KEY INITIATIVE:
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
Organizational Priority #2
Optimize performance of management and support functions to
assure efficiency and administrative integrity of operations.
Leader
Maureen Gormley
Collaborators
NIH Office of Procurement Management, NIH Administration,
CC Office of Administrative Management and Planning, CC Department
Heads
Description
In 1995, the acquisition services and support functions of
the CC were transferred to the Office of Procurement Management
(OPM), NIH. At that time, it was agreed that the CC would transfer
its current acquisition support staff (18 FTEs) to OPM, but the
salary and benefits, training, and travel costs for these FTEs
would remain the responsibility of the CC.
Problems with timely acquisition of equipment, supplies, and
services for patient care and research activities in the CC are
frequent and unacceptable. Understanding and prioritizing the
acquisition needs of the various CC departments is paramount
to providing optimal service.
The plan is to assimilate the current OPM staff under CC leadership
and locate them in the CC programs for which they provide service.
This transition will allow purchasing staff to gain a better
understanding of the operational needs of the programs they serve.
The closer proximity of acquisition and program staff will facilitate
communication and, in most cases, reduce the amount of time needed
to acquire goods and services.
Accomplishments-to-Date
- Concept approved by CC Board of Governors Executive Committee
- Discussions with NIH leadership pending implementation of
campus-wide changes in procurement practices
FY2000 Goals
- Assimilation of procurement staff into the CC
- Creation of a new procurement structure in the CC; recruitment
of a new procurement chief
- Decreased expenditure on procurement activities (both processing
actions and personnel)
- Increased use of government purchase cards for small purchases
- Decreased turnaround time for processing small purchases
and contract actions
- Savings generated through improved contract management
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