Our Services

SGS offers four core service lines: WOME functional competence gap assessments aligned to ISO 9001 Clause 7.2 and AQAP-2110; NATO procurement advisory covering bid review, AQAP compliance analysis, and sole-source justification; specialist WOME training programmes for procurement officers, supply chain managers, and QA teams; and expert witness and regulatory compliance support for legal proceedings, contract disputes, and regulatory investigations involving conventional munitions or energetic materials. All services are delivered by or under the direct supervision of Steve Sawyers MIExpE VR, drawing on eight years at the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. SGS does not subcontract core advisory work to generalist consultants — every engagement benefits from direct WOME technical expertise combined with NATO institutional knowledge.

A WOME functional competence assessment evaluates whether an organisation’s personnel have the domain-specific knowledge required to safely and effectively discharge their WOME-related responsibilities. The assessment maps actual competence against defined technical benchmarks covering hazard classification (HD and CG per UN Model Regulations), storage and transport regulatory frameworks (ADR/RID, IMDG, TP36), AQAP quality assurance obligations, and ordnance identification and condition reporting. The output is a structured gap analysis identifying individuals and teams where competence falls below the standard required under ISO 9001 Clause 7.2 and AQAP-2110, together with a targeted development plan and evidence package for GQAR and audit purposes. Assessments are tailored to role: procurement officer, stores inspector, logistics coordinator, or quality assurance manager.

SGS provides bid preparation review, AQAP compliance gap analysis, sole-source justification drafting, and procurement documentation support for contracts placed through or compliant with NATO frameworks, including NSPA and bilateral arrangements under STANAG 4107. Steve Sawyers spent eight years at NSPA, giving SGS direct familiarity with how NATO procurement authorities evaluate bids, conduct Government Quality Assurance, and apply AQAP-2110 during contract execution. This means SGS can identify compliance weaknesses before bid submission — rather than after contract award — and help suppliers demonstrate the functional competence required under AQAP-2110 Clause 7.2. SGS also supports allied nation procurement authorities seeking to align national procedures with NATO QA standards where WOME supply chains cross alliance borders.

Yes. AQAP-2110 Edition D compliance support is a core SGS service, covering the full compliance lifecycle: pre-contract gap analysis against AQAP-2110 requirements; Deliverable Quality Plan development per AQAP-2105; Government Quality Assurance Representative engagement preparation; Clause 7.2 competence documentation; and post-contract GQAR audit support. SGS also addresses the intersection of AQAP-2110 with WOME-specific technical requirements — an area where generalist ISO 9001 consultants typically lack the ordnance domain knowledge to advise meaningfully. Particular focus is given to Clause 7.2, where AQAP-2110 requires demonstrated personnel competence but does not define what that means in a WOME procurement context. SGS provides the technical benchmarks and gap analysis that close this definitional void.

Sole-source justification (SSJ) is the documentation required when a procurement authority awards a contract without competitive tendering, on the basis that only one supplier can meet the requirement. In WOME procurement, sole-source awards arise frequently due to proprietary fuze designs, single-nation production facilities, safety-critical qualification requirements, or compatibility constraints with existing munitions stockpiles. Poor SSJ documentation is a major audit risk: it can trigger regulatory challenge, contract suspension, or referral to anti-corruption authorities. SGS drafts and reviews SSJ packages, ensuring they address the technical uniqueness argument, alternative supplier analysis, price reasonableness assessment, and AQAP compliance evidence. Steve Sawyers’ NSPA background gives SGS direct familiarity with the rigour NATO procurement authorities apply when scrutinising sole-source awards.