ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories has strengthened its commitment to buying goods and services from suppliers in New Mexico, and is using SupplierLink, an online database, to facilitate the procurement process.
The push to contract purchases with New Mexico businesses has already resulted in a number of local success stories. Most recently, Sandia buyer Kevin Kartchner used the SupplierLink database to identify a local vendor for UNIX servers and workstations.
The original purchase requisition for the computer hardware identified an out-of-state vendor, but Kartchner informed the requester that Sandia has a commitment to increase business with New Mexico suppliers. Using SupplierLink, Kartchner identified three New Mexico companies with the ability to provide the same materials. Creative Consultants, which won the $79,000 contract, will actually save Sandia money by providing the UNIX servers and workstations for less than the original price quoted by the out-of-state vendor.
SupplierLink is a centralized, online database that eliminates the need for Sandia buyers and suppliers to do multiple searches in individual databases. It allows suppliers who want to do business with Sandia and other government agencies to quickly and easily find out about requests for proposals (RFPs). The SupplierLink Internet site is at www.supplierlink.com.
Albuquerque-based POD Associates, Inc. designed the centralized data management system with Sandia, expanding it over time to include all registered small businesses nationally. By using SupplierLink, subscribers can search and download information on its one-of-a-kind national RFP/RFQ (Request for Proposals/Request for Quotes) database.
Samantha Lapin, President and CEO of POD Associates, said “SupplierLink is really a tremendous service to the business community. It’s free to use, and it takes only a few minutes to register on-line. Suppliers can also subscribe to the vendor and RFP search engines.”
Sandia is increasingly using SupplierLink to further its Buy New Mexico Initiative, a program that seeks to increase by five percent in 1999 the amount of business Sandia does with New Mexican firms.
SupplierLink allows suppliers and buyers access to government procurement policy links and the opportunity to search for vendors, RFPs and RFQs. The database includes approximately 18,000 solicitations. Currently, there are 178,600 suppliers registered with the database. Between 10 and 20 new suppliers register each day.
In addition to Sandia, SupplierLink sponsors include the US Air Force, Intel Corporation, Norwest Bank, New Mexico Small Business Development Centers, Wal-Mart Stores, American Airlines, and GTE.