Regardless of a district’s size or location, vendor management—from sourcing and contracts to timesheets and billing—can be a time-consuming, and at times, overwhelming, task.
To help K-12 leaders save precious time (and budget), this post highlights three actionable strategies for streamlining district vendor management.
#1: Identify a single point of contact to manage all vendor processes.
It is typical for K-12 districts to work with a variety of vendors to support various school operations and fulfill their staffing needs. There can be a lot of variability in how each vendor manages billing, timesheets, contracts and similar processes. For busy district leaders, trying to wrangle and organize all of this information can be a daunting task.
To ensure consistency (and efficiency) across vendor partnerships, K-12 leaders should adopt a standardized process for all vendor activities—and designate a single point of contact to manage that process.
Whether they are an internal staff member or an external stakeholder, having a single, dedicated person in charge of vendor management across the district makes it much easier to identify opportunities, challenges and needs—as well as break down departmental silos, centralize processes, and hold partners accountable.
#2: Establish (and maintain) relationships with trusted vendors.
Building a well-rounded network of credible vendors can make it much easier to address pressing needs across the district—like filling open positions.
K-12 leaders should strive to establish a national network of partners who can be trusted to provide support efficiently and consistently. Vetting new partners takes time, but is well worth the effort.
At BlazerWorks, we understand the critical importance (and value) of being able to access a nationwide network of trusted support. We have spent years cultivating an unparalleled pool of trusted partners who are able to support a variety of needs—even school-based healthcare and special education programming.
#3: Partner with a managed services provider who specializes in K-12 education.
Like a business, school districts rely on a number of goods and services to support daily operations. Staffing support, technology, curriculum, professional development and student lunches are just some examples.
Partnering with a managed service provider who specializes in K-12 education can save district leaders a significant amount of time. An effective managed services provider will be equipped to support the district with all facets of vendor management—from recruiting and hiring to centralizing billing processes and timesheets.
Effective vendor management sets district communities up for success
With the right strategies and partners in place, K-12 leaders will be able to bring efficiency to their district’s vendor management processes—so they can save time, and stress less about district operations and staffing. Most importantly, an effective approach to vendor management ensures that teachers, students and families can access the resources and support they need to thrive.
To learn more about the benefits of managed services for education, download this free resource: Managed Service Providers: New to Education – Not New to Business
Meet The Author
Mark Esguerra
Managing Director at BlazerWorks
Mark Esguerra is currently a managing director with Blazerworks and has been with the organization since its launch in early 2017. A graduate of Miami University, his daily work involves overseeing business development strategy, account and vendor management, clinical advisory initiatives, technology integrations, and other operational components of BlazerWorks. Mark is passionate about collaborative problem solving to support school districts and special education professionals across the country.
