Policies and Initiatives

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Competitive Bid Policy

When required by law or policy, or when requested by a campus department, professional buyers in the Purchasing and Contracts Department will generate formal Requests for Proposals (RFP) or Requests for Quotations (RFQ).

  • Only the Stanford Purchasing and Contracts Department has the authority to issue RFPs. This is to ensure that the process conforms to both state law and University policy.
  • Only responses to RFQs solicited by a professional buyer are regarded as meeting the requirements for competition in Purchasing.

The department requestor may consult directly with a supplier representative for technical or sophisticated information and assistance in developing specifications. Resultant purchase orders, contracts, agreements, memorandum of understanding, letter of intent, etc., must be executed only by the professional Purchasing staff with specifically delegated authority.

Many pricing agreements have been established as a result of the competitive bid process. Once such contracts or agreements are established, Stanford buyers can purchase goods and services against them without being constrained by any additional requirement for competition.

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Living Wage Policy (applicable to service workers)

On September 1, 2007, Stanford University implemented a living wage policy which applies to all service workers at Stanford, whether they are directly employed by Stanford or by contractors. Among other things, these policies implement a minimum wage as well as minimum time off. More information on the living wage policy.

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Medical School Policy on Vendor Access and Gifts

On October 1st, 2006, the Stanford University Medical Center enacted a policy to ensure that doctors’ and scientists’ interactions with the pharmaceutical industry are ethical and avoid conflicts of interest. It severely restricts the ability of physicians to accept industry gifts. It also bans pharmaceutical, bio-device and related industry representatives from many areas of the medical school without an appointment. Read full news release at the School of Medicine web site.
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Sustainable Purchasing

In keeping with Stanford's commitment to the environment, we encourage departments to adhere to green purchasing practices whenever possible, taking into account the environmental impact, including but not limited to the financial and environmental cost of manufacturing, transporting and disposing of the product.

We encourage suppliers to offer environmentally-friendly alternatives, where available, at a competitive price.

The EPA's 5 Guiding Principles

  1. Include environmental considerations as part of the normal purchasing process
  2. Emphasize pollution prevention early in the purchasing process
  3. Examine multiple environmental attributes and costs throughout a product or service's life cycle
  4. Compare relevant environmental impacts when selecting products and services
  5. Collect accurate and meaningful information about environmental performance and use it to make purchasing decisions
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Supplier Diversity Program / Small Businesses

Stanford makes an effort to do business with small and/or minority-owned businesses. More details will be posted here as our supplier diversity program is developed.

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Stanford Policy on Gifts

According to Administrative Guide 15.2, Staff Policy on Conflict of Commitment and Interest section 2d, staff may not accept any gifts exceeding $50 in value.

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HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

Departments should inform suppliers if the product they are buying, such as a computer, will be used to store information protected under HIPAA. Suppliers should make every effort to maintain the security of such information, for example, if the product is returned to them for repair.

More information is available in the Administrative Guide and the University HIPAA Manual.

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