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For VendorsWelcome to Central Vermont Medical Center
At Central Vermont Medical Center, we work hard to maintain open communication and productive working relations with our vendors. We are pleased to see the interest by vendors for information concerning the best way to do business with the institution. In this guide, we hope to answer all of our vendors' questions dealing with the Medical Center's business policies.
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Purchasing Objectives
The primary objective of the Materiels Management Department is to obtain maximum quality, value and service for dollars expended, in compliance with ethical trade practices. We recognize the important services rendered by you, our vendor, in helping us to fulfill requirements in an economic and efficient manner. As our vendor you are our link with technology, and as such, you are very valuable to us. This guide is distributed to assist vendors in serving our facility more effectively. Our goal is to acquire (buy, lease, rent) goods and services that the Medical Center departments need at the optimum quality and best price. Specifically, the Materiels Management Department:
- Strives to obtain the maximum value for each dollar of expenditure.
- Considers quality, prices and ability to deliver on schedule.
- Researches markets for new products, ideas, and sources resulting in cost
savings for improved patient care.
- The Materiels Management Department business hours are between 8 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. It is recommended that appointments be made to assure that the buyer will be available at the time of each visit. Exceptions may be made for vendors calling for the first time.
Procurement Responsibilities
The Materiels Management Department is responsible for the procurement of supplies, equipment and related services necessary for the operation of the Medical Center. There is delegation of purchasing responsibility to Woodridge Food Services and CVMC Pharmacy buyers for their respective areas. Each vendor is cautioned against accepting verbal or written requests for materials (goods) from departments or individuals without written purchase orders or authorized purchasing card. The Medical Center cannot and will not be responsible for paying for goods shipped to the Medical Center unless duly authorized by a purchase order or purchasing card transaction. Even the departments mentioned above as having delegated responsibility must use a purchase order or purchasing card.
The Purchasing Process
The primary method for the purchase of goods, equipment and/or related services is via an official purchase order with an authorized purchase order number. The Medical Center will NOT accept liability for goods ordered and/or shipped to the institution without an approved purchase order. There are four types of purchase orders issued by the Medical Center.
1) Regular Purchase Orders: Issued by the Materiels Management Department for goods, equipment and related services. NOTE: A purchase order is required even when goods, equipment and related services are being provided at no cost to CVMC.
2) Standing Purchase Orders: Issued by the Materiels Management Department, specifying actual shipment dates, specific time period, dollar limit, and product(s) that may be purchased against the order.
3) E Commerce Orders: E commerce orders are allowed on a pre approved basis. Contact Materiels for more information.
4) Purchasing Card Orders: Purchasing cards may be used for the purchase of supplies within established guidelines and limits.
Conditions
The Materiels Management Department has the responsibility to conduct all negotiations concerning price and conditions of sale for all purchases and anticipated purchases for the Medical Center. All bids and quotations must be submitted to the Materiels Management Department, although it is acceptable for vendors to provide preliminary quotations to departments for budgetary purposes only.
Contractual Arrangements
Only an authorized agent of the Medical Center may commit on behalf of the institution. Contracts must be reviewed by the Materiels Management Department. The Medical Center will not be held responsible for any contracts signed by a non-authorized individual. This includes, but is not limited to, volume pricing agreements, service and/or maintenance agreements, lease or lease/purchase agreements, software and software licenses (which require approval by the Director of Information Systems). We recommend that vendors contact the Materiels Management Department when a contract and/or agreement requires a signature.
Solicitation
Vendor representatives, as guests of the Medical Center, are expected to be aware of the Medical Center's vendor policy. All vendor representatives must register with the Materiels Management Department prior to engaging in any promotion or information activities. Vendor representatives are required to sign a “Declaration of Understanding and Compliance with Policies for Company Representatives” form denoting agreement to abide by the policies set forth in this document. Vendor representatives must check in with the Materiels Management Department upon each visit. Please call the Materiels Management Department (802) 371- 4157 for additional information and directions to the office.
Note: Access to patient care areas is strictly limited unless requested by clinical staff for educational purposes. These areas include:
- Nursing Units
- Emergency Department
- Outpatient Practice Sites
- Main Operating Room Complex
- South Operating Rooms
- All other inpatient/outpatient areas including Woodridge Nursing Home.
