KAWEAH HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER

1. Policy Statement

Supplier Diversity Policy Statement

Kaweah Health is committed to providing Small Business (SBE), Minority Owned (MBE), Women Owned (WBE), Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Owned (LGBTQ), Veteran Owned (VET) and Disabled Veteran Owned (DVET) an equal opportunity to compete for and earn contracts for the goods and services Kaweah Health purchases. Kaweah Health will work to identify available vendors that meet this demographic.

2. Goals and Timetables

Please describe your hospital's short-term goals and timetables, but not quotas, for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises

In the short term, our hospital is focused on laying a strong foundation to support increased procurement from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises. While we do not currently have set quotas, we have identified several immediate priorities and initiatives to drive progress in this area over the next 12–18 months which include conducting a supplier diversity assessment to understand our current vendor base and identify gaps or opportunities to diversify, launching a supplier self-identification initiative to encourage current and prospective vendors to disclose their certification status, hosting or participating in supplier diversity outreach events (such as meet-and-greets, networking fairs, or procurement briefings) to build relationships with underrepresented businesses, and developing internal training for our procurement and sourcing teams to increase awareness of inclusive procurement practices.

Please describe your hospital's long-term goals and timetables, but not quotas, for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises

Our hospital is committed to advancing equity and inclusion across all aspects of our operations, including procurement. We recognize the importance of supporting diverse suppliers — including women-owned, minority-owned, LGBT-owned, and disabled veteran-owned business enterprises — as a means to promote economic inclusion and reflect the diverse communities we serve. While we do not currently have formal long-term procurement quotas in place, we are actively working to establish clear goals and timetables for increasing engagement with diverse suppliers. Our long-term objectives include developing a comprehensive supplier diversity strategy by end of FY2026, building and maintaining a database of qualified diverse suppliers, establishing baseline metrics on current spend with diverse suppliers, and providing ongoing education and training for our procurement staff on inclusive sourcing practices. We acknowledge that this is an evolving area and are committed to transparency and continuous improvement.

3. Outreach and Communication

Please describe the methods in which the hospital encourages and seeks out both prime and subcontract suppliers from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises to become potential suppliers

Materials Management will prepare reports to review supply chain strategies to ensure that Kaweah Health is taking full advantage of the capabilities, competitive pricing, new products, and innovations offered by all Suppliers, including those represented in the Diversity program. Materials Management will work with individuals within the facility to assist in selecting the vendors whom meet the contracting needs for Kaweah Health. The Supply Diversity Program will not be the only defining in the awarding of contracts. A multi-faceted process, which will review clinical acceptability, pricing, availability of services and supplies, contractual obligations, and GPO agreements will be part of a weight scale to determine the awarding of a contract.

Please describe the methods in which the hospital encourages its employees involved in procurement to seek out women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises to become potential suppliers

Materials Management continuously assess the marketplace for drivers of market segments, industry trends, impact of new technology, competitive dynamics, supplier characteristics, and suppliers (national or regional) in a market. Some of the diversity data comes from reports given to us by our Group Purchasing Organization and our prime distributor.

Please describe the methods in which the hospital conducts outreach and communication to women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises

Materials Management and other product champions analyzes the sourcing history of a product or service to determine the level of competition, prices, and performance results of existing suppliers to determine if a new supplier would better meet clinical supply or facility service needs. Through the Value Analysis Committee, evaluates products that appear to be the same across suppliers (inclusive of diverse suppliers - beyond branding) to determine real differences in the product or services and identify suppliers with a competitive advantage.

4. Support and Supplier Resolutions

Please describe the methods in which your hospital supports, partners with, or interacts with organizations and other entities in the procurement ecosystem that promote, certify, or contract with women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises

Our hospital actively supports and engages with organizations that promote, certify, and connect women-owned, minority-owned, LGBT-owned, and disabled veteran-owned business enterprises. A key component of our approach is our partnership with our Group Purchasing Organization (GPO), Premier. Through Premier, we receive regular diversity reports that provide insights into our current spend and supplier diversity performance, helping us identify opportunities to increase procurement from diverse business enterprises. Additionally, our procurement team participates in annual industry conferences and supplier diversity events where we meet directly with diverse suppliers. These events provide valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration, and expanding our vendor pool to include qualified diverse businesses. While these efforts are foundational, we are committed to building on them by exploring further partnerships and collaborative initiatives that strengthen our supplier diversity ecosystem and promote equitable procurement practices.

