CSQP

CERTIFIED SUPPLIER QUALITY PROFESSIONAL (CSQP)

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

The topics in this Body of Knowledge include subtext explanations and the cognitive level at which the
questions will be written. This information will provide useful guidance for both the Exam Development
Committee and the candidate preparing to take the exam. The subtext is not intended to limit the subject matter
or be all-inclusive of that material that will be covered in the exam. It is meant to clarify the type of content that
will be included on the exam. The descriptor in parentheses at the end of each entry refers to the maximum
cognitive level at which the topic will be tested. A complete description of cognitive levels is provided at the
end of this document.

I. Supplier Strategy (20 Questions)

A. Supply Chain Vision/Mission

Assist in the development and communication of the supply chain vision/mission statement. (Apply)

B. Supplier Lifecycle Management

1. Supplier Selection
Develop the process for supplier selection and qualification, including the identification of sub-
tier suppliers using tools such as SIPOC, decision analysis, and total risk factor analysis. (Create)
2. Performance Monitoring
Develop the supplier performance monitoring system, including expected levels of performance,
process reviews, performance evaluations, improvement plans, and exit strategies. (Create)
3. Supplier Classification System
Define and develop a supplier classification system (e.g., non-approved, conditionally approved,
approved, preferred, certified, partnership, and disqualified). (Create)
4. Partnerships and Alliances
Identify and analyze strategies for developing customer-supplier partnerships and alliances.
(Analyze)

C. Supply Chain Cost Analysis

1. Cost Reduction
Identify and apply relevant inputs to prioritize cost reduction opportunities. (Analyze)
2. Supply Chain Rationalization
Interpret and analyze the optimization of a supply base to improve spending and leverage
investments into supplier quality or risk reduction. (Analyze)
3. Make/Buy Decisions
Provide input on make/buy decisions using internal and external capability analysis. Apply tools
such as SWOT analysis and use historical performance to analyze requirements. (Analyze)

D. Supplier Agreements or Contracts

1. Terms and Conditions
Review and provide input for developing terms and conditions that govern supplier relationships
to ensure quality considerations are addressed. (Apply)
2. Supplier Agreements
Identify elements of supplier agreements (e.g., business and legal approach/requirements).
(Understand)
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3. Quality Agreements
Analyze the elements of quality agreements/requirements (e.g., other levels of approval/review).
(Analyze)
4. Finalization Controls
Describe controls used to finalize terms and conditions that govern supplier relationships (e.g.,
agreements, contracts, and purchase orders). (Understand)

E. Deployment of Strategy and Expectations

Communicate strategy internally and communicate expectations to suppliers externally. (Apply)

II. Risk Management (19 Questions)

A. Strategy
1. System
Develop a risk-based approach to manage the supply base, including business continuity,
contingency planning, and supply chain resilience. (Create)
2. Product/Service Risk Mitigation
Develop and implement a risk mitigation plan for predicting, minimizing, monitoring, and/or
controlling risks. (Create)
3. Prevention Strategies
Identify and evaluate strategies and techniques such as supply chain mapping, avoidance,
detection, and mitigation used to prevent the introduction of counterfeit parts, materials, and
services. (Evaluate)
4. Supplier Risk Identification and Categorization
Identify supplier risks and develop categorization (e.g., organizational, business, security, and
product) using tools and models, such as the Kraljic portfolio segmentation model. (Create)

B. Analysis and Mitigation

1. Analysis
Identify, assess, and prioritize risks to supplier quality using tools such as decision analysis
(DA), failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), fault tree analysis (FTA), and process auditing.
(Evaluate).
2. Mitigation Control
Develop and deploy controls such as inspection and test plans. Prioritize mitigation activities and
sustain a risk mitigation plan appropriate to the risk of the product/service. (Create)
3. Mitigation Effectiveness
Verify the effectiveness of the control plan and improve, if necessary, using continuous
improvement methods such as plan-do-check-act (PDCA), lean, and product auditing tools.
(Create)

III. Supplier Selection and Part Qualification (27 Questions)

A. Product/Service Requirements Definition

1. Internal Design Reviews
Identify and apply common elements of the design review process, including roles and
responsibilities of the participants. (Apply)

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2. Identifying Requirements
Identify and apply internal requirements (e.g., interrelated functional business units) for product
or service in collaboration with stakeholders, including the requirements for supply chain, sub-
tier suppliers, and manufacturability evaluation. (Evaluate)

