Sourcing FAQs
Please see below for common frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for here, please contact the Sourcing Help Desk.
What does the Strategic Sourcing department do?
The Strategic Sourcing Department is here to support schools, departments, and stakeholders in acquiring products and services for Georgetown University.
When should I contact the Strategic Sourcing department?
Please contact the strategic sourcing department for information or formal requests and any templates you may need assistance with managing. We recommend you reach out to us about all purchases 25k and over that are not through a preferred supplier.
What are the roles of the Strategic Sourcing department once I contact them to purchase a product or service?
- Proactively works with campus staff to ensure the effective management and delivery of quality procurement services
- Designs, and implements, strategic sourcing strategy on effective procurement processes
- Maintains suitable sources of supply by facilitating supplier outreach for campus requirements and ensuring equal opportunity in University business contracting
- Establishes competition wherever practicable including assisting in the development of procurement specifications, soliciting and processing requests for quotations, conducting negotiations for price, terms, and conditions, and where necessary, conferring with counsel for advice and resolution of matters
- Establishes annual price agreements and contracts in accordance with sound procurement practices. Such contracts and agreements include participation in specialty contracts and consortium agreements
How does the University decide which corporations to do business with? What goes into the process?
The process of selecting suppliers and partnerships begins with research and data in the supplier’s respective industry. Once we have identified suppliers that fit into the statement of work or purpose of our procurement strategy, we then select the best quality, competitively priced, and/or diverse service provider we can. The negotiation process for suppliers is to ensure we meet the needs of the community and give back to the university. These incentives come in the form of rebates, discounts, internships, sponsorships, and scholarships for your school.
What types of incentives do suppliers offer Georgetown for us to source from them?
The sourcing department negotiates incentives to gather discounts, rebates, scholarships, athletic sponsorships, internships, and any other benefit that may be used for students and faculty.
How does Strategic Sourcing ensure that it’s procuring relationships that provide excellent customer service for the Georgetown Community?
We are committed to providing quality supplier management solutions and reviewing supplier performance bi-annually by developing a formal supplier performance review involving stakeholder grievances and monitoring any service level agreements negotiated with the supplier.
What is the difference between Sourcing and Contract departments?
- Sourcing Department is to support schools and departments in the acquisition of products and services for Georgetown University. GU employees should involve sourcing as early as possible when considering such purchases
- Contracts Department serves as a resource in connection with multiple phases of contracts for purchased goods and services, contract drafting, review, and contract management.
How does the University decide which corporations to do business with? What goes into the process?
- The process of selecting suppliers and partnerships begins with research and data in the supplier’s respective industry. Once we have identified suppliers that fit into the statement of work or purpose of our procurement strategy, we then select the best quality, competitively priced, and/or diverse service provider we can. The negotiation process for suppliers is to ensure we meet the needs of the community and give back to the university. These incentives come in the form of rebates, discounts, internships, sponsorships, and scholarships for your school.
What types of incentives do suppliers offer Georgetown for us to source from them?
- Sourcing department uses Georgetown’s leverage as a university to gather, discounts, rebates, scholarships, athletic sponsorships, internships, and any other benefit that may be used for students and faculty
What is a ProCard?
- For procard information go to Accounts Payable or email: procard@georgetown.edu
How does Strategic Sourcing ensure that it’s procuring relationships that provide excellent customer service for the Georgetown Community?
- We are committed to providing quality supplier management solutions and review supplier performance on a bi-annual basis by developing a formal supplier performance review involving stakeholder grievances and monitoring any service level agreements negotiated with the supplier.
What is a Master Agreement?
- Master Service agreements are those entered into between Georgetown and a supplier that set out standard terms that control future transactions entered into between the parties. Each time that a transaction is entered into, the terms of the master service agreement do not need to be re-negotiated. Please note that master agreements are facilitated by GS&PS, and can only be created, extended, re-negotiated, or otherwise amended by a member of the GS&PS team.
How do I utilize a Master Agreement?
- If you are interested in engaging one of the selected caterers to provide services under the master service agreement, you can reach out to the supplier directly to solicit a proposal or quote for your event. Once the proposal is received:
- 1. Create a GMS Requisition to request funding approval
- 2. Attach as supporting documentation the scope of work, proposal, and/or quote from the supplier, including the dates of service
- 3. Route requisition for approval
- 4. Once approved, source requisition and issue a purchase order
- a. When the department is ready to source the PO, The department may sign the banquet event order, quote, or proposal.
- b. (These terms have already been duplicated in each master agreement so you are not committing the university to any additional liabilities.)
- 5. Reference the GMS master contract number on the purchase order in the “supplier contract” field
- 6. Attach the scope of work, proposal, and/or quote from the supplier to the purchase order and send it to the supplier.