Webinar Details $199
- Webinar Date: October 21, 2025
- Webinar Time: 2:00 pm - 3:40 pm EDT live
- Webinar Length: 100 Minutes
- Guest Speaker: Kenneth Jones
- Topic: Purchasing
- Credit: CPE 2.00, ISM 1.50, QPANJ 2.00, ATAPU 1.50
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Building and maintaining strong vendor relationships is more than just a handshake deal — it's a critical part of ensuring organizational success and minimizing risk. This webinar will explore the foundational principles of managing vendor relationships with professionalism and foresight. Attendees will gain insights into viewing vendor relationships as business partnerships, with a clear understanding of the importance of representing their organization’s best interests above all else. Participants will learn how to establish firm boundaries that avoid personal entanglements and instead foster win-win relationships grounded in clear terms and mutual benefit.
The session will also provide detailed guidance on navigating the complexities of vendor agreements. From reviewing terms of sale, liability clauses, and indemnifications to ensuring proper insurance and certifications are in place, this webinar will help you build contracts that protect your agency or company. Real-world case studies will bring the content to life, showcasing both challenges and successful outcomes in vendor management. You’ll also learn how to monitor performance, provide fair solicitation opportunities, and ensure vendors deliver value — all while reducing risk and increasing service quality.
Topics Covered:- Professional boundaries in vendor relationships
- Vendor agreement structuring and term review
- Risk mitigation through insurance, licensing, and penalties
- Monitoring performance and ensuring accountability
- Case studies demonstrating real-world vendor challenges and solutions
- Understand how to manage vendor relationships as business partnerships that protect your organization's interests.
- Learn best practices for structuring vendor agreements to reduce liability and avoid unfavorable terms.
- Discover how to monitor vendor performance to ensure quality service delivery and timely compliance.
- Gain insight into common vendor pitfalls and how to address or avoid them.
- Analyze real-life case studies that highlight both risks and successful strategies in vendor management.
This webinar will equip you with the tools to strengthen your organization's vendor relationships while minimizing risk and increasing efficiency. Attending will give you actionable strategies to elevate your role as a steward of your company or agency’s resources.
Who Should Attend:
Professionals involved in procurement, contract management, operations, finance, and organizational compliance who manage or influence vendor relationships.
Level: Beginners/Intermediate
Format: Live webcast
Instructional Method: Group: Internet-based
NASBA Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Program Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
- Introduction 00:01:13
- A Business Relationship - Things To Remember 0:02:37
- A Business Relationship - Who Is Your Vendor Representing And Protecting? 00:08:44
- A Business Relationship - Keeping The Relationship All Business 00:16:34
- A Business Relationship - Avoid Getting Into Personal Relationships 00:27:36
- A Business Relationship - Case Study 00:32:00
- Coming to Terms With Your Vendor - Terms And Conditions 00:34:01
- Coming to Terms With Your Vendor - Binding Agreements 00:41:43
- Coming to Terms With Your Vendor - Vendor Agreements 00:51:31
- Coming to Terms With Your Vendor - When You Must Use A Vendors Contract 00:57:04
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Require Insurance 01:04:16
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Specialized Insurance 01:06:32
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Certifications Or Licenses 01:09:29
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Penalties 01:11:41
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Require Bonds 01:15:49
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Exit Clauses 01:16:41
- Limit The Risk To Your Organization - Vendor Responsibility Check 01:23:24
- How To Increase The Quality Of Your Business Relationship With Vendors - Products And Services 01:26:11
- How To Increase The Quality Of Your Business Relationship With Vendors - Competitive Soliciations 01:29:20
- How To Increase The Quality Of Your Business Relationship With Vendors - Monitor Performance 01:31:34
- How To Increase The Quality Of Your Business Relationship With Vendors - Payment Terms 01:33:11
- Case Studies - High Risk Liability 01:35:15
- Case Studies - Quality Transportation Services 01:36:11
- Case Studies - Quality Transportation Services Continued 01:36:57
- Case Studies - Quality Transportation Services Continued 01:37:31
- Case Studies - Protesting Loss Of Business 01:38:08
- Case Studies - Monitoring Supply Vendor Leads 01:40:12
- Case Studies - Monitoring Supply Vendor Leads Continued 01:41:21
- Case Studies - Poor Results 01:41:48
- Question & Answers Period 01:42:36
- Presentation Closing 01:46:15
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Kenneth Jones
Ken Jones has been working in the public and non-profit procurement field for over 30 years. He worked for the New York State Office of Taxation and Finance as a Purchasing Assistant from 1985-87 and went on to work for the University at Albany, SUNY where he served as a Purchasing Agent and in 1999 [...]
