Chapter 3 - VITA's Supply Chain Management (SCM)

SCM has established a set of guiding principles that create the framework within which all of its activities are conducted. Those guiding principles are as follows:

SCM is responsive to customers in terms of cost, quality and timeliness of the delivered products or services.

• SCM personnel will be responsive and adaptive to customer needs, concerns and feedback.
• SCM will work diligently to select suppliers with a record of past successful performance in providing products or services or who demonstrate a current superior ability to perform.
•  SCM will always promote fair and open competition.
• SCM will adopt procurement practices which follow the Virginia Public Procurement Act, include best commercial practices, and foster competitiveness and excellence in supplier performance.

SCM's functions, processes and services are transparent.

• SCM is committed to promoting IT procurement practices which exhibit unparalleled transparency (advance notices, posted RFPs, awards), predictability and time sensitivity.
• SCM procurement professionals will conduct IT procurements so that all involved will have trust and confidence in the procurement process.
• IT suppliers will be assured that opportunities to provide IT goods and services to the Commonwealth are offered on a level playing field, while the citizen's interest is preserved.
• SCM is committed to achieving transparency through effective posting, advertising, public bid opening procedures, objective evaluation criteria, independent evaluation methods consistent with the solicitation document, awarding contracts to qualified suppliers, posting of award, fair and speedy protest and dispute resolution handling processes and disclosure of signed contracts and pricing.

SCM promotes competition by offering a level playing field to all suppliers.

• SCM is committed to providing suppliers, customers and citizens with easy and fast access to IT procurement information.
• SCM is committed to reducing overhead and allowing DSBSD certified small businesses, including those small businesses owned by women, minorities, and service-disabled veterans (SWaM) businesses, and micro businesses a level playing field when competing for IT contracts.

SCM minimizes administrative operating costs by streamlined and repeatable processes and procedures.

• SCM will promulgate policies and rules only when the benefits exceed the costs of their development, implementation, administration and enforcement.
• SCM is committed to streamlining processes to keep pace with new technology and procedures.

SCM personnel conduct all business with integrity, fairness and openness.

• All SCM personnel are responsible for the prudent and ethical use of public resources and for acting in a manner that maintains the public's trust.
• All SCM personnel will exercise sound discretion and sound business judgment in their interactions with customers and suppliers.

SCM implements procurement processes which fulfill the Commonwealth's public policy and strategic technology objectives.

• VITA's IT procurement manual is based on the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Public Procurement Act and sound, effective IT procurement best practices used within the IT market.
• VITA SCM personnel and agencies with VITA-delegated IT procurement authority are expected to follow the policies, procedures and guidelines in VITA's procurement manual.