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Local Community Business

Launched in 1998 and supported by Purchasing Services and its supply management business partners, the Local Community Business initiative is designed to identify and recruit qualified West and Southwest Philadelphia based suppliers for meaningful and mutually beneficial business relationship with Penn that add value to our institution and help us achieve our research, education and business objectives. These local community business opportunities could be on a direct supplier basis or in strategic partnerships with major regional and national firms, including participation in the Penn Marketplace, Penn's private online supplier exchange.

Purchasing Services utilizes this initiative to identify local community based businesses that offer the products and services required by the University. Purchasing Services has been instrumental in developing opportunities for local community businesses to forge partnerships with major national firms such as Fisher Scientific, IKON Office Solutions and Office Depot. Faculty and staff are required to support local community suppliers when purchasing required products and services and can easily access a comprehensive list of purchasing approved local community suppliers. In fiscal year 2007 alone, Penn purchased approximately $85.7 million (approximately 12% of total purchase order spend) in products and services from local community based suppliers, bringing the total spend with local community businesses since FY1986 to approximately $757 million.

Purchasing Services has also assisted local community businesses with the development of eBusiness capabilities for enablement in Penn's industry leading eProcurement program. The Penn Marketplace provides participating suppliers with a competitive advantage and an opportunity to develop a new or enhance an existing business relationship. Purchasing Services is partnering with SciQuest Incorporated, Penn's eProcurement business partner, to provide eBusiness technology skills development services to qualified local community based businesses.

It is our goal to identify and include qualified local community suppliers when we purchase the products and services required by Penn faculty and staff. We encourage local community suppliers who can meet our business and procurement technology requirements on a competitive basis to contact us to pursue a new business relationship with the University of Pennsylvania.

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