Patent ID: 7353497

Claim:
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.