How Do You Buy Safely From Aerospace Parts Distributors?
Buy aerospace parts first from the manufacturer or its franchised or authorized distributors, because they can trace every lot back to the original manufacturer. AS9120B certification shows a distributor runs a quality system built for buying, storing, splitting and reselling parts without changing them. It does not prove a given lot is genuine. The paperwork does.
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What is the difference between franchised, authorized and independent distributors?
The difference is the relationship with the manufacturer. A franchised or authorized distributor has a contract or written authority from the manufacturer to sell its parts. An independent distributor does not, and buys wherever it can find stock.
- Franchised distributor is the industry term for a distributor under a franchise or distribution agreement with the manufacturer, buying directly from it.
- Authorized supplier is the term DFARS 252.246-7008 uses: a supplier, distributor or aftermarket manufacturer with a contractual arrangement with, or express written authority of, the original manufacturer or current design activity to buy, stock, repackage, sell or distribute the part. A franchised distributor fits that definition.
- Independent distributor or broker sells parts it bought on the open market, from excess inventory, other distributors or end users. SAE AS6081 is the counterfeit avoidance standard written for this group.
Ask the distributor which it is for the specific manufacturer you need, not in general. Many companies are franchised for some lines and act as independents for others. A manufacturer's own list of authorized distributors, usually published on its website, settles the question.
What does AS9120 certification cover?
AS9120 is the quality management system standard for aviation, space and defense distributors. The current revision, AS9120B, was issued by SAE on 1 November 2016; the standard was first issued in October 2002, with revision A in 2009. It adds aviation, space and defense requirements on top of ISO 9001:2015.
Certification bodies describe its target as pass-through distribution. Intertek, for example, says it includes organizations that procure products and split them into smaller quantities, and that it is not intended for organizations that maintain or repair products or perform work that could affect product characteristics or conformity. A company doing that kind of work, or making parts, should hold AS9100 or AS9110 instead. Our AS9100 vs ISO 9001 page explains how to match the standard to the supplier and how to check a certificate in the IAQG OASIS database.
What certification does not tell you matters as much. AS9120 is a system certification. It does not make a distributor authorized for any manufacturer, and it does not prove any particular lot is authentic. An AS9120 certified independent can still sell you a counterfeit if its source did.
Have a part like this?Send it in under a minute. A person replies within 1 business day.Which traceability documents should you require?
Require a paper trail that runs unbroken from the original manufacturer to your dock. Each document proves something different, and none of them stands in for the others.
| Document | Issued by | What it proves | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original manufacturer certificate of conformance (OCM CoC) | The original component manufacturer | The maker's statement that the lot conforms to its part number and specification | Manufacturer name, part number, lot or date code and quantity match the parts and the PO |
| Distributor certificate of conformance | The distributor that sells to you | The distributor's statement that what it shipped is what you ordered and was handled under its system | Names the original manufacturer, not just the distributor, and references the OCM lot |
| Chain of custody or traceability record | Each party that held the parts | Every transfer between the manufacturer and you | No gaps; every intermediate company is named; quantities reconcile at each step |
| Original packaging and labels | The manufacturer | Supporting evidence of origin, date and lot | Labels agree with the certs; split lots are re-labeled with the original lot data |
| Inspection and test reports | An independent lab or the distributor | Authentication when traceability to the manufacturer cannot be shown | Tests named, sample size, lab identity and results; required for untraceable electronic parts on DoD work |
For raw material, the equivalent of the OCM CoC is the mill test report; our material certs and traceability page covers heat traceability through cutting. Our certificate of conformance page covers what a CoC itself must contain.
How does DFARS 252.246-7008 rank sources for electronic parts?
It sets a strict order for DoD work: original manufacturer and authorized sources first, contractor-approved suppliers second, anything else last and with extra duties. The clause is dated January 2023 and defines an electronic part as an integrated circuit, a discrete electronic component such as a transistor, capacitor, resistor or diode, or a circuit assembly.
- Tier 1, franchised and authorized channels. Parts in production or in stock from the original manufacturer, its authorized suppliers, or suppliers that obtain parts exclusively from those sources.
- Tier 2, contractor-approved suppliers. Allowed only for parts out of production and not in stock at tier 1 sources, where the contractor approves the supplier using established counterfeit prevention standards and takes responsibility for authenticity. The government may review those selections.
- Tier 3, any other source. Including when the contractor cannot confirm parts are new, unused and not commingled with used, refurbished or returned stock. The contractor must promptly notify the contracting officer in writing, is responsible for inspection, testing and authentication to industry standards, and must make that documentation available on request.
The clause also says that a contractor that is not the original manufacturer or an authorized supplier must keep risk-based processes to trace parts from the original manufacturer to government acceptance, inspect and test when it cannot, and keep the records under FAR subpart 4.7. In distributor terms: franchised and authorized buys are tier 1, and most independent buys land in tier 2 or tier 3. The counterfeit parts avoidance page covers the companion clause 252.246-7007 and GIDEP reporting.
What are the red flags in a distributor quote or shipment?
Most counterfeit and nonconforming parts arrive with warning signs that were visible at quote or receipt. Treat any of these as a reason to stop and ask:
- The supplier will not name the original manufacturer, or names one that is not on that manufacturer's authorized list while implying it is.
- No OCM CoC is offered, or the only certificate is the distributor's own.
- Lead time or availability for a part the manufacturer has stopped making looks better than the authorized channel's.
