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          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

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Top tips on procurement practices: a Q&A with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

November 11, 2020

On October 28, we sat down with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for a Pacesetters Doing Business event. This series allows MBE companies to hear directly from procurement officers at Pacesetter corporations to learn about specific processes that may be unique to each company, including but not limited to, procurement procedures, RFP and bidding preferences, contract cycles, and more. 

At the end of the event, participants were able to ask a few questions. Curious about what it means to do business in Boston with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts? Read on for some top tips!

How do you work with smaller companies who cannot compete on price point with larger vendors in order to ensure supplier diversity?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Price is certainly one of the factors we consider when choosing a supplier, however, it is not the sole factor.  We also evaluate suppliers based on their ability to meet our business requirements and provide quality products and services.     

How does a new business use the opportunity to pair with an existing BCBSMA vendor for a joint venture and/or Tier 2 contracting opportunity? Does BCBSMA have a list of approved vendors or do joint ventures happen organically on their own? 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Our Tier 2 program further promotes Blue Cross’ goal to create business opportunities for diverse suppliers, including MBEs. We encourage our non-diverse suppliers to collaborate with us to meet our supplier diversity goals by making good faith efforts to include certified diverse suppliers as subcontractors in procurement agreements with Blue Cross.

Is there a central purchasing entity for bidding opportunities for signage/branding/wayfinding related services?  

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Yes, Blue Cross does have centralized procurement departments that facilitate the buying of products and services for the company. While we do not have any procurement opportunities for signage, branding, and wayfinding related services at this time, there could be opportunities in the future. I encourage you to check-in periodically about procurement opportunities with the Supplier Diversity team. Our contact information is [email protected] or [email protected].

How can companies become involved with the RFP process with BCBSMA?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: We recommend that companies start by registering in the Blue Cross vendor portal. This vendor database is one of the tools used to search for diverse businesses when there is a sourcing opportunity. Please understand that registration does not guarantee business or winning a bid at the company.

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