Potential analysis (pre-award readiness check)
Plain-language summary
A short pre-award assessment of whether a new supplier or a new location can realistically deliver the part before the business is committed.
What the clause is really asking
The risk being controlled here is awarding work to a source that cannot actually make it. Before contracts are signed, the customer wants confidence that the basic capability — process know-how, capacity, systems, financial and management maturity — is present or credibly achievable. It is a go/no-go gate, not a full process audit.
What auditors look for
The auditor looks at the proposed manufacturing site and product, not the supplier's marketing. They probe whether comparable parts have been made before, what the process would look like, whether capacity and equipment exist, and whether basic quality and management systems are in place. The focus is forward-looking: can this source ramp to the volumes and quality required, and what are the obvious risks?
Typical evidence
Site/capability overview; reference parts or similar-process examples; capacity and equipment lists; quality system certificate status; high-level process flow concept; financial/management stability indicators.
How to comply — recommendations
Treat a potential analysis as a sales-critical event and prepare a concise capability story for the specific part and site. Be honest about gaps and show a credible plan to close them rather than overstating readiness. Have real examples of similar processes, realistic capacity figures, and named owners for follow-up actions. A confident, evidence-backed walk-through of how you would actually make the part wins more trust than glossy documents.
Common nonconformities
Overstated capability with no comparable reference part; capacity claimed but not demonstrated; no clear process concept for the new part; unresolved system gaps glossed over; weak financial or management signals.
Related clauses
IATF 16949 8.4.1.2 (supplier selection); ISO 9001 8.4 (control of external providers)
Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of the relevant standard for the authoritative text.