Vendor Qualification and Audit Training
About This Course
Supplier or vendor qualification is a crucial component in compliance to 21 CFR 111. The FDA requires that manufacturers of dietary supplements must “qualify” each of their vendors but do not provide guidance on how a company is to perform this qualification. Supplier qualification principles also apply to subcontracted services affecting cGMP (manufacturing steps, packaging and labeling, testing and/or calibration services, storage and distribution, etc.) Any supplier qualification program must include two critical components:
- Clearly defined specifications/requirements for all of these goods or services being purchased, and;
- Objective evidence to show that your requirements are being consistently fulfilled.
This eight-hour vendor qualification audit training will help you improve quality in your facility. It is designed for those who already have a basic understanding of dietary supplement GMPs and the knowledge and skills necessary to qualify suppliers.
Since the evaluation of all types of suppliers often involves auditing, this course will incorporate a fresh look at the auditing process and the skills and techniques needed to get the most from these activities. The skills and techniques learned are independent of the type of auditing or the standard being audited and will be useful when conducting internal audits and performing audits of suppliers.
Key Learning Objectives
On conclusion of this course, you will have an understanding of the following:
- Regulations that apply to vendor qualification (21 CFR 111)
- Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
- Impact of FSMA on supplier qualification
- Risk assessment and risk management
- Supplier monitoring activities
- On-site audit strategies and requirements
- Managing the audit process effectively before, during and after
- The consequences of noncompliance
Who Should Attend?
This course is valuable for QA/QC, regulatory and compliance, laboratory, and other key personnel who are in charge of or a part of implementing a new or modifying an existing vendor qualification program into their dietary supplement companies’ operations. The course would also be useful for purchasing and production managers, who may be involved in the vendor determination process and could benefit from understanding some of the elements in qualifying a supplier.
Instructors
Course instructors will be selected from the following:
Shawn Ludlow. Shawn Ludlow is a well-established NSF GMP instructor. He has created several third-party certified quality programs compliant with 21 CFR 111, ISO 9001:2000 and FAMI–QS.
With an undergraduate degree in chemistry, master’s degree in public health and experience working as an analytical chemist for several years, Shawn found his education and work experience combination to be a natural fit for dietary supplement manufacturers looking to improve their quality programs.
Nicole Leitz - Nicole Leitz has more than 20 years of experience in the 21 CFR regulated industries. She has written and presented numerous training sessions on quality system elements and best cGMP practices to corporate clients and at national conventions. Nicole is also an experienced remediation consultant. She has advised, and written documentation such as SOPs and WIs and has completed root cause investigations, CAPAs and complaints for corporate clients.
Nicole has a Master of Science degree in organic chemistry from Bucknell University and a Bachelor of Science in ACS chemistry from Hope College.
Jennifer Alfrey - Jennifer has a master’s degree in nutrition and over 25 years of experience in the dietary supplement and cosmetic industries. Her experience ranges from product innovation to global regulatory compliance with experience in formulating, developing, and registering nutrition and cosmetic products in over 150 different countries.
Jennifer has also successfully built cGMP compliant quality management systems from the ground up for dietary supplement manufacturing operations. She has launched quality systems that include compliant documentation of procedures, MMRs, specifications, complaints, laboratory testing, test method development and manufacturing processes.
Additional Recommended Courses
21 CFR 111 Dietary Supplement GMP Overview
This training course is 16-Hours split over 3-days. FDA expects all companies that manufacture, package, or hold dietary supplement products to follow 21 CFR 111, the Dietary Supplement CGMPs. This course provides a basic understanding of CGMPs and the responsibilities expected for various individuals and groups within the company. Participants will learn how to apply CGMP principles to specific situations. The course is interactive, with hands-on exercises including case-studies from recent Warning Letters.
As a part of maintaining compliance to 21 CFR 111, dietary supplement personnel must have GMP training on a regular basis.
Course Prerequisites: None
Date: December 10, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Date: December 11, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Date: December 12, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Eastern Time
Cost: General Registration $1200.00
*Register 3 or more attendees from the same company and receive a 10% discount off each registration*
Attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage, nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification.
Course log in details will be sent in a separate email. Certificate of attendance will be issued upon completion of the course. Completion of the course means being in attendance 95% of the log in time.
21 CFR 111 Dietary Supplement GMP Overview - Intro
This course provides an overview of 21 cCFR 111, the Dietary Supplement CGMPs. This abridged course includes an introduction to current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs), required product quality elements, documentation, investigations and a brief overview of the relevant subparts. We will also review the proper way to execute GMP records, detail the personal hygiene requirements, examine the meaning of master and batch records for control of production, labeling and packaging, clarify the requirements of quality and describe the purpose of GMP rules, regulations and FDA enforcement.
o Personnel
o Buildings and Facilities
o Equipment
o Facility Records
o Production and Process Control
o Holding and Distribution
o Batch Records
o Packaging and Labeling
o Quality Control and Quality Assurance
o Laboratory Operations
o Product Complaints
· The role of the FDA and their authority
· The roles and responsibilities of the Quality Unit
As a part of maintaining compliance to 21 CFR 111, dietary supplement personnel must have GMP training on a regular basis.
Dates: January 30 and January 31st, 2025
Time: 1:00 P.M to 5:00 P.M Eastern Time
Cost: $800.00
Course Prerequisites: None
*Register 3 or more attendees from the same company and receive a 10% discount off each registration*
Attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage, nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification.
Course log in details will be sent in a separate email. Certificate of attendance will be issued upon completion of the course. Completion of the course means being in attendance 95% of the log in time.
Internal Auditing Training for Dietary Supplement
This course is 8-Hours. This dietary supplement internal auditing course will help you understand the fundamentals of auditing and how to conduct an internal audit focused on cGMP and other FDA requirements. The training incorporates internal audit best practices, regulatory requirements and information on turning internal audit findings into useful information. Requirements for 21 CFR 111, supplier programs and FSMA are incorporated into the content.
You’ll learn how to prepare, perform, report and close an audit and discuss the importance of using CAPA systems as a follow-up to your internal audit findings.
Part 1 - November 13, 2025 1:00pm-5:00pm Eastern Time
Part 2 - November 14, 2025 1:00pm-5:00pm Eastern Time
Cost: $800.00
*Register 3 or more attendees from the same company under the "General Registration" type, and receive a 10% discount off each registration*
Attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage, nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification. Course log in details will be sent in a separate email. Certificate of attendance will be issued upon completion of the course. Completion of the course means being in attendance 95% of the log in time.