- Price far below the authorized channel with no explanation of where the stock came from.
- Date codes or lot codes on the parts do not match the certificate, or one shipment mixes several date codes without saying so.
- Packaging that is not the manufacturer's, re-taped reels, or labels that cover other labels.
- A claimed AS9120 certificate that does not appear in OASIS, or that covers a different site.
- Refusal to accept your flow-down clauses, or to make records available.
- Parts shipped from a third party you never heard of, straight to you.
For hardware such as fasteners, also check head markings and manufacturer identification against the standard. Our receiving inspection page covers what to check at the dock.
When is an independent distributor the right choice?
When the part is out of production and no authorized source has stock. That is often the only path for obsolete electronics and older hardware, and it can be done responsibly.
On DoD work it means treating the independent as a contractor-approved supplier under DFARS 252.246-7008, which requires an approval process based on established counterfeit prevention standards, or notifying the contracting officer and testing when the source falls outside that. Ask the independent for its AS6081 status, the full traceability it has, and which tests from the SAE AS6171 family it will run or pay for. Budget time for testing. The obsolete aerospace parts page lays out sourcing paths from lowest to highest risk, and the NSN parts sourcing page covers how to confirm which references you can accept before you search.
Where does a sourcing partner fit?
A sourcing partner is not a distributor. It does not hold stock; it decides where to buy and makes sure the paperwork comes with the parts. That is how we work. We do not hold inventory, publish prices or show stock, and we are not an authorized or franchised distributor for any manufacturer.
For standard parts we buy from the manufacturer or its authorized and franchised distributors, flow your clauses down, including DFARS 252.246-7008 where it applies, and check the OCM certificate, distributor certificate and lot data against your PO before shipment. Parts can share one PO with machined or fabricated work, or be built into kits, across categories such as electronic components, connectors and wire and seals and fluid parts. When a part is only available from independent sources, we say so before ordering, explain which tier it falls in, and run the purchase under counterfeit avoidance controls. If the part has a QPL requirement, we check the listed sources first, as described in our QPL guide.
Send us the parts list and your paperwork requirements
Send part numbers, manufacturers, quantities, need dates and the documents you require through the hardware request form. Telling us up front whether you need OCM certificates and full chain of custody decides which sources we can use. A person replies within 1 business day, and every order ships with a certificate of conformance plus the traceability documents your request calls for. If the parts list or drawings are export controlled, see controlled programs before sending them.
Send the job. A person replies within 1 business day.
Part, quantity and date are enough to start. Drawings and the mutual NDA follow by reply, and controlled programs never send technical data through this site.
We have it.
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Questions
Is AS9120 the same as being an authorized distributor?
No. AS9120 certifies a distributor's quality management system. Authorized status comes from a contract or written authority from the original manufacturer for specific product lines, which is how DFARS 252.246-7008 defines an authorized supplier. A distributor can be AS9120 certified and still act as an independent for a given manufacturer. Check the manufacturer's own authorized distributor list for the line you are buying.
What is an OCM certificate of conformance?
It is the original component manufacturer's certificate stating that a lot conforms to its part number and specification. It is the first link in the traceability chain. A distributor's certificate is useful, but it is the distributor's statement, not the maker's. For flight hardware and DoD electronic parts, ask for the OCM certificate and check that its lot or date code matches the parts you received.
Is a distributor certificate of conformance enough?
Usually not on its own. A distributor CoC tells you what the distributor believes it shipped. Without the manufacturer's certificate and a chain of custody, it cannot show the parts came from the original manufacturer. For electronic parts on DoD contracts, DFARS 252.246-7008 requires inspection, testing and authentication when traceability to the original manufacturer cannot be established.
Can I buy from an independent distributor on a DoD contract?
Yes, with conditions. For electronic parts, DFARS 252.246-7008 allows contractor-approved suppliers when parts are out of production and not in stock from the manufacturer or its authorized sources, provided the supplier was approved using established counterfeit prevention standards. Any other source requires prompt written notice to the contracting officer plus inspection, testing and authentication, with the records available to the government.
Does DFARS 252.246-7008 apply to mechanical parts?
The clause defines electronic parts as integrated circuits, discrete electronic components and circuit assemblies, so bolts, seals and other mechanical parts are outside its definition. That does not make mechanical parts low risk. Counterfeit and nonconforming fasteners and material exist, and SAE AS6174 applies counterfeit prevention thinking to materiel of any type. Ask for the same traceability on critical hardware.
How do I check a distributor's AS9120 certificate?
Look the company up in the IAQG OASIS database, which lists certificates issued under the aerospace quality standards. Confirm the standard is AS9120, the certificate is current, and the site listed is the one shipping your parts. A certificate for a different location or an expired one does not cover your order. Our AS9100 vs ISO 9001 page walks through the OASIS check.
Related
Sources
- Acquisition.gov, DFARS 252.246-7008 Sources of Electronic Parts (Jan 2023)
- SAE International, AS9120B Quality Management Systems, Requirements for Aviation, Space, and Defense Distributors (2016)
- Intertek, AS9120 certification for aerospace distributors
- Acquisition.gov, FAR Subpart 4.7 Contractor Records Retention
- Cornell LII, DFARS 252.246-7007 Contractor Counterfeit Electronic Part Detection and Avoidance System
- SAE International, AS6081 Counterfeit Electronic Parts, Distributors
- SAE International, AS6174 Counterfeit Materiel; Assuring Acquisition of Authentic and Conforming Materiel
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