Procurement Services Newsletter 

Annual HIPAA Training Requirement

for "Inquirer" Role in RU Marketplace

To ensure compliance with data privacy regulations, the university now requires annual HIPAA training for all individuals who are assigned to the Inquirer role in RU Marketplace, due to the potential for work involving protected health information (PHI). 

Users with the Inquirer role will receive an email notification when annual training is due.

Introducing Monthly Training Sessions for Concur

Starting October 15, Procurement Services will offer monthly virtual training sessions for users of Concur Travel and Expense. These sessions, which will include an introduction to the system and demonstrations of common tasks, such as creating travel expense reports, will be particularly helpful for new users and anyone in need of a refresher on how to use Concur at Rutgers.

All sessions will take place on Teams and will feature the same basic content. 
Pre-registration is not required.

Join any of the upcoming sessions by using the links below or keep an eye out for future dates, which will be announced on a rolling basis.

• Wednesday, October 15, from 10-11:30 a.m. Join the training session 

• Tuesday, November 18, from 10-11:30 a.m. Join the training session 
  
• Tuesday, December 16, from 10-11:30 a.m. Join the training session

New Emergency Assistance and

International Medical Insurance Program Providers

The university has partnered with two new providers (Crisis24 and Everest) for overseas emergency assistance and international medical insurance, replacing OnCall International.

Enrollment is automatic for faculty and staff arranging trips via Direct Travel or the Concur Online Booking Tool, while students will be enrolled through their international study program administrators. 

If you or someone you support plans to travel internationally, please familiarize yourself with the Risk Management International Travel resources on the University Finance and Administration website.

Updates to RU Marketplace for the Research and Health Category

Changes are on the way this Fall for those purchasing research and health-related products and services. The Labviva catalog will be phased out, and in its place, we will reinstate standalone catalogs for the following suppliers:


• Benco Dental
• Fisher Scientific
• Henry Schein
• VWR/Avantor


Additionally, we will introduce a new catalog, Neta Scientific, which offers a wide range of laboratory products and scientific equipment.

These updates are based on input from the university community to enhance your experience by providing easier access to essential supplies, as well as cost and time savings, and simplified, more flexible procurement processes. For example, recently, members of the university community had the opportunity to meet with and provide feedback directly to one of our suppliers, who will soon be reinstated, as highlighted in the article below.


What’s Next?

We will continue to share updates, including timelines and guidance, to ensure a smooth transition. For now, Labviva remains available.

Spotlight on VWR/Avantor Customer Engagement

The Procurement team recently hosted a meeting on campus for the university community to engage directly with representatives from VWR/Avantor, ... This was an opportunity to gather feedback and share resources and support available to the university. 

Here are some key takeaways from the meeting for users of this catalog on RU Marketplace:

• Trying to narrow down your options? Avantor’s full catalog includes over 6 million products and services; however, a curated subset is published for easier access to typical Rutgers purchases.
• Looking beyond the catalog? Use the open requisition tool within the Avantor punchout to search for additional products or manufacturers.
• Save time with shopping lists. Create lists within the punchout for recurring or one-time purchases (located under “My Account”).
• Need storage for large purchases? If you have limited physical space to store purchased goods, consider utilizing the Avantor warehouse in Bridgeport, New Jersey, and request items to be shipped as needed.
• Get the best value. In addition to the university's existing contracted price discounts, VWR/Avantor offers price matching and discounts for new lab setups.

Support for Additional Needs

If you have specific needs or unique challenges, both our team and VWR/Avantor representatives are committed to providing personalized support tailored to your goals.

• For general customer support, contact our dedicated representative, 
  Jasmine Griffiths.
• For product support, pricing, and quotes, contact Michal Kalisz.