Follow-up by Kathy King – GPO’s / Un suivi par Kathy King – les organismes de groupements d’achats

Follow-up from Kathy King, Director of Dining Services, Wake Robin presentation to the Learning Group Convening

Below is the simple explanation we use when talking about Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO’s) and talking with them about contracts.  A lot of it comes down to the simple idea that if a company cannot provide the product to us then we will not buy it from them.

Read below and if you have questions or anyone does I can do my best at answering them.  Also attached is the distributor letter we wrote.  It was sent to all of our distributors explaining to them what products we are looking for.  And again it helped because there are 11 of us using the same language.

GPOs and compliance budget questions:
The challenge of compliance budgets with GPOs, re: the 80-90% of total food budget committed to Novation Group for example.  This is how we explain it to ourselves and our purchasing departments to ensure that they are compliant with the contract.

Novation has another year before renegotiating contracts, so we might have this discussion again next summer.  This is one way to address this issue with your purchasing departments if there is concern that you may not be compliant.  This is a way to be compliant and but still purchase local and sustainable food.

Good luck.

Let me know how else I can help.

Kathy King