Purchasing: Vendor Classifications - Seminole State College of Florida

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Seminole State College
100 Weldon Boulevard
Sanford, Florida 32773-6199
407.708.4722

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Seminole State students can take day or evening classes at any of our four convenient campuses or online.

Vendor Classifications

Supplier Classifications

The supplier classification system described below allows Seminole State to effectively leverage what it spends, improve the quality of products and services, reduce infrastructure costs, manage risk, and meet internal and external customer requirements.

To ensure that the College maximizes the value of every dollar of funding, the Purchasing Department encourages faculty and staff to use preferred contract suppliers to purchase commodities whenever a Collegewide discount pricing agreement has been implemented.

Strategic Suppliers

Strategic suppliers are preferred contract suppliers whose performance and business value are based on an objective scorecard that rates supplier cost, delivery, responsiveness, technology and quality, resulting in greater visibility and access within Seminole State College. Strategic suppliers are long-term, cooperative business partners that are committed to leveraging the strategic and operational capabilities of both organizations to achieve significant ongoing benefits for each party.

Preferred Suppliers

Preferred suppliers are approved suppliers who have been awarded a Collegewide discount pricing agreement by Purchasing to supply products and services required by the College. Preferred suppliers are identified as the "least total cost source" for College purchase requirements in a particular commodity category as well as the preferred contract supplier for those products or services.

Approved Suppliers

Approved suppliers are allowed to provide basic products and/or services to the College. Suppliers must be approved by Purchasing and entered into Seminole State's Oracle Financials System before purchase orders can be issued to them. Pricing is generally "street pricing" or preferred pricing based on a single purchase transaction.

Classification Comparison

Use the chart below to learn more about each classification level and to see how it affects suppliers and the College across a number of categories.

