Procurement Information for Suppliers

The Tufts Finance Department has moved to 80 George Street, Medford, MA 02155. Our phone numbers and email addresses remain the same. Please adjust your records to reflect our new address.

• As a first step, we recommend familiarizing yourself with our policies, procedures, business requirements and important announcements referenced on this Procurement website.

• Tufts encourages competition among vendors in providing goods and services to the university, thereby assuring that the mix of quality, service and price best matches the stated needs of Tufts programs and activities.  As part of this process, the university encourages the inclusion of small business, minority-owned business firms and women business enterprises wherever possible. In conjunction with the University’s Supplier Diversity Programs, Procurement promotes the use of diversified suppliers to the greatest extent possible and to foster their growth as viable supplier candidates.

• If you are a supplier looking to obtain information on the status of a payment, obtaining payment forms, adding or updating supplier information/tax forms or other Accounts Payable related functions, please connect with Tufts Support Services (TSS) at tss@tufts.edu or by calling 617-627-7000.

As a potential supplier, we invite you to learn about how to do business with Tufts University.

• If you are a supplier that has not done business with Tufts but are interested in doing so, please fill out the Interested Supplier form to send us your details. Someone will review your information and reach you if and when opportunities present themselves.

• New suppliers are onboarded through PaymentWorks, a secure platform used to streamline the process of creating suppliers/payees in our financial system. Suppliers will receive an invitation asking for individual/company information, including a W-9 or W-8BEN. In all cases, you will be asked for the following documentation: US Suppliers must provide either an EIN or SSN; Non-US Suppliers may use a Foreign Tax ID or ITIN. Suppliers who provide services requiring licensure will be asked to provide such information. Registration in the PaymentWorks portal is required in order to be a Tufts payee.

• Should you already be conducting business at the university and have questions regarding our procurement practices, feel free to contact a representative from Procurement by emailing procurement@tufts.edu.

• All contracts for goods and services which obligate the University must be executed by an authorized officer of the University. Absent that signature, the contract is not valid.

• Prior to shipping goods to Tufts University, or providing service to the university or to university personnel, a supplier must first be issued an authorized Purchase Order or be provided Purchasing Credit Card (PCard) number which guarantees payment by the university. Failure to have an authorized Purchase Order or PCard number can result in the non-payment of your invoice.

• Tufts University and Federal policies prohibit the acceptance of gifts or gratuities by anyone at Tufts from suppliers, subcontractors, and contractors. This includes the use of property or facilities, gift certificates, entertainment, sporting event tickets, or other favors of value extended to Tufts employees or their families. It is the university's objective to award business on the basis of considerations such as quality, service, competitive pricing and technical abilities. The university adheres to Public Law, 99-643 known as the “Anti-Kickback Enforcement Act” of 1986 and its regulations. Presenting, offering, or accepting gifts of any kind are strictly forbidden.

• Understanding of and compliance with the following Massachusetts law is mandatory and a prerequisite for doing business with Tufts. Without limiting the foregoing, M.G.L. Chap. 93H and 201 Code of Mass. Regs. 17.00 et seq. (collectively, the “IS Regulations”) mandate certain procedures to safeguard the “Personal Information” (as defined in the IS Regulations) of Massachusetts residents. To the extent that Supplier may have access to Personal Information pursuant to this Agreement, Supplier hereby certifies that it has implemented and will maintain appropriate security measures to protect Personal Information, in accordance with the IS Regulations. Supplier further agrees that, in the event of any suspected or actual data breach involving such Personal Information, Supplier will promptly notify Tufts and will comply with the applicable provisions of the IS Regulations.

Click Here to access files for current bid/contract opportunities.

***Stay tuned for upcoming bid opportunities