The SMC- Improving the Customer/Supplier Relationship

Prime contractors are becoming more closely involved in the working relationship between prime contractors, major subcontractors and their suppliers. This creates greater opportunities for suppliers to improve their business practices and offer more to their customers. As a result, suppliers also gain opportunities to move up the supply chain by broadening their customer base and increasing their market share.

AIA established the Supplier Management Council (SMC) to improve the relationship between supplier and customer. The council recognizes that many suppliers serve numerous customers that compete and team with one another. The SMC is the forum where customers (AIA Regular Member companies) and suppliers (AIA Associate Member companies) come together to resolve problems in doing business.

Creative Collaboration
A new era is dawning for the SMC - one of creative collaboration. The SMC wants to move from an issue-based organization to a relationship-based organization, while supplier issues in doing business with large companies will remain a focus. Creative collaboration is defined as partnering in out of the box ways to bring value to all of the partners. For more information on creative collaboration, visit our SMC Committees section.

SMC Operations
The SMC meets three times a year. The meetings include workshops on issues and solutions, a business session to review the progress of working groups, discussions on emerging issues, lectures from government and industry experts, and tours of production facilities. Meetings are often scheduled in conjunction with AIA Regular member company supplier conferences.

SMC Leadership
The SMC is led by an Executive Committee composed of representatives from six supplier companies and five primes or major subcontractors. The committee determines key issues and establishes working groups to interact with AIA's president and Board of Governors.