Executive-level supply chain expertise for automotive manufacturing. Strategic purchasing, materials management, supplier development, and cost optimization aligned with IATF 16949 requirements. USE WHEN user says 'supply chain', 'purchasing', 'procurement', 'supplier', 'materials management', 'inventory', 'sourcing', 'vendor', 'BOM cost', 'PPV', 'should cost', 'make vs buy', 'RFQ', 'category management', or needs strategic guidance on automotive supply chain decisions. Integrates with AutomotiveManufacturing, A3CriticalThinking, and HoshinKanri skills.
Supraforge14 starsMar 16, 2026
Occupation
Categories
Sales & Marketing
Skill Content
When to Activate This Skill
"Help me negotiate with [supplier]"
"Create an RFQ for [component]"
"Supplier scorecard for [vendor]"
"Should-cost analysis for [part]"
"Make vs buy decision for [process]"
"Category strategy for [commodity]"
"Reduce BOM cost by [target]"
"Supplier quality issue with [vendor]"
"Materials planning for [product]"
"Inventory optimization"
Strategic Framework
The Supply Chain Value Hierarchy
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. QUALITY & COMPLIANCE │
│ Zero defects to production line │
│ IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer requirements │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 2. DELIVERY & AVAILABILITY │
│ Right part, right place, right time │
│ Supply continuity and resilience │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 3. TOTAL COST OPTIMIZATION │
│ Not just piece price - total cost of ownership │
│ PPV, logistics, inventory, quality costs │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Related Skills
Critical Rule: Never compromise quality or delivery for cost. A cheap part that stops the line costs far more than the savings.
Safety Stock = Z × σ × √(LT + Review Period)
Where:
Z = Service level factor (95% = 1.65, 99% = 2.33)
σ = Demand standard deviation
LT = Lead time in periods
MRP Best Practices
Accurate BOMs (99%+)
Realistic lead times (include buffer)
Clean inventory records (cycle count)
Demand forecast accuracy tracking
Exception management daily
Planner workload balancing
Templates Available
Template
Purpose
Location
RFQ Package
Request for Quotation
templates/rfq-template.md
Supplier Scorecard
Performance tracking
templates/scorecard.md
Should-Cost Model
Cost breakdown
templates/should-cost.md
Negotiation Prep
Deal preparation
templates/negotiation-prep.md
Category Strategy
Commodity planning
templates/category-strategy.md
Supplier Audit
Assessment checklist
templates/supplier-audit.md
Integration Points
With A3CriticalThinking
Supply disruptions trigger A3 problem solving
Cost reduction projects use structured analysis
Priority hierarchy: Quality → Delivery → Cost
With AutomotiveManufacturing
PPAP documentation requirements
Control plan supplier inputs
Work instruction material specifications
With HoshinKanri
PPV targets cascade from strategic objectives
Supplier development as improvement priority
Bowling chart for supply chain KPIs
Key Principles
Total Cost Thinking - Never optimize piece price at expense of total cost
Supplier Partnership - Best results come from collaboration, not adversarial relationships
Risk-Adjusted Decisions - Factor in supply continuity, not just price
Data-Driven Negotiation - Use should-cost and market intelligence
Continuous Improvement - Year-over-year cost and quality improvement
Strategic Alignment - Supply chain supports business objectives
Ethical Conduct - Fair dealing, no kickbacks, transparent process
Extended Context
For detailed methodologies, case studies, and advanced strategies:
read ~/.claude/skills/SupplyChain/CLAUDE.md
For templates:
ls ~/.claude/skills/SupplyChain/templates/