nor a guarantee; the inspection and acceptance provisions of the contract remain in force.
Accreditation
Surveillance activities are carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires the impartiality of the survey body, the competence of its personnel and the validity of the survey methods. The impartiality rule is decisive: a survey body may not be a party to the trade in, or the manufacture of, the goods it surveys. EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation under ISO/IEC 17020, granted by accreditation bodies that are signatories to the ILAC mutual recognition arrangement; because accredited scope is defined per type of surveillance, it is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Surveillance Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Are vendor surveillance and vendor audit the same thing?
No, they are not. A vendor audit assesses the compliance of the supplier's system with specific criteria at a given point in time. Vendor surveillance, on the other hand, is a product-focused monitoring activity that continues throughout manufacturing.
Does surveillance reduce the supplier's responsibility?
No, it does not. The surveyor observes and reports on behalf of the buyer; the supplier remains responsible for the quality of manufacturing and compliance with the contract. A surveillance report is not a statement of acceptance.
Is the surveyor present on site continuously?
This depends on the level of surveillance. On critical projects, continuous (resident) surveillance is applied; on others, visits are made at specific hold points. Manufacturing carried out while the surveyor is not present falls outside the scope of the report, and this is clearly stated in the report.
How is the independence of the surveillance body ensured?
Surveillance is carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires impartiality and the prevention of conflicts of interest. The surveillance body cannot be a party to the design or production of the manufacturing it surveys.