Method and system for providing an end-to-end business process for electronic supplier qualification and quality management

A method for facilitating supplier qualification and quality management functions in a communications network environment, comprising:

• qualifying suppliers, parts, and technologies in a collaborative network environment via a web-based user interface and shared data repository, said qualifying suppliers, parts, and technologies including:
• acquiring supplier capabilities, part data, and supplier technology data from at least one collaborative source via said web-based user interface, said collaborative source including a supplier, a manufacturing representative, and at least one of an electronic catalog and a commercial data repository;
• storing acquired data in said shared data repository, said acquired data accessible to affected collaborative sources;
• and
• performing quality management functions via said web-based user interface and shared data repository, said quality management functions including at least one of:
• managing identified changes to a supplier product;
• managing process changes proposed by a supplier;
• and
• assessing quality metrics provided by a supplier;
• wherein said performing quality management functions includes:
• identifying potential problems relating to a supplier;
• alerting affected collaborative sources of said potential problems;
• notifying management;
• and
• collaborating with said supplier associated with said potential problems for determining a resolution;
• and
• generating a problem report.