Supplier Selection Guide

Purchasing Services is responsible for managing the University's purchasing system approved supplier database. The BEN Buys approved supplier database contains the names of all suppliers that have been reviewed and approved by Purchasing Services for inclusion in the BEN Buys Purchasing System.

If a supplier has been identified for a purchase of products or services, follow the steps listed below to determine the supplier's current status in BEN Buys or to submit a request to add the supplier to the approved supplier database.

Steps		What's Involved	Person Responsible
1.	Check the BEN Buys Approved Supplier list	Select the letter of the first letter of the supplier name	Any faculty or staff member
2.	Confirm that the desired supplier is a BEN Buys approved supplier	Check for supplier name, PO site, supplier type (contract or non-contract) and approved supplier number, proceed with creation of the purchase requisition	BEN Buys Requisitioner or PO Manager
3.	If not in the approved supplier database, submit a request to add a new BEN Buys supplier	Complete the online request form and submit it to Purchasing Services	Any faculty or staff member
		Purchasing Services will send a supplier questionnaire to the desired supplier	Purchasing Services

Upon receipt of a Request to Add a New BEN Buys Supplier, Purchasing Services will send a supplier questionnaire to the supplier representative within twenty-four (24) hours (usually the same business day). It is the responsibility of the prospective supplier to complete and return a fully executed supplier questionnaire to Purchasing Services in a timely manner.

Suppliers must provide all required information and agree do the University's Purchase Order Terms and Conditions prior to being added to the supplier database. Purchasing Services reserves the right to decline a request to add a new supplier, if the commodity is already available from a University preferred contract or Penn Marketplace participating supplier, or if use of the supplier is not in the best interest of the University.

Tips to Remember When Selecting a Supplier

Regardless of the method of purchasing, you should always consider the following when selecting a supplier to satisfy your product or service requirement.

1. Faculty and staff are required to use BEN Buys approved suppliers, in particular, preferred contract and Penn Marketplace suppliers, to ensure the University leverages its buying power and receives the "least total cost" when purchasing products or services from an external supplier.

   If you can not locate a supplier in the supplier database, and would like to have a new supplier added to the database, complete and submit a a request to add a BEN Buys supplier to Purchasing Services.

2. Whenever Purchasing Services establishes contracts for commodities, the goal is to provide the best pricing and service overall for a specific group of products or services. The best price can not always be the lowest price for all products and services, and the buyer may be able to find a lower price for a specific item on any given day. Only buying those items from a University contract supplier that have the lowest prices and going outside the contract for other items is called "cherry-picking."

   Cherry picking undermines the strategic business relationship with our contract suppliers. This practice undercuts the overall agreement and the University will lose the overall benefits of the contract. When suppliers realize that University buyers are going outside the contract to purchase items, the suppliers are less likely to offer their best pricing and service levels the next time the contract goes out to bid.

3. Per University's financial policy, it is important to avoid any and all conflicts of interest. Employees must disqualify themselves from participating in University buying decisions in which they have a personal financial interest. This includes purchasing from:
   • Spouses/relatives/near-relatives
   • Companies for which the purchaser/decision-maker has stock ownership
   • Current or former Penn employees
4. Choose suppliers for the quality and prices of the products and services they provide. At no time is a faculty or staff member permitted to accept gifts or gratuities from suppliers. (See Ethics Guidelines)

Related Links

• Supplier Lists