Vendors and Suppliers
Thank you for your interest in doing business with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. We consider the vendors providing goods and services to the University as vital partners in helping us accomplish our missions in education, research, and public service.
The University strives to do business in a fair, ethical, and competitive manner. Any questions or concerns about the procurement process should be directed to the purchasing agent handling the purchase or to the Assistant Director of Purchasing at 901.448.7271.
Sales Call Policy
Purchasing Services Office
It is preferable for vendor representatives to make an appointment directly with the appropriate purchasing agent, if known, prior to coming to the office. If the purchasing agent handling a particular order, bid, or commodity is not known, call the main number at 901.448.5594 (prompt 0) to make an appointment. Although appointments are not required, a particular purchasing agent may not be available if a visit is made to the office without an appointment.
University Departments
Vendor representatives calling on the campus for the first time should make an appointment with a purchasing agent in Purchasing Services prior to making sales calls on departments. Other routine visits and contacts with campus departments can be made directly without going through Purchasing Services. However, individual departments on campus may have vendor sales call policies with which you need to comply. Although vendor representatives may give preliminary price quotations and technical specifications to departmental personnel, bids must be solicited and received by Purchasing Services.
Vendor representatives should be familiar with the following University policies:
Purchase orders, agreements, or contracts signed by other University employees without authority as stipulated in the University Policies & Procedures are null and void and do not obligate the University to pay for goods or services.
Vendor representatives that have questions about how a transaction should be processed should contact a purchasing agent in Purchasing Services.