At UCSF, procuring services is a fundamental part of operations, but it differs significantly from purchasing tangible goods. The service procurement process typically requires more detailed communication and negotiation.  

The third in this series of articles will focus on the sourcing process. We will offer details and tips to help you in your role of finding service suppliers and getting service suppliers set up. 

Finding a Service Provider

Finding service suppliers falls on the individual and their department. Just like soliciting services for your home, you should:  

• identify a handful of potential suppliers,
• look at portfolios,  
• review the supplier’s customer base, check references and reviews, and  
• employ other relevant quality screens in order to meet the needs of your project.

At the end of the day, you should feel confident that the supplier you have chosen is competent and ready to deliver the service(s) or deliverables you require.

There are some excellent supplier source/leads resources available to all UCSF staff, including: 

• BearBuy, our UCSF database of registered suppliers,
• CalUSource,  a searchable, collaborative supplier registry for the University of California (UC) system.
• UC Systemwide Contract Listings, organized by purchase categories like “Professional Services,”
• E&I Cooperative Services, a cooperative supplier contracts database for educational institutions, and
• OMNIA Partners, a public sector purchasing cooperative with a wide array of negotiated contracts. 

Tip: Peer referrals are another excellent source for service providers, especially if you can access examples of work and feedback on the ease of doing business. Utilizing internal chats, bulletin boards, and professional forums and working groups, you are likely to find supplier leads. 

The Fine Print

UCSF takes terms and conditions seriously. Terms and conditions is a set of rules and guidelines that govern the use of a product, service, or agreement between parties. They define the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of each party involved, and they help to ensure clarity and understanding.  

Terms and conditions are essential for establishing the legal framework within which transactions or interactions take place. All services suppliers will have to accept our terms and conditions or engage with our Procurement staff to create a set of terms and conditions agreeable to all. (This can be a difficult and protracted process.) You may need to select and evaluate a few potential suppliers in case your first choice is unable to undertake work with UCSF. 

Tips:  

• Working with suppliers that have existing contracts can help save time with documentation.
• Buyers do not have short lists or the inside track on preferred services suppliers; identifying the best fit service supplier is your responsibility. Your department-assigned buyer is an expert on navigating documentation and policy. They may have helpful ideas for sourcing or tips on what to look for when assessing suitable suppliers. When in doubt, reach out.  

Stay tuned for more insights in upcoming articles. Please see the Related Information section below for more articles in the series.