|
|
Department Feature: Materials Management
|
Sitting:
Cynthia Bright (sr. buyer), George
Varghese (interim director), Gloria
Wright (asst. buyer); Standing 1st
row: Sally Philip (data entry
clerk), Carolyn Bennett (buyer),
Joanne Atkins (asst. buyer), Janice
Neal (sr. buyer), Barbara Rogers
(asst. buyer), John West (buyer);
Standing 2nd row: P. O. Koshy (asst.
buyer), Cornith Johnson (driver),
Arthur Bruce (driver), Clifton Frith
(asst. buyer), Sarita Muhammad (sr.
buyer), Catherine Smith (buyer),
Howard Scott (warehouse manager);
Standing 3rd row: Adrian Holmes
(receiving clerk), Gerald Randall
(materials handling clerk), Samuel
Alexander (asst. director), James
Brown (sr. contract administrator),
Howard Mayo (buyer) |
The work of the
Materials Management Department touches every
office within the University. From procuring
services such as printing, computer maintenance,
catering and construction and renovation, and
goods such as furniture, janitorial supplies,
medical and research supplies and office
equipment, to receiving shipments, the 45-member
staff stays busy.
George
Varghese, interim director, Materials
Management Department
|
“The Materials
Management Department is a customer
oriented/support service organization. We serve
the entire University community and we are
concerned with the satisfaction of all our
departmental clients, while also complying with
the University’s policies,” says George
Varghese, interim director, Materials Management
Department.
The Procurement
Process
Materials Management
is responsible for buying several million
dollars worth of supplies, equipment and
services annually. When a department has a need
for goods or a service, a request is submitted
to Materials Management, where a buyer will
normally secure at least three bids from vendors
to find the best cost and the right match for
the University.
Materials Management works with hundreds of
vendors, securing bids and information in order
to meet the needs of the University customers.
As every University department is submitting
requests for goods and services the buyers work
to process each request as quickly and as
accurately as possible. “We diligently work to
get the very best product at the lowest possible
cost in a timely manner,” says Varghese.
When a request is submitted, Varghese and Samuel
Alexander, asst. director, assign the request to
a buyer for processing. All buyers are
cross-trained and can procure goods and services
in a range of areas from printing services to
office supplies, and they rotate the types of
services they procure depending upon the
discretion of the senior managers. When
submitting a request for procurement, customers
will receive a request number, which can be used
to access information about the request,
including the name of the buyer working on the
submission. To follow-up with the buyer
directly, contact the department at (202)
806-1300.
Varghese notes that in order to get the best
prices and the best service available, Materials
Management must receive the required
documentation well in advance of when the
service is actually needed.
The procurement division saves money for the
University through bulk buying, consolidation of
requirements, annual negotiated agreements and
competitive bidding. “The money we save goes
back to the individual departments. The average
annual savings is $3 to $4 million per year ––
in some years it has been as high as $6
million,” says Varghese.
Serving the
University Community
Varghese has been at
Howard for 31 years, since joining the
Department of University Purchasing in 1976. He
has ascended the ranks and is proud to serve the
University Community. “Howard is the center of
the entire universe,” says Varghese. “You see
all ethnic groups here. The environment is a
friendly, family atmosphere. You also have an
opportunity to grow here. It is a privilege for
this department to serve today, the leaders of
tomorrow.”
For more information about Materials
Management’s policies and procedures, go to
http://www.howard.edu/materialsmanagement/.
|
|
