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Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) Listing

What is a group purchasing organization listing?

A group purchasing organization (GPO) listing is a list of the suppliers used by a GPO that is communicated to the members of the GPO. The list includes suppliers that the GPO has vetted based on their length of time in business, on-time supply chain fulfillment, U.S. Food and Drug Administration compliance issues, and quality of service. Additionally, to be considered for the listing, suppliers must be able to offer competitive prices and have advantageous conditions for their contracts.

GPO listings are created as part of the GPO award cycle, in which the GPO requests proposals from suppliers. Upon seeing and reviewing the proposals, the GPO decides which supplier to award the contract to and adds them to the GPO listing. In many cases, the listing also includes the specific supplies or services that a vendor is approved to provide.

Why is a GPO listing important?

When a vendor makes the GPO listing, they have proven they meet the GPO’s standards. The members of a GPO can feel more secure in the supplies provided by these suppliers since the GPO looks into their manufacturing process to ensure it meets their standards and requirements. Additionally, having a GPO listing offers a starting place for companies to reach out to for bids on future projects, as the vendors have already been approved for collaboration.