Kaiser Permanente Fresno hopes to support the local economy with a new initiative giving small and diverse-owned businesses the opportunity to provide goods and services.

---

Listen to this article:

---

“We believe in supporting local businesses that reflect the community where our employees live and work,” said Wade Nogy, area manager for KP-Fresno. “By enhancing our network of suppliers, we can support local businesses and further invest in the local economy.”

New Supplier Portal

Kaiser Permanente has created a supplier portal where small businesses or those owned by minorities, women, veterans, members of the LGBT community, and people with disabilities, can become an official supplier of goods and services.
Business products, construction equipment, furniture, medical products, pharmaceuticals, professional consulting, and catering are among the available opportunities.
KP-Fresno has a strong relationship with many local businesses but is hoping to increase those partnerships through the new supplier program, Nogy said. The program also will help to identify new suppliers the organization can partner with.

Qualifications

To qualify, businesses must register and meet minimum qualifications. The requirements may vary by product and service type, but the common qualifications are:

• Federal tax ID or Social Security number
• Adherence to Kaiser Permanente’s Vendor Code of Conduct
• Financial Stability (at least three years of business experience)

While signing doesn’t guarantee a business opportunity, it does give Kaiser Permanente access to a company’s information while conducting searches for suppliers, the company said.
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s supplier diversity program, or to register a business, visit supplierdiversity.kp.org.