Core Values

Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

Cornell Procurement Services strives to provide a world-class supply management function in support of the university’s mission by creating value through strategic sourcing, efficient processes, and professional service.

Mission

Cornell Procurement Services provides effective procurement services in a manner that...

• Ensures the institution receives extraordinary value
• Represents the university’s standards for stewardship and citizenship
• Utilizes best practices and acts as a role model for others
• Empowers all employees to provide excellent service

Values

• Collegiality… “We develop and maintain positive relationships through understanding, collaboration, and trust.”
• Integrity… “We strive to do the right thing for the greater good for all our clients and for Cornell.”
• Initiative… “We develop new strategies and continually assess the appropriateness of the services we provide to the university.”
• Excellence… “We establish goals and objectives to achieve excellence and are accountable for our actions and the impact they have on the community.”
• Civility… “We are frank, open, sincere, and respectful of others.”
• Stewardship… “We responsibly manage and protect the resources entrusted to our care.”

Service Commitment Statement

Cornell Procurement Services is devoted to providing a high level of service to our internal Cornell customers. As a reflection of this commitment, we have developed the following "Service Level Commitment" statement.

Procurement Services commits to the following:

• Treat customers with respect and courtesy, and respond to their needs with a sense of urgency
• Return phone calls the same day or in no more than 24 hours (the following business day)
• Return e-mails the same day or in no more than 24 hours (the following business day)
• Issue a purchase order, or contact the requisitioning unit for additional approvals or documentation as required by Cornell policy, during the same day received or in no more than 24 hours (the following business day)
• Provide acknowledgment of receipt of request for quotations the day of receipt or in no more than 24 hours (the following business day)

Code of Ethics

The following code of ethics was issued by the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) as of July 1, 1985.

1. Give first consideration to the objectives and policies of my institution.
2. Strive to obtain the maximum value for each dollar of expenditure.
3. Decline personal gifts or gratuities.
4. Grant all competitive suppliers equal consideration insofar as state or federal statute and institutional policy permit.
5. Conduct business with potential and current suppliers in an atmosphere of good faith, devoid of intentional misrepresentation.
6. Demand honesty in sales representation whether offered through the medium of verbal or written statement, an advertisement, or a sample of the product.
7. Receive consent of originator of proprietary ideas and designs before using them for competitive purchasing purposes.
8. Make every reasonable effort to negotiate an equitable and mutually agreeable settlement of any controversy with a supplier; and/or be willing to submit any major controversies to arbitration or other third-party review, insofar as the established policies of my institution permit.
9. Accord a prompt and courteous reception insofar as conditions permit to all who call on legitimate business missions.
10. Cooperate with trade, industrial, and professional associations, and with governmental and private agencies for the purposes of promoting and developing sound business methods.
11. Foster fair, ethical, and legal trade ethics.
12. Counsel and cooperate with NAEB members, and promote a spirit of unity and a keen interest in professional growth among them.

Business and Institutional Affiliations

Ivy League Purchasing Group

Cornell Procurement Services works closely with the Ivy League Purchasing Group of peer universities and colleges to share procurement strategies and knowledge, and to explore new technological advances in the procurement field. This group is composed of the Ivy League schools and other peer institutions. By sharing knowledge, it is expected that members will become more efficient and be able to offer greater service to their customers.

Ivy League Procurement-Related Sites

• Brown University Purchasing
• University of Chicago Procurement and Payment Services
• Columbia University Purchasing
• Dartmouth College Procurement and Auxiliary Services
• Harvard University Strategic Procurement
• Johns Hopkins University Supply Chain Shared Service Center
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Procurement
• University of Pennsylvania Purchasing Services
• Princeton University Purchasing
• Stanford University Buying and Paying Support Center
• University of Southern California (USC) Purchasing Services
• Yale University Procurement

Other Related Sites

• The National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP)
• The Institute for Supply Management (ISM)
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Office for Purchasing Services
• Tufts Finance Organization