Glossary

External providers

External providers are outside organizations that supply products, services, or outsourced processes to a manufacturer.

AS9100 Aerospace Quality Management Standard Outsourced Processing

External providers are outside organizations or individuals that supply products, services, materials, or outsourced processes to a manufacturer. In manufacturing quality systems, the term commonly includes suppliers, subcontractors, distributors, calibration services, special process providers, contract manufacturers, and other parties whose output can affect product conformity or operational performance.

The term is often used in quality management and supplier control contexts, including aerospace environments aligned with AS9100. It emphasizes that externally supplied work must be identified, specified, monitored, and verified as appropriate to its effect on the final product or process.

External providers should not be treated as only material suppliers. A provider may deliver a physical part, perform a process such as heat treating or coating, provide inspection or test services, or support a software or data service used in production or quality workflows. The exact controls applied depend on the provider’s role, risk, and impact on requirements.

AS9100 is the overall aerospace quality management system standard, while AS9100D is its current revision. In practice, “AS9100” without a letter is often used generically, so you need to confirm which revision your contracts, procedures, and audits actually reference and ensure QMS documentation and evidence align with that version.

What is the AS9100 Quality Management System?

AS9100 is an aerospace-focused quality management system standard that builds on ISO 9001 with additional requirements for risk management, configuration control, special processes, and product safety. It defines how a QMS should be structured and managed, but does not guarantee compliance, audit outcomes, or product safety on its own. Effectiveness depends on implementation, validation, and day-to-day execution in your specific environment.

What is the new name for AS9100?

AS9100 has not been renamed. The current version is AS9100D (aligned with ISO 9001:2015), and it is still formally called “AS9100.” Revisions (B, C, D, etc.) are version identifiers, not new names. Always verify the latest valid revision and customer/contract requirements before changing your documented references.

What is the aerospace standard AS9100?

AS9100 is a quality management system standard for aviation, space, and defense organizations, based on ISO 9001 with additional aerospace-specific requirements. It defines how a QMS should be structured and controlled, but it does not guarantee regulatory compliance or audit outcomes. Implementation and evidence quality vary widely by site, integration, and process maturity.

Related Glossary

AS9100 documentation control

AS9100 documentation control is the management of approved quality documents, revisions, access, and records in an aerospace QMS.

Supplier Flowdown

Supplier flowdown is the transfer of applicable customer, quality, and technical requirements to suppliers.

Aerospace quality management

Aerospace quality management is the set of processes used to control quality, records, traceability, and corrective action in aerospace work.