Vendor Collaboration - Department of Education Vendor Communication Plan

The Department of Education's Vendor Communication Plan is designed to enhance transparency and improve acquisition outcomes by fostering clear and consistent engagement with industry partners prior to contract awards. The plan emphasizes an open environment for communication, provides specific guidance to acquisition and program staff on appropriate interactions with vendors, and encourages early, frequent, and constructive communication with all businesses, including small and new vendors. The Department also identifies procurement opportunities that may require increased communication and allocates resources to support high-risk, large-dollar, or complex programs, as well as efforts to attract new vendors during re-competitions. At the same time, it maintains strict protections for non-public and source selection information. This communication strategy reflects the Department’s commitment to responsible funding use and reducing barriers in its acquisition processes. The Vendor