Outside vendors often perform fabrication and metal treatments for SLAC projects and experiments. The quality of the work performed by the vendor is instrumental to the success of the experiment.

Here is an example of how that product quality can some times be questioned.

DOE recently notified SLAC Purchasing that Temperform USA, doing business at La Mirada, California, is under investigation by the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Defense. The investigation concerns Temperform USA aluminum heat treating processes and quality inspections from December 1998 to March 2000 on numerous DOD programs. Processes allegedly improperly performed include: heat treatment and aging times and temperatures, use of test coupons, quenching, hardness and electrical conductivity testing. It is also alleged that Temperform USA certified parts that failed to meet specifications for hardness and conductivity.

SLAC was asked to verify if any of its vendors had used Temperform USA in their purchase orders with SLAC. As a result of its investigation, Purchasing identified ten vendors who had used Temperform USA, as a subcontractor. However, none of these vendors used Temperform, USA, during the time frame being investigated. These ten vendors have been directed to inform SLAC in advance of any purchase order placement if they want to use Temperform USA as a subcontractor to heat treat aluminum parts.

If while working with a vendor you realize that the vendor is planning to use Temperform USA as a subcontractor, please make sure that the SLAC Purchasing Department is notified.

Contacts:

Bob Todaro, Purchasing Officer, Ext. 2425, rocker@slac.stanford.edu

Mike Grissom, ESH Assistant to the Director, Ext. 2346, mikeg@slac.stanford.edu