Contracted Internal Audits
Is our quality system actually working? An independent AS9100D Lead Auditor verifies that your QMS conforms to the standard and works in daily practice, meeting the clause 9.2 requirement and preparing you for registrar and customer audits. Built for certified or certification-bound manufacturers that lack the time or independence to audit themselves.
QMS Implementations
A Quality System Your Team Actually Uses
Certification is the diploma, but the quality system is the education that makes you successful every day. Many companies earn the certificate and still struggle to live up to it, because the system was built for the auditor instead of the shop floor. Big W's QMS implementation starts with leadership and culture, then builds ISO 9001 or AS9100 systems around how your people actually work, so the system holds up long after audit day.
What's included:
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ISO 9001 and AS9100 implementation: system design, procedures, and records scaled to your size and risk
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Certification readiness: training, internal audit, and management review support through your registrar audit
Why Big W: Over a decade of quality engineering experience, an AS9100D Lead Auditor's view of what registrars look for, and a culture-first approach that makes the system stick.
Gap Analysis
How far are we from where we need to be? We compare your current practices to ISO 9001, AS9100, or a customer requirement and deliver a risk-prioritized roadmap for closing the gaps. Ideal for companies pursuing first-time certification, upgrading from ISO 9001 to AS9100, responding to new flow-down requirements, or dealing with a unique certification situation.
Gap analyses are often included within QMS Implementation packages, but can also be purchased as a standalone assessment. When this is done, what is spent on a gap analysis can be credited towards a follow-on QMS implementation project within 60 days.
Technical Due Diligence
What quality risk comes with this acquisition? We assess the quality posture, compliance exposure, and operational risk of a target facility, then translate findings into deal terms: what to price in, what to fix, or when to walk. Built for investors and acquirers evaluating aerospace, defense, and precision manufacturing businesses.
On top of AS9100 experience, we are the only consultancy who can claim direct experience as a Nuclear Security Enterprise customer, versed in NAP 401.1a, PQR 1020, PQR 1050, & PQR 1060. We have experienced mergers and acquisitions as a customer in this space that went smoothly, and also ones that did not go as smoothly. We are keenly aware of the risks and will create a plan that will keep your customers happy after transition.
We are a good fit to patient, long-term focused capital that is concerned with preserving and growing upon existing customer relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should we start: a gap analysis or a QMS implementation?
If you aren’t sure how far you are from the standard, start with a gap analysis. Think of it as the survey before you build: it shows what’s already in place and what’s missing, so the implementation plan is based on facts, not guesses. If you already know you’re starting from scratch, we can go straight to implementation.
What’s the difference between ISO 9001 and AS9100?
ISO 9001 is the general quality management standard. AS9100 builds on it with additional requirements for aerospace and defense, such as configuration management, product safety, counterfeit parts prevention, and tighter risk and supplier controls. Many aerospace and defense customers require AS9100, so the right choice usually depends on who you sell to.
Do we need certification, or can we just have a good quality system?
Only your customers and markets can answer that. Many aerospace and defense primes require certification from their suppliers, while others only require a documented, effective system. Either way, the work is the same: a system your team actually uses is worth more than a certificate on the wall.
Why do we need an outside auditor if we have our own quality staff?
Independence is the point. Clause 9.2 requires internal audits that are objective and impartial, and that is hard when auditors review their own work or their colleagues’. A contracted auditor brings fresh eyes, no internal politics, and the experience of an AS9100D Lead Auditor who knows what registrars look for.
How long does implementation take, and what does it cost?
Both depend on your size, your starting point, and your target standard, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Typical timelines are 6-12 months. A short discovery conversation and a gap analysis give us what we need to scope the work and provide a clear proposal.
Can you work with our existing system instead of starting over?
Yes, and we usually prefer to. If your current system works in practice, we build on it and fix what’s broken instead of replacing it with a generic template. A system built around how your people already work is far more likely to last.
What makes Big W different from other quality consultants?
We believe quality starts with leadership and culture, then systems, then certification. Many consultants hand you a binder of procedures, but we focus on making the system hold up after audit day. That comes from over a decade of quality engineering experience in mission critical environments and an auditor’s view of what actually passes and fails.
What does technical due diligence cover, and who should request it?
It’s an assessment of a target facility’s quality posture, compliance exposure, and operational risk before you acquire or invest. It’s built for investors, acquirers, and searchers evaluating aerospace, defense, or precision manufacturing businesses. Findings are translated into deal terms: what to price in, what to fix, or when to walk away.
How do we get started?
Contact us for a short discovery call. We’ll talk through your goals, your current situation, and which service fits, then follow up with a clear scope and proposal.