Four UConn participants have a role in forming and managing vendor relationships:

• the End User Department, which the University Department that wishes to purchase or use a good or service
• the Buyer in Procurement Services
• the Business Analyst in Procurement Services
• the Contract Specialist in Procurement Services

The chart below describes the four participants’ respective roles in forming and managing vendor relationships.

End User Departments are responsible and accountable for crucial elements of the vendor relationship. The role of End User Departments includes complex and detailed tasks, such as settling business terms with vendors, ensuring proposed changes to the work do not occur until the changes are adequately documented and reviewed by Procurement Services, and making sure vendors perform properly and invoice appropriately. Each End User Department should ensure that an individual in the End User Department is assigned to manage each vendor relationship and ensure that each assigned individual has reviewed the information below and is adequately trained and overseen. Check out this fun video describing some End User responsibilities.

Procurement Services is very glad to provide End User Departments with vendor management training. Please contact Procurement Services for more information.