PURCHASING GROUP
By Rick Fultz, Managing Director, Biocom Purchasing Group
Accelerating Growth & Changing the Game Proprietary RFP Process
5,000,000+ data points reviewed in the bid process
20
supplier & manufacturer meetings
35k pages of RFP responses and member information
100 hours of committee meetings
58 committee members, advisors, PG board members + PG staff
Innovation can take many forms. Over the course of the past eighteen months, scientists, lab managers, procurement and supply chain specialists, financial advisors and executive leaders across the Biocom membership have united together with one common goal: leverage significant current and future spend to create a group Lab Supply contract that is more advantageous for our members than any other contract of its kind in the world. Our stakeholders have a shared interest in modeling Biocom and our contracts for 21st century innovation. With our new 2020 Strategic Plan, we have a renewed focus, and the bandwidth necessary, for the future-facing business needs in the Southern California region. While we have come a long way in our 20 years as an organization, it is apparent now more than ever that we are seen as an integral resource in the race to drug discovery, securing capital funding and retaining top talent in the workforce. Sometimes, quantity has a quality all its own. In an industry historically identified as keeping pipeline projects and organizational operations close to the vest, Biocom member companies defied stereotypical tendencies for secrecy in their latest quest for securing an industry-leading Lab Supply contract. While all members signed detailed confidentiality agreements, privacy regarding procurement practices between committee members took a back seat in the shared goal of fortifying a contract that would best suit the wide array of Biocom member company needs. This was by far Biocom Purchasing Group’s deepest dive into an open market for an RFP to date. With over 5,000,000 data points, 35,000 pages of information, 200 supplier and manufacturer meetings, 90 hours of committee meetings, and endless (and sleepless) days of legal review and staff time, we are very confident that we left no stone unturned. The committee members engaged with industry executives, procurement professionals and technology specialists to brainstorm new ways
to move from ideating to innovating and have structured this new lab supply contract accordingly. They pressed on both finalists to experiment with different cost structures, trying to capture the majority spend of Biocom companies all the while planning and accounting for future growth. The committee asked for the moon and both finalists delivered. Changing the Game The lab supply environment in Southern California and around the world is rapidly changing, and our RFP committee made it their mission to form a contract focused on articulating the value of regional success while leveraging global resources. The new contract gained from this process supports the gamut of companies ranging from start up to big pharma by removing business, financial and operational obstacles. This allows Southern California entrepreneurs to enjoy access to core research solutions through deep discounts, operational capabilities, educational programs and Biocom memberships’ myriad of expertise. We were told an RFP of this magnitude could not be done. Those same doubters conceded that if we could, it would change the industry. Our members are now armed with a market changing contract that provides exclusive benefits, price points, terms and conditions that rival (and in some case beat) those of even the biggest Pharma companies. We are confident their access to the industry changing contract will positively affect their ability to discover and produce lifesaving therapies to make our world a better place, which made this whole process very much worth the effort. For more details on the process, the winner, and how to take advantage of this incredible benefit visit www.biocom.org/wechangedthegame. Rick Fultz oversees membership and sponsorship efforts, business development opportunities, and the Biocom Purchasing Group.
Biocom LifeLines Summer 2016
27