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