Vendor Diversity Program (VDP)

Program Description

Corizon has a company-wide commitment to promote the growth and development of qualified small, minority, women, and disadvantaged owned businesses. This program is developed to promote and foster inclusiveness, diversity and economic development, as well as provide on-going evaluation to ensure that businesses are provided equal opportunities in contracting and procurement activities.

As Corizon strives to conduct business in a fair and equitable manner, we follow local and state laws and adhere to regulations of the states in which we operate. Corizon is dedicated to providing diverse businesses the opportunity to participate in all areas of procurement, including vendor, provider and supplier activities.

Corizon has over 33yearsof history;working with local and small business, as well as an annual spend of over $55 million with minority, women and small businesses across the country. Our efforts are designed to create and increase business opportunities for all by promoting job development, neighborhood stabilization, and economic growth in the geographical areas where Corizon conducts business.

The Corizon program applies to all firms or institutions regardless of the business owner's race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or status as a special disabled veteran or other veteran. The Corizon programcomplies with all applicable federal, state and local laws, including those dealing with the use of women-owned and minority-owned businesses.

Vendor Identification and Selection

Corizon’s process of identifying small, minority, women or disadvantaged businesses begins with a vendor identification process. Vendors are identified through referrals from our national partners theWomen’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)and National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). In addition, Corizon accepts self-referrals from correctional vendor tradeshows and conferences, including the National Conference for Corrections Health Care (NCCHC) and the American Corrections Association (ACA). Corizonalsoreceives vendor information through its website, where potential vendors are encouraged to provide contact information for inclusion in Corizon’s vendor database.

Once identified each vendor organization is then carefullyreviewed for the quality of services provided andvetted for business history and procurement qualifications.

Vendors are initially contacted to inquire of their desire and/or capacity to provide the services required by the Client. Vendors will also be asked to provide clarification of all services they provide. Corizon may also request pricing information for the services they provide. If the vendors meet the criteria needed by Corizon and our Client, the vendor will then be added to our Vendor Diversity Tracking Tool.

During the selection process, Corizon is careful to rigorously document vendor identification, communication activity and final selection information. This information is kept on record on the Vendor Diversity Tracking Tool to enable Corizon’s continuous transparency and improvement of its Vendor Diversity Program.

The Vendor Diversity Tracking Tool contains vendor contact information and communications between Corizon and vendor. This tracking tool is also used to document the type of certification and name of the certifying agencies. The tracking tool is used in concert with the RFP and RFP rebid process for each client. It is a communication tool between the Operations team, Provider Operations and Business Development.

Vendors are confirmed for local or state certifications and verified as current and in good standing. If a vendor is not certified with city, or state procurement offices, this does not prohibit them from participating in the Corizon plan. However, vendors may be requested to complete the appropriate certification process in order to participatewith.

Subcontractor Diversity Requirements

While Corizon affords equal opportunity to qualified small, minority, women, and disadvantaged owned businesses, Corizon also recognizes there are instances where our subcontracting needs may not be satisfactorily met by a vendor within these categories. A non-small, minority, women, or disadvantaged owned businesses may be contracted to fill those needs.

In these instances, Corizon will use best efforts and influence to “flow down” vendor diversity. Corizon will encouragewhere applicable, our non-diverse vendors to seek out and utilize small, minority, women, and disadvantaged owned businesses for any subcontracting opportunities the contract Corizon awards to them may afford.

Program Specifics

The goal of Corizon’sVendor Diversity Program is to provide a sustainable competitive advantage to Corizonin the areas of productivity, cost, quality and flexibility to ensure growth. Corizon plans to win new and renewing business with its Vendor Diversity Program as one of its win themes.

The qualitiesCorizonseeks from itsvendors:

  • Quality – We set high standards of performance for ourselves and the services we deliver. We expect the same from our vendors, in areas such as quality, responsiveness, service commitments and transparency. These standards are detailed in the vendor contract agreement.
  • Customer Focus – We seek companies that are committed to the same or better customer service goals and objectives.
  • Cost Savings – We seekvendors who continually focus on ways to help us lower our costs through savings in all areas.
  • Innovative Business Solutions – We want companies to join our team who are willing to work toward continuous improvement and more efficient products and services.
  • Technology – We look favorably on companies who take advantage of technology to maintain a competitive edge and improve their responsiveness.

Corizon is seeking to identify and recruit small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses who deliver products and services in the following areas:

  • Laboratory services
  • Dialysis services
  • Medical services
  • Dental services
  • Pharmacy services
  • Medical and dental supplies
  • Office supplies
  • Oxygen supplies
  • Medical and Bio-hazardous waste removal
  • Mobile radiology, mammography, ECG and EKG services
  • Printing and promotional items vendors
  • Shipping vendors
  • Medical reference books
  • Free standing radiology supplies and services
  • IT Services
  • Re-entry, social services program compliments
  • Medical transport services
  • Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
  • Interpretation and Language Services
  • Other health care related services

Profile of ideal vendor qualifications:

  1. Strong well defined products and services that match the needs of Corizon and its clients
  2. Competitive, industry based pricing for services
  3. Strong commitment/capabilities in business development
  4. Business classifications for small business, women-owned, or minority-owned business
  5. Solid business practices
  6. Ability to consistently deliver goods and/or services to Corizon’s entities and Client facilities, wherein Corizonconducts business
  7. Past performance track record

Premium Vendor Characteristics:

  1. Specific interests and/or previous experience in correctional healthcare
  2. Geographic presence
  3. Mobility and ability to scale, or expand
  4. Strong past performance
  5. Industry recognized awards and recognition

Monitoring and Compliance

Corizon is committed to building strongprogram commitment. The foundation of our program depends upon teamwork between Corizon employees and its vendors to help ensure program success for all Corizon stakeholders.

Corizon measures its success based on client satisfaction and our ability to create value.Corizon’s customers monitor our vendor diversity performance and some have contractual requirements to this end that are measured on an ongoing and periodic nature.

Corizon works closely with its vendors, ensuring the contractual relationship specifies the requirement of maintaining their credentials and certification status. Corizon regularly verifies vendor certification status and will address any failure to maintain certification, including possible termination of its relationship with the vendor.

Corizon has implemented a tracking process to determine when our vendors are approaching their certification expiration dates. This process will ensure that Corizon notifies vendors of the impending expiration and determines the intent to ensure ongoing certification. If a vendor does not wish to recertify, then Corizon will immediately begin to identify replacement vendors. This process will ensure Corizon’s compliance with program standards and client expectations.

Monthly Report Verification and Distribution

Corizon receives monthly reporting from each Site Account Managers. These reports will demonstrate the utilization and dollars spent for each vendor as a part of the overall clientcontract.

This monthly utilization information will help monitor compliance with contract expectations and participation levels.The reports are initiated in our Finance department and are then distributed to Provider Operations for review and then finally dissemination to the client. In addition to client reporting, a client diversity report is produced by Provider Operations and submitted monthly to the Chief-Level Team for routine compliance review.

The Provider Operations Department is available and ready to provide assistance with any questions you may have.For moreinformation, please email us at . Xerox supports events and activities within organizations that include the National Supplier Development Council, Inc.(NMSDC) and it’s regional councils, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and it’s regional offices , the National Veteran Small Business Conference & Expo, and many others.