3.1 Supplier Selection
Selection of potential suppliers for a large project is an important step, and needs to be given sufficient time and attention. Nuclear power plant vendors may partner with different sub-suppliers for different projects, and need sufficient notice periods to make necessary arrangements for such partnerships. This includes meeting any owner pre-qualification requirements.
Suppliers working in an international context face a number of unique challenges or differences from their home countries. These can include:
- Cultural and language barriers (e.g. work habits, holidays, length of work day)
- Differences in organizational safety culture and experience in a nuclear environment
- Inexperience with capabilities of local sub-suppliers
- Currency fluctuations
- Time zone differences (making communication more difficult)
- Export control rules specific to the country (from home country or country of sub-suppliers)
- Differences in duties, taxes, legal, insurance or political regimes
- National or regional technical differences (management system used, codes, standards, or inspection requirements, e.g. electrical voltage and frequency, SI versus Imperial units of measure)
- Logistics issues (shipping methods (especially for large components (e.g. rail, highway or port changes that may be needed, special transport or heavy lifting equipment), customs clearance methods and delays)
- Need to assess whether to ship, store, purchase locally or rent equipment for use at remote job sites
- Safety and security of international workers (and fewer backups if an international worker is sick or otherwise off work)
This section discusses some of the issues involved with supplier selection.