B. Supplier Selection Planning

1. Supplier Comparison
Evaluate existing suppliers’ and distributors’ capabilities, capacities, past quality, delivery, price,
lead times, and responsiveness against identified requirements. (Evaluate)
2. Potential Suppliers Evaluation
Assess potential new suppliers against identified requirements using tools such as self-
assessments, audits, financial analysis, and quality function deployment. Verify third-party
certification status and regulatory compliance and analyze and report on results of assessments to
support the supplier selection process. (Evaluate)
3. Supplier Selection
Evaluate and select suppliers based on analysis of assessment reports and existing supplier
evaluations using decision analysis tools such as weighted decision matrices and selection
matrices. (Evaluate)

C. Part, Process, and Service Qualification

1. Technical Review
Interpret and evaluate technical specification requirements and characteristics such as views, title
blocks, dimensioning and tolerancing, and apply GD&T symbols as they relate to the product
and process. (Evaluate)
2. Supplier Relations
Collaborate with suppliers to define, interpret, and classify quality characteristics for the
part/process/service. (Evaluate)
3. Process and Service Qualification Planning
Develop a part/process/service (e.g., calibration, laboratory, software, and design) qualification
plan with supplier and internal team that includes service provider audit, calibration
requirements, sample size, first article inspection, measurement system analysis (MSA), process
flow diagram (PFD), failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), control plans, critical to quality
(CTQ), inspection planning, capability studies, material and performance testing, appearance
approval, and internal process validation. (Analyze)
4. Part Approval
Understand production part approval process (PPAP) requirements and ensure suppliers
understand the processes required to produce parts with consistent quality during an actual
production run at production rates. (Understand)
5. Validate Requirements
Collaborate with internal team to interpret the results of the executed qualification plan for the
part/process/service, including reviewing Certificate of Compliance (CoC), Certificate of
Analysis (CoA), and production readiness reviews (PRR). (Evaluate)

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IV. Supplier Performance Monitoring, and Improvement (29 Questions)
A. Supplier Performance Monitoring
1. Supplier Metrics
Define, implement, and monitor supplier performance metrics such as quality, delivery (e.g., on-
time delivery [OTD] and on-time in full delivery [OTIF]), cost, and responsiveness. (Evaluate)
2. Supplier Performance
Analyze supplier performance data (e.g., warranty analysis/field returns and defect rates) and
develop periodic reports (e.g., scorecard and dashboards). (Analyze)
3. Supplier Process Performance
Define and implement lean principles and applications such as 5S, kaizen, value stream mapping,
supplier process capabilities and controls, 8 wastes, single minute exchange of dies (SMED),
kanban, muda, standardized work, takt time, and error-proofing to reduce waste and increase
performance. (Evaluate)

B. Assess Nonconforming Product/Process/Service

Segregate, control, and evaluate nonconforming materials to determine whether a material review board
(MRB) requires disposition. Conduct risk assessments to prevent future discrepancies. (Evaluate)

C. Supplier Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA)

1. Root Cause Analysis Tools and Methods
Evaluate the root cause analysis of a problem using tools such as cause and effect diagrams,
Pareto analysis, 5 Why’s, fault tree analysis, design of experiments (DOE), brainstorming, check
sheets, measurement system analysis (MSA), production records, and review of process flow.
(Evaluate)
2. Collaboration with Supplier
Evaluate and implement supplier corrective/preventive action and review its effectiveness and
robustness with supplier. Understand the process of updating failure mode and effects analysis
(FMEA) and process control plan, and understand statistical process control (SPC), 8D, and
product/process design change. (Evaluate)

V. Supplier Quality Management (26 Questions)

A. Supplier Quality Monitoring
1. Supplier Audit
Apply the stages of a quality audit, including audit planning, conducting the initial audit, and
executing periodic reevaluation. Understand and apply the various types of quality audits (e.g.,
product, process, and management system) and audit methods (e.g., virtual, on-site, and
desktop). (Apply)
2. Audit Reporting and Follow-up
Apply and analyze audit reporting and follow up, including verification of the effectiveness of
corrective action. (Analyze)
3. Supplier Communication
Evaluate various communication techniques such as periodic reviews, metric and performance
indices, change management, notifications, recalls, change requests, and business updates.
Maintain active communication with suppliers to assess risk and take appropriate action.
(Evaluate)