Pharmaceuticals
In addition to the guidelines described in the previous section, the following additional guidelines are for Pharmaceutical sales representatives. The Medical Center has a Formulary system. Only those drugs assessed and approved for use on campus are stocked. All Pharmaceutical sales representatives must be registered with the Pharmacy. Each representative is responsible for obtaining a copy of the complete set of guidelines. The Pharmacy office phone number is (802) 371-4169.
Medical Center Product Evaluation
The Value Analysis Committee is the principal body involved in the selection of patient care commodities. The committee coordinates product evaluation and has approval authority for new and existing patient care products. Company representatives are to be aware of the costs to Materiels Management, Nursing, and other departments, for in-use evaluations of their products, must provide products at no cost, and must reimburse the Medical Center for any indirect expenses incurred. These costs would include add-on personnel costs as well as any incremental product costs incurred for purchase of trial/evaluation products. Products that are to be evaluated in an actual clinical setting are to be delivered in properly sealed shipping cartons, paying particular attention to packaging that assures the integrity of sterile products until the point of use.
Vendors should contact Materiels Management for further assistance.
Medical Center Equipment Evaluation
When equipment is brought into the hospital for an evaluation or trial by any department, a purchase order must be issued specifying the terms of the arrangement. The Materiels Management Department must be contacted on all equipment brought in for evaluation. All equipment used in patient care must be inspected and approved by the Bio- Medical Engineering Department prior to its use. The Materiels Management Department will make arrangements for this inspection.
Receiving Department
The Receiving Department is located at the rear of Central Vermont Medical Center on the main campus of the Medical Center. Maximum trailer length is 48 feet. Receiving personnel will accept shipments only from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. All purchases of the Medical Center must be delivered to this area, for disposition, unless otherwise stipulated in writing by the Materiels Management Department. All shipments must carry the Medical Center purchase order number and must be accompanied by a packing slip. If the shipment was ordered with a Credit or Purchasing card, it must contain the person's name and department or department number. Vendors sending bulk shipments or large dollar value shipments must call (802) 371-4155 for an appointment.
Vendor representatives, who wish to hand deliver items, must deliver such items through the Receiving Department so that necessary internal receiving reports may be processed.
The Shipping and Receiving Department is responsible for returning materials for replacement/credit including items that are over shipped. Please contact Shipping and Receiving at (802) 371-4155 for additional instructions.
Invoices
Invoices should be sent to the address listed below. Invoices should have a valid purchase order number, as applicable, on all copies. Partial shipments are not desirable and are not encouraged unless a shortness of supply demands split shipments. Please do not invoice prior to shipment.
Invoice Addresses:
Central Vermont Medical Center
ATTN: Accounts Payable
P.O. Box 547
Barre, VT 05641-0547
Alternatively invoices may be emailed to the following address:
CVMC.AcctDept@hitchcock.org
The telephone and FAX numbers for invoice inquiry are:
Telephone inquiry (802) 371 4219 or 4218
FAX line inquiry (802) 371 4802
Payment
We make payments to you based on the information contained on your invoice (unless you have made other arrangements with CVMC).
The Medical Center attempts to meet its obligations to you promptly, and within your terms. Vendors who offer price concessions based on rapid payment receive high priority.
Please note discrepancies in shipment or invoicing, such as omission of the purchase order number, may result in delay of payment.
Payments are made by check or via the Automated Clearing House (ACH). Our preferred payment method is via the ACH. Click here for an ACH enrollment form. Please be advised you may email the enrollment form to us, but we also require an original signed copy of the enrollment form before we can begin making electronic payments to the company.
Tax Status
As a not-for-profit corporation the Medical Center, a 501(c) 3 organization as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, is exempt from most state and federal taxes. Our Federal Tax ID number is #22-2547186. You may obtain a copy of our Vermont tax exemption document from the Accounts Payable Department.
Endorsements
The use of the Central Vermont Medical Center name or any other derivative of this name for public endorsement of commercial products in NOT permitted unless expressly approved in advance.
Vendor Parking
Valet parking is available on campus. Valet parking attendants are stationed at the hospital entrance. There is signage to direct vendors to the valet area. Equipment or tools may be dropped at the Receiving Dock or Information Desk located in the hospital lobby, but the vehicle will be moved to the appropriate valet parking area immediately.
Code of Ethics
CVMC subscribes to the following Institute of Supply Management Code of Ethics. Please request a written copy of these if you are interested in reviewing these.
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