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Supply Chain

Service Level Agreement

UAMS Supply Chain Management — Department of Procurement Services — Anticipated Timeline for Requisition Processing — Service Level Agreement

Each year, Procurement Services processes over 115,000 purchase orders with a value in excess of $315 million dollars. The UAMS Procurement Services staff is bound by strict purchasing guidelines mandated by various agencies: the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s procurement, travel and accounting regulations, Arkansas Ethics Laws, the University of Arkansas System policies, as well as UAMS policies and procedures.

In accordance with the UAMS Mission Statement to “Improve the health, healthcare and well-being of all Arkansans and of others in the region, nation and the world through the following: Education of exemplary heath care providers Provision of standard setting, comprehensive clinical programs, scientific discovery and research and extension of services to the State of Arkansas and beyond“… to support the UAMS mission,

We, in Procurement Services, process requisitions in the following order of urgency:

  1. Patient Care (Surgery, Sterile Supply, Cath Lab, Interventional Radiology, ICUs, NICU and other clinical, patient care and research areas)
  2. Engineering or Operations (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.)
  3. Regular Requisitions (Contracts expiring, date-sensitive contracts, etc.)
  4. Reimbursements (personal purchases, recruitment dinners, official functions, etc.)

Please note that these time frames mentioned are approximate and contingent on emergent or urgent actions that may be required.

NOTE: The timelines listed below are after the requisition has been released and have the required accurate documentation.

A. Regular Requisitions – Established vendor with item(s) in Item Master. Anticipated turnaround time is two to three business days.

B. Regular Requisitions that include a new vendor set‐up — Set up new address, may require new vendor terms and conditions, new forms, and a potential credit app. Anticipated turnaround time is four to seven business days (or more, depending on negotiation of terms and vendor response times).

C. Requisitions with Sole Source request — (provided appropriate form is used, Sole Source request is valid and approved by all parties) Anticipated turnaround time is four to six business days. If additional time is required, the department will be notified.

D. Requisitions with Terms and Conditions — To include contract language changes. – Depending on negotiations with vendors (legal department), as well as UAMS (legal department), and the cost of the contract, it can take up to 10 to 12 business days.

E. Requisitions with ECRI benchmarking price analysis and negotiations for hard dollar cost savings — Up to five to seven business days, depending on vendor’s willingness to negotiate price and vendor response times. If additional time is required, the department will be notified.

F. Requisitions with Physician’s Preference letter — Anticipated turnaround time is between two to three business days.

G. Requisitions with Terms & Conditions, contract languages and ECRI price analysis negotiations — Anticipated turnaround time can exceed 10 business days depending on negotiations and vendor response times, and approval/signatures. If in excess of this timeline, the department shall be notified. Timeline is also dependent on the dollar value of the purchase.

H. Requisitions with Terms and Conditions, ECRI price analysis, and Sole Source/Physician’s Preference – Anticipated turnaround time can exceed 10 business days depending on negotiations, vendor response times and approval/signatures. If additional time is required, the department will be notified.

I. P‐CARD Purchases — memberships, licenses, books, etc., five to seven business days.

J. Personal Reimbursements/Check with Order (CWO) — up to three to 10 business days.

Note: A Requisition that exceeds the state’s mandated bid limits will require a Sole Source or Physician’s Preference. If the Sole Source Form or Physician’s Preference letter supplied is not approved, state procedures for bids must be followed. The only exception to this is if the purchase is being made utilizing one of our GPOs (Novation, MedAssets, Amerinet), which meet the state bidding requirements.

Thresholds — Per Arkansas state purchasing regulations:

  • If the purchase price is $10,000 or less, the order is considered a small order and does not require bidding. Exceptions include but are not limited to printing and construction projects.
  • $10,000 to $50,000: A competitive bid that requires three written quotes from valid companies that can provide the product or service. Note: Construction projects require a formal bid if in excess of $20,000. The process can take one to two weeks.
  • In excess of $50,0000: A Formal Sealed Bid, which requires notice in the local newspaper, and a public opening in which the bid results are read. The process can take four to six weeks. Alternatively, an RFP may be processed. The RFP bidding process allows various performance criteria to be included in the evaluation process, in addition to cost. This method is used, when applicable, to aid departments when vendor capabilities and past performance/history are measurable elements in addition to the cost factor. This process can take two to three months and involves assistance in writing the specifications, committee formation, advertisement in a local newspaper, receipt and evaluation of proposals and recommendations for award. If the RFP is received with the specifications completed, the timeline would be reduced.