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4. Supplier Development and Remediation
Identify and analyze present and future training needs and gaps, using quality methods and tools
such as kaizen and benchmarking. Use process improvement tools such as DMAIC, cycle time
reduction, defect rate, and cost reduction. Evaluate supplier remediation to develop and manage
improvement plans. (Evaluate)
5. Project Management Basics
Understand and apply various types of project reviews, such as phase-end, management, and
retrospectives or post-project reviews to assess project performance and status, to review issues
and risks, and discover and capture lessons learned from the project. Apply forecasts, resources,
schedules, and task and cost estimates to develop and monitor project plans. (Apply)

B. Teams and Team Processes

1. Team Development
Identify and describe the various types of teams and the classic stages of team development:
forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. (Apply)
2. Team Roles
Define and describe various team roles and responsibilities for leader, facilitator, coach, and
individual member. (Understand)
3. Performance and Evaluation
Describe various techniques to evaluate training, including evaluation planning, feedback
surveys, pre-training testing, and post-training testing. (Understand)
C. Compliance with Requirement and Supplier Categorization
Understand and evaluate compliance with regulations and industry standards (e.g., RoHS,
Governmental regulatory authorities, and ISO), specifications, contracts, agreements, and certification
authority. Evaluate and categorize suppliers based on risk and performance. (Evaluate)

VI. Relationship Management (16 Questions)

A. Supplier Onboarding
Understand and apply processes for orientation of suppliers such as providing overview of company,
vision, mission, guiding principles, overall requirements, expectations, and criticality of product,
service, and delivery requirements. (Apply)
B. Communication
1. Techniques and Mediation
Identify and apply communication techniques (e.g., oral, written, and presentation) specifically
for internal stakeholders and suppliers to resolve issues. Apply different techniques when
working in multi-cultural environments. Identify and describe the impact that culture,
communications, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) can have on an organization.
(Evaluate)
2. Reporting Using Quality Tools
Use appropriate technical and managerial reporting techniques for effective presentation and
reporting, including the seven classic quality tools: Pareto charts, cause and effect diagrams,
flowcharts, control charts, check sheets, scatter diagrams, and histograms. (Analyze)

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C. Leadership and Collaboration
Understand and apply techniques for coaching suppliers through regular communications,
influencing without authority, negotiation techniques, conflict resolution techniques, and establish
clear roles and responsibilities of internal stakeholders and suppliers using tools such as a RACI
matrix (responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed). (Evaluate)

VII. Business Governance, Ethics, and Compliance (13 Questions)

A. ASQ Code of Ethics

Determine appropriate behavior in situations requiring ethical decisions, including identifying
conflicts of interest, and recognizing and resolving ethical issues. (Apply)

B. Compliance and Sustainability

1. Compliance
Understand issues of compliance and their applicable policies, laws, and regulations (e.g.,
conflict of interest, confidentiality, and bribery). (Apply)
2. Sustainability
Understand and recognize the importance of environmental, social, and governance factors and
adhere to applicable sustainability policies. (Understand)

C. Confidentiality
1. Organizational Policies
Apply organizational policies for executing appropriate agreements such as non-disclosure,
quality, and change notification agreements. (Apply)
2. Intellectual Property
Apply procedures for protecting the intellectual property of an organization and its suppliers.
(Apply)
3. Illegal Activity
Understand and interpret policies for reporting observations and deviations that could be
perceived as illegal activity. (Apply)

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Levels of Cognition
Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy – Revised (2001)

In addition to content specifics, the subtext for each topic in this BOK also indicates the intended
complexity level of the test questions for that topic. These levels are based on “Levels of Cognition” (from
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Revised, 2001) and are presented below in rank order, from least complex to most
complex.

Remember
Recall or recognize terms, definitions, facts, ideas, materials, patterns, sequences, methods, principles,
etc.

Understand
Read and understand descriptions, communications, reports, tables, diagrams, directions, regulations,
etc.

Apply
Know when and how to use ideas, procedures, methods, formulas, principles, theories, etc.

Analyze
Break down information into its constituent parts and recognize their relationship to one another and
how they are organized; identify sublevel factors or salient data from a complex scenario.

Evaluate
Make judgments about the value of proposed ideas, solutions, etc., by comparing the proposal to specific
criteria or standards.

Create
Put parts or elements together in such a way as to reveal a pattern or structure not clearly there before;
identify which data or information from a complex set is appropriate to examine further or from which
supported conclusions can be drawn.