Ensure that your largest and most important suppliers can deliver to specification—before the project begins. Choose the suppliers of the main members of the bridge project only to protect a critical path in the project. These suppliers may already have national certification as major, advanced, or intermediate bridge builders.
Ancillary Product Suppliers may be the most unfamiliar in working to your specifications. They often don’t get access to full contract requirements from project contractors. Ancillary Product Suppliers often have little previous exposure to running a quality management system that ensures a product that conforms to codes and specifications. Although they are not supplying main member material, it will be their supply scope that halts the project when material is not to specification.
Consider creating a program for manufacturers of:
- Bearings
- Bridge Rail
- Expansion Joints
- High Mast Lighting
- Variable Message Signs
Consider standard ancillary product suppliers as well. Manufacturers of:
- Drains
- Fencing
- Stairs
- Inspecting ladders and Walkways
- Bracing (non load carrying)
- Sign Structures