Category	Party	Approved	Preferred	Strategic
Value and Compensation	Supplier	Provides exactly what is stated in the contract or purchase order	Offers process improvements and suggestions	Offers process improvements and suggestions as well as significant value derived from industry expertise, industry contacts and marketplace influence
		Generally engages in single transactions or short-term contracts with the College	Provides value-added expertise and resources to further business initiatives	Provides value-added expertise and resources to further business initiatives
		Commits to receiving electronic purchase orders	Commits to receiving electronic purchase orders and online ordering	Commits to receiving electronic purchase orders, online ordering and invoicing
	Seminole State	Makes payments according to agreed upon terms and conditions	Makes payments according to contract terms and conditions and is willing to negotiate early payment options	Makes payments according to contract terms and conditions, is willing to negotiate early payment options, and offers bonus incentives or competitive intelligence for contract performance when extra value is provided
	Seminole State	Generally engages in single transactions or short-term contracts with supplier	Generally engages in 1-3 year contracts	Generally engages in 3-5 year contracts (sometimes longer)
Pricing and Business Volumes	Supplier	Offers competitive pricing	Offers preferred pricing with term commitments	Commits to offering "most favored customer" pricing
		Offers competitive pricing	Receives Preferred Supplier designation with specific contract terms	Receives Strategic Supplier designation with greater ordering volume
		Is not guaranteed exclusivity	Offers multi-year options with price guarantees	Shares pricing model with College to establish a fair pricing/profit margin
		Is not guaranteed exclusivity	Gives pricing and invoicing audit rights to College	Gives pricing and invoicing audit rights to College
	Seminole State	Limits business to each transaction	Provides opportunities for increased market share	Partners with supplier to achieve maximum market share
		Uses purchase orders and the competitive solicitation process to award business	Awards business to preferred suppliers after competitive solicitation process	Awards primary- or single-source contracts after competitive solicitation process
			Does not require competitive bidding after contract is in place	Does not require competitive bidding after contract is in place
		Requires competition for transactions larger than $1,000		Sponsors on-campus supplier shows
		Requires competition for transactions larger than $1,000	Provides problem resolution support	Exhausts all problem escalation processes
Brand Name Usage	Supplier	Prohibited from using College logo/brand	Must submit written request and receive permission to use College logo/brand	Must submit written request and receive permission to use College logo/brand
Brand Name Usage	Seminole State	Prohibited from using supplier logo/brand	Evaluates logo/brand usage on case-by-case basis and only grants permission if value can be derived for Seminole State	Seeks opportunities with supplier to link logos/brands to provide mutual benefits
Supplier Recognition	Supplier	Does not request any formal recognition from College	Has opportunity to participate in College's supplier recognition programs	Has opportunity to participate in College's supplier recognition programs
	Seminole State	Does not give any formal recognition to supplier	Formally acknowledges supplier	Formally acknowledges and promotes Strategic Supplier status and benefits to College community
			Encourages supplier to demonstrate value and best practices	Allows distribution of pre-approved supplier press releases to targeted groups of employees
			Provides reference for supplier on a case-by-case basis	Acknowledges value-added business partnership
Customization and Product Influence	Supplier	Offers little or no customization; product or service is "off the shelf"	Considers College's unique business needs in product/service research and development	Mutually commits to investing in new ideas, products/services and focus groups with College
	Seminole State	Accepts products and services "as is" or "off the shelf" with no customization	Helps enhance supplier's product offerings by providing expertise and feedback	Mutually commits to investing in new ideas, products/services and focus groups with supplier
	Seminole State		May agree to serve as beta site for supplier	May agree to serve as beta site for supplier
Risk Sharing	Supplier	Accepts minimal risk based on contract and purchase order terms	Accepts modest risk, permitting incentives in contract	Accepts greater risk, permitting more incentives in contract
	Supplier		Accepts modest risk, permitting incentives in contract	Provides financial support
	Seminole State	Accepts no risk based on contract and purchase order terms	Accepts no risk based on contract and purchase order terms	Accepts minimal risk based on contract terms and conditions
	Seminole State	Accepts no risk based on contract and purchase order terms	Publishes success stories and case studies along with supplier	Publishes success stories and case studies along with supplier
Information Sharing	Supplier	N/A	Shares information and provides education as defined in contract	Proactively shares product strategy and direction and asks for College's feedback
	Supplier	N/A		Frequently provides industry products, services and consultation
	Seminole State	Shares information as defined in contract and educates supplier on contractual obligations	Shares significant tactical information as well as some strategic information to aid supplier-led initiatives	Permits supplier discussion of and participation in creation of strategic plans and business initiatives
	Seminole State	Helps supplier understand procurement process and requirements	Helps supplier understand College's objectives to meet obligations and provide value-added services	Shares strategy and initiatives that enable supplier to meet obligations and provide value-added services
Business Interaction	Supplier	Conducts business via phone, fax, e-mail, Internet and face-to-face interaction	Conducts business via phone, fax, e-mail, Internet and face-to-face interaction	Assigns dedicated sales and customer support staff to work with College
		Works collaboratively with College when appropriate	Accommodates College's methods of conducting business	Demonstrates mutual trust with College at all levels of business relationship
		Works collaboratively with College when appropriate	Accommodates College's methods of conducting business	Enjoys ongoing senior-level/executive interactions with College
	Seminole State	Conducts business via phone, e-mail and face-to-face interaction	Interacts regularly with supplier via face-to-face communication	Interacts substantially with supplier via face-to-face communication
		Works collaboratively with supplier when appropriate	Works collaboratively with supplier when appropriate	Works collaboratively with supplier when appropriate
		Works collaboratively with supplier when appropriate	Works collaboratively with supplier when appropriate	Enjoys ongoing senior-level/executive interactions with supplier
Account Management	Supplier	Manages account by assigning a local account representative to College	Manages account by assigning a designated account team leader to College	Manages account by designating a sales and support team to work with College
Account Management	Seminole State	Varies	Varies	Varies
Problem Escalation and Resolution	Supplier	Meets contractual obligations through customer service agents	Monitors College's use of goods and services	Proactively monitors process
	Supplier	Resolves problems within provisions of contract	Anticipates problems and promptly notifies College of resolution options	Communicates and resolves problems without waiting for customer approval
	Seminole State	Accesses customer service agents in accordance with contract or purchase order	Views problem resolution as a shared responsibility	Views problem resolution as a shared responsibility
		Resolves problems through provisions of contract	Resolves problems through provisions of contract	Reviews problems and resolutions quarterly
		Resolves problems through provisions of contract	Resolves problems through provisions of contract	Provides progressive escalation of concerns
Commitment to Periodic Review	Supplier	Agrees to performance measurements and reviews as defined in contract or purchase order	Participates in quarterly reviews to address relationship	Facilitates continuous dialog about and awareness of performance outside of quarterly reviews
	Supplier		Provides feedback on College's performance in relationship and acts to address gaps in its own performance	Measures performance jointly and develops action plans to address gaps
	Seminole State	Measures supplier performance as defined in contract or purchase order	Conducts quarterly performance reviews	Facilitates continuous dialog about and awareness of performance outside of quarterly reviews
	Seminole State	Self-assesses performance and solicits feedback from suppliers when appropriate	Receives formal performance feedback from supplier and acts to address gaps in its own performance	Measures performance jointly and develops action plans to address gaps
Polices and Conduct	Supplier	Adheres to College's procurement policies and practices as well as its Code of Conduct	Adheres to College's procurement policies and practices as well as its Code of Conduct	Adheres to College's procurement policies and practices as well as its Code of Conduct
Polices and Conduct	Seminole State	Adheres to Purchasing Code of Ethics	Adheres to Purchasing Code of Ethics	Adheres to Purchasing Code of Ethics
Security and Confidentiality	Supplier	Maintains confidentiality as contractually defined	Maintains confidentiality as contractually defined	Maintains confidentiality as contractually defined
Security and Confidentiality	Seminole State	Monitors and enforces supplier confidentiality	Monitors and enforces supplier confidentiality	Monitors and enforces supplier confidentiality

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