The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s 15th Annual Procurement Event and Luncheon drew more than 500 prospective vendors eager to find out more about doing business with the nation’s largest free-standing health sciences university to the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel on Oct. 19, 2009.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from attendees and presenters alike; and common positives comments were: ‘valuable and timely information’; ‘on-site registration’; and ‘physical interface with buying staff’ ”, said Ernestine Watson, assistant vice president of UMDNJ’s Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development.
The program, entitled “Sustaining Supplier Diversity,” began with a welcome from UMDNJ President William F. Owen, Jr., M.D. Workshops offering more information about the UMDNJ supply chain process; contracts for construction as well as maintenance, repair and operations (MRO); IT and Telecommunications Services; and the request for proposal (RFP) process, risk and claims, contract management, healthcare in small business and payment procedures were held. In addition, vendors had opportunities to participate in one-on-one sessions with UMDNJ purchasing staff and to register for New Jersey Small/Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise and US Small Business certification.
A luncheon featuring speaker James A. Kocsi, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New Jersey District office, located in Newark, followed.
The State of New Jersey has set a goal that 25 percent of purchasing for construction, goods, equipment and services by public entities, including the University, be made from small and minority- and women-owned businesses. UMDNJ recently received several awards that recognize its leadership among purchasers striving to achieve this mandate. Through events such as this, the University seeks to expand its partnerships with a wide array of local entrepreneurs.
Anyone who could not attend the event but is interested in becoming a UMDNJ vendor should contact Deborah Wiggins in UMDNJ’s Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development at (973) 972-4318 or email wigginde@umdnj.edu
As a resource to all citizens of New Jersey, UMDNJ is committed to diversity in education, research, health care, employment, and business opportunities. We are proud of our accomplishments and will continue to build on these achievements through actively and affirmatively seeking a diverse group of vendors and to develop professional relationships with small businesses, including minority and women-owned firms.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is the nation’s largest free-standing public health sciences university with nearly 5,700 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and its only school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty practices at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a statewide mental health and addiction services network.
