A supplier corrective action request (SCAR) is the formal notice you send a supplier when their product or service fails a requirement. It states the nonconformance, asks the supplier to contain it, find the root cause and fix it, and records how you verified the fix. Use this template to issue the request and track the response to closure.
Request
SCAR number, Date issued, Linked NCR number, Supplier / site, Supplier contact, Part number / revision, PO number, Lot / batch, Qty received, Qty inspected, Qty nonconforming, Issued by, Containment due, Root cause and action plan due
Nonconformance
Requirement (drawing / spec reference), Actual condition found, Evidence attached
Containment
Location, Qty checked, Qty nonconforming, Action taken, Date
Root cause
Why it occurred, Why it was not detected, Method used (5 Why, fishbone, other)
Corrective action
Action, Addresses cause, Owner, Due date, Status
Verification and closure
Verification method, Verification result, Accepted by, Closure date
Example Example Manufacturing Co., a fictional manufacturer, receives turned steel pins from Example Supplier Inc. Response times are the Example company’s own purchase terms, not a standard requirement. All figures are illustrative.
| SCAR number | SCAR-0031 |
|---|---|
| Part / revision | PIN-045 rev D |
| Requirement | Outside diameter 6.00 mm +0.00/−0.02 (drawing) |
| Actual | OD measured 6.01–6.02 mm on out-of-tolerance pins |
| Quantity | Lot of 500 received; 4 of 50 sampled out of tolerance |
| Response due | Containment in 1 business day; root cause and action plan in 30 days (Example terms) |
| Location | Qty checked | Qty nonconforming | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example Manufacturing Co. stock | 500 | 23 | Sorted 100%; rejects returned to supplier |
| Supplier finished goods | 1,200 | 0 | Sorted 100% before next shipment |
| In transit | 0 | — | None in transit |
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| SCAR number and date | A unique number and the issue date. Cross-reference the NCR that triggered the SCAR. |
| Supplier and contact | Supplier name, site and the person responsible for the response. Send to someone who can act, not a generic sales inbox. |
| Part, revision, PO, lot | Identifiers for the affected product. The lot number is what lets the supplier trace and contain. |
| Requirement vs actual | The specified requirement and what was found. Quote the drawing or spec by number; attach photos and data. |
| Quantity affected | Received, inspected and nonconforming quantities. Show how you got the numbers so the supplier can check them. |
| Response due dates | Dates for containment, root cause and corrective action. Use the timelines in your purchase terms or supplier quality manual. |
| Containment | Where suspect product could be and what was done at each location. Cover your stock, supplier stock and anything in transit. |
| Root cause | Verified cause of the occurrence and of why it escaped. Ask for both; escape causes are often in the supplier’s inspection. |
| Corrective action | Actions, owners and dates. Actions should address the verified cause, not just re-train. |
| Verification of effectiveness | How and when you confirmed the fix worked. Define this up front, e.g. a number of clean lots. |
| Closure | Who accepted the response and when. Do not close until verification is complete. |
Supplier corrective action request. Some companies call it a supplier corrective action report or simply a supplier CAR.
A SCAR is the request; an 8D is one common format a supplier uses to answer it. Many companies ask suppliers to respond in 8D format.
There is no single required timeline. Set response times in your purchase terms or supplier quality manual and apply them consistently.
Define criteria — for example repeat issues, safety or fit-and-function defects, or customer impact — so the decision is consistent rather than ad hoc.
The issuing company closes it after verifying the corrective action worked, not when the supplier submits a response.
COPLAIN AI PLATFORM
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