Introducing your Buyer and Procurement Partner

*** This is on behalf of Andrew Glynn, Senior Finance Director, Faculty of Medicine

Hello All,

As you may be aware, over the past two years, UBC has been working on a Procurement Modernization project to develop a new Service Delivery Model (SDM) to streamline how faculty and staff buy and pay for goods and services. This is also a critical step in preparing the university community for the transition to Workday.

Due to the size and complexity of the Faculty of Medicine, the decision was made by the FOM Finance Committee to roll out SDM using a phased approach. We are now preparing to roll out the final phase, which includes formally introducing your department/unit to your dedicated Procurement Partner and Buyer.

Your department/unit has already been receiving the benefits of the improved SDM, and you may have already interacted with your Partner and Buyer, but this communication is intended to formalize these processes and contacts.

Your Buyer and Procurement Partner
As part of the transition to SDM, the Faculty of Medicine introduced two new Buyer roles to support FOM’s procurement needs. I’m pleased to introduce your Buyer, Jeremiah Garcia, who is available to support you and is your first point of contact for your purchasing needs. Examples of the support that are available include:

  • Obtaining quotes for goods and services between $3,500 and $75,000
  • Providing support and guidance on the Procurement process
  • Creating, managing and expediting Purchase Orders (POs)
  • Preparing contracts for purchases under $75,000

The FOM Procurement Partner, Anna Grewal, will be your Financial Operations liaison and can provide strategic advice to support your procurement needs. Examples of the support that are available include:

  • Strategic advice to help plan for upcoming large procurements, above $75,000
  • Providing guidance and advice to support supplier relationships
  • Training and support on Financial Operations processes

Both Anna and Jeremiah are normally based at City Square but are currently working from home. They are mobile on a normalized basis, so they can meet with PIs at their location, or can discuss issues and plans by phone or over Zoom or other platforms. Contact information for Anna and Jeremiah is as follows, and you are welcome to engage with them immediately:

Jeremiah Garcia
Phone: 604 306 3341
Email: jeremiah.garcia@ubc.ca

Anna Grewal
Phone: 778-317-2646
Email: anna.grewal@ubc.ca

Anna Grewal, Procurement Partner, will be reaching out via email to:

  1. Introduce herself and discuss in more detail how she and Jeremiah can support you
  2. Discuss your department’s buying needs, priorities and understand your key stakeholders
  3. Discuss the best approach to roll out this communication to the rest of your department/unit

Finally, I’d like to point out that this is a value added new role to UBC, at no cost to units or to the faculty, which should ease the procurement process and potentially provide cost savings. The feedback from units involved in earlier phases of the SDM rollout to Medicine has been extremely positive, and it is my belief that these roles will provide great benefit, as well as help set us up for success when we transition to Workday.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I am happy to arrange a meeting if desired.

Sincerely,

Andrew Glynn
Senior Director, Finance
O: 604.827.1313 | E: Andrew.glynn@ubc.ca
Faculty of Medicine, Finance | The University of British Columbia
317 – 2194 Health Sciences Mall | Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3 | Canada