Please describe the methods in which your hospital resolves any issues that may limit or impede an enterprise from becoming a supplier

To address and resolve potential barriers, we employ the following methods: Open Communication and Support: We maintain open lines of communication with prospective suppliers to understand and address any concerns or obstacles they encounter during the onboarding process. Our procurement team is available to guide vendors through requirements and documentation. Collaboration with Group Purchasing Organization: Through our partnership with Premier, we leverage their expertise and resources to help identify common challenges faced by diverse suppliers and find ways to streamline processes where possible. Supplier Education and Outreach: We participate in supplier diversity events and provide informational resources that clarify procurement expectations, requirements, and certifications needed, which helps potential suppliers better prepare to meet hospital standards. Feedback Mechanisms: When a vendor is not selected or encounters difficulties, we encourage feedback and provide constructive guidance to help suppliers improve and potentially qualify for future opportunities.

5. Diversity Commission Recommendations and Planned Implementations

Please describe the past implementation of relevant recommendations made by the Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission

We do not have any implementations to report, outside what has already been mentioned but we are eager to start planning for the future.

Please describe the planned implementation of relevant recommendations made by the Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission

Our hospital is committed to advancing supplier diversity and has been actively engaged with the Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission (HSDC), which advises the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) on strategies to increase procurement from diverse suppliers within the hospital industry. While we are in the process of reviewing and integrating the HSDC's recommendations into our procurement practices, we are taking proactive steps to align with the commission's guidance. We are thoroughly reviewing the HSDC's recommendations to understand their applicability to our operations and to identify areas where we can enhance our supplier diversity efforts. Based on our assessment, we are in the process of developing an action plan that outlines specific initiatives and timelines for implementing the HSDC's recommendations. We are collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including our procurement team and diverse supplier networks, to ensure that our action plan is comprehensive and effectively addresses the barriers to supplier diversity.

6. Procurement Process and Certification

Please describe your hospital's procurement process

Our hospital’s procurement process is structured to ensure compliance, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with clinical needs while supporting supplier diversity whenever possible. Key Elements of Our Procurement Process: Supplier Screening: All new suppliers undergo screening through the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to ensure compliance with federal regulations and maintain ethical standards. Primary Distributor Preference: Our primary distributor is Medline, and we strive to source products through them whenever possible to leverage established contracts and supply chain efficiencies. Value Analysis Committee: Any new supply requests must be reviewed and approved by our multidisciplinary Value Analysis Committee prior to use. This ensures clinical appropriateness, cost-effectiveness, and standardization. Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) Partnership: As members of the SURPASS program through our GPO, Premier, we prioritize standardizing purchases to suppliers awarded through SURPASS agreements when feasible. Contract Negotiation: When GPO agreements are unavailable, our contracts team collaborates with suppliers and end users to negotiate and execute local contracts that meet the hospital’s needs and compliance requirements. Competitive Procurement: For capital purchases, physician preference items, and high-volume categories, we issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to solicit competitive bids and ensure value. Ordering Process: End users submit requisitions through our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, Workday, which are then processed by buyers who issue purchase orders to suppliers.

Website Link(s)

https://www.kaweahhealth.org/

Do you require suppliers to be certified?

No

Do you accept self-certification

No

7. Diverse Supplier Spending

Diverse Procurement Spending by Minority

For the reporting period, enter the dollar amounts procured by your hospital from those business enterprises that employ the majority of their workforce in California.

Diverse Procurement Spending by Other

For the reporting period, enter the dollar amounts procured by your hospital from those business enterprises that employ the majority of their workforce in California.

What is your hospital's total procurement (including diverse and non-diverse suppliers)?

$105,588,605

Procurement means the purchase or lease of supplies, services, equipment, and capital expenditures related to buildings and fixed equipment during the previous calendar year. Procurement does not include items such as employee salaries and wages, fixed asset depreciation, amortization, or taxes.

8. Supplier Point of Contact

Enter the contact information for the individual that business enterprises who are interested in contracting with your facility can reach out to.

Name: Adam Chavez

Enter the contact information for the individual of the diverse business outreach liaison of your hospital.

Name: Steve Bajari

Hospital Contacts for Diverse Business Enterprises are available upon request. Please send request via email to supplier.diversity@hcai.ca.gov

9. Third Party Procurement

Third Party Procurement

• Premier
• https://premierinc.com

Looking for Related Reports?

• Hospital Profile
• Hospital Fair Billing Policies