Quality assurance and inspection services for UN

In 2003-2004 various UN programmes suffered set backs due to the poor quality of goods procured. Crown Agents has been providing third party inspection to UN programmes related to child health, drinking water and sanitation and anti-polio campaigns, amongst others. Items inspected include hand-pumps, GI / PVC pipes, voltage stabilisers, printed materials, pharmaceuticals (for example, folic acid tablets, Vitamin A solution etc).

In addition to carrying out pre-delivery inspection of finished products, Crown Agents is also helping in the development of alternate resources for supply of various types of hand pumps to destinations across the world. This is done by inspecting new suppliers through appraisals/ audits of their quality systems and capability infrastructure and rating them on different parameters.

This assessment exercise enables UN to identify a broader supplier base to economically and timely meet its supply and procurement targets. We have recently been advised by UN to carry out inspection of 20 new manufacturers of hand pumps of which five are located in neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.