Best Practices for Working With Vendors and Suppliers

Everyone in procurement needs to take time out to review how they are doing in getting the best service out of their vendors. Are they unknowingly putting their employer at increased risk by the way they transact business with vendors? Learn how to develop healthy business relationships with your vendors to get the best results for your company or agency. Discover tools you can use to maintain vendor quality standards.

• Building a Business Relationship
• Procurement Terms and Conditions
• Limiting Risk
• Increase Quality
• Case Studies
• Review

Everyone in procurement needs to take time out to review how they are doing in getting the best service out of their vendors. Are they unknowingly putting their employer at increased risk by the way they transact business with vendors? Learn how to develop healthy business relationships with your vendors to get the best results for your company or agency. Discover tools you can use to maintain vendor quality standards. Develop your company’s terms and conditions to strengthen your position in an agreement. Learn to use contract language to better your company’s position. Learn how to limit risks to your organization. Review case studies that explore vendor relationships and how to avoid conflicts. Receive information on the tools to be used to prevent being held hostage by an underperforming vendor under contract.
Best Practices for Working with Vendors and Suppliers.

• This is a Business Relationship
• You are representing your Company or Agency
• Your First Priority should be to look out for the best interests of your Employer
• Your Vendor will be looking out for their best interests
• Avoid getting into a personal relationship with your supplier or their representative

Coming to Terms with your vendor

• Make your vendor aware of your company or agency's purchasing terms and conditions
• Bind your agreements with vendors using your written or published terms
• Avoid using agreements drafted by your vendor
• Review all vendor terms and conditions of sale, warranty, liability, indemnification, etc.

Limit the Risk to your Organization

• Require Insurance of all appropriate types
• Require certifications or licenses if required
• Provide Penalties for unsatisfactory performance
• Provide convenient exit clauses for your organization
• Do a vendor Responsibility Check

How to increase the quality of your business relationship with vendors

• Know what products and services they provide
• Offer them open and competitive solicitations
• Give them adequate time to respond to solicitations
• Monitor their performance
• Pay them timely in accordance with your published payment terms

Case Studies

• The vendor is doing work that puts your company at a High Liability Risk
• The vendor is not providing Quality Transportation Services
• Long time vendor is protesting their loss of Business
• Monitoring Supply vendor leads to more flexibility to the end user
• Poor results are discovered after the vendor has left the job

• Purchasing Agents
• Buyers
• Contract Managers
• Contract Officers

Kenneth M. Jones is a procurement specialist at SUNY Center for International Development. Kenneth has over 30 years of direct procurement experience. He has conducted regular seminars and workshops on public procurement. He is experienced in developing improved procurement practices. He is also a graduate of Schoharie Central School.