CPE Credit
Aurora Training Advantage is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, and cancellation please contact our offices at 407-542-4317 or training@auroratrainingadvantage.com.
ISM Credit
This program may be used for Continuing Education Hours (CEH) toward recertification for programs offered by the Institute for Supply Management®, including the Certified Professional in Supply Management® and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity®.
QPANJ Credit
Qualified Purchasing Agent - New Jersey
ATAPU Credit
Aurora Training Advantage is offering continuing education points designed to recognize dedication to training and excellence in purchasing.- Arbitration 00:42:42, 00:42:55, 1:00:04
- Bid 00:08:12, 00:13:34, 00:35:53
- Bid Bond 01:15:55
- Commodity 00.09:39, 00:10:40, 00:45:54, 00:46:12
- Contract 00:04:45, 00:06:44, 00:06:49, 00:08:10, 00:43:41, 00:44:02, 00:49:20
- Debriefing 00:48:49, 00:49:10, 00:49:17, 00:49:47, 00:49:56, 00:50:09
- Force Majeure 1:02:04, 1:03:07
- Indemnification 1:00:05, 1:00:08
- Labor and Materials Bond 01:15:55
- Liability 00:59:29, 00:59:50, 01:06:39
- Procurement 00:01:35, 00:01:41, 00:03:07, 00:08:24, 00:08:32, 00:08:47, 00:09:48, 00:38:12, 00:44:12, 01:23:20
- Request For Quotation 00:42:24,00:46:58
- Requisition 00:46:14
- Scoring Matrix 00:49:39
- Vendor 00:02:46, 00:03:09, 00:05:00, 00:08:13, 00:36:15, 00:37:41, 00:42:53
Bid: A bid is an offer made by an investor, trader, or dealer in an effort to buy an asset or to compete for a contract.
Commodity: A basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
Contract: A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.
Contractor: A person or company that undertakes a contract to provide materials or labor to perform a service or do a job.
Procurement: Procurement is the process of finding and agreeing to terms, and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source, often via a tendering or competitive bidding process. Procurement is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services, or works at the best possible price when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared.
Request For Information (RFI): A request for information is a common business process whose purpose is to collect written information about the capabilities of various suppliers. Normally it follows a format that can be used for comparative purposes. An RFI is primarily used to gather information to help make a decision on what steps to take next.
Request for Proposal (RFP): A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process, by an agency or company interested in procurement of a commodity, service, or valuable asset, to potential suppliers to submit business proposals.
Scope of Work (SOW): The Scope of Work (SOW) is the area in an agreement where the work to be performed is described. The SOW should contain any milestones, reports, deliverables, and end products that are expected to be provided by the performing party. The SOW should also contain a time line for all deliverables.
Scoring Matrix: A tool that helps you evaluate multiple options based on a set of criteria.
Subcontractor: The process by which these various specialist trades are brought into a project.
Vendor: A vendor is a person or business that supplies goods or services to a company. Another term for the vendor is the supplier. In many situations, a company presents the vendor with a purchase order stating the goods or services needed, the price, delivery date, and other terms.
Vendor Database: The Vendor database stores information about your vendors. Because the system is fully integrated, the information you enter in the Vendor database is automatically supplied to other parts of the system.
Z-Score: The Z-score formula for predicting bankruptcy was published in 1968 by Edward I. Altman, who was, at the time, an Assistant Professor of Finance at New York University. The formula may be used to predict the probability that a firm will go into bankruptcy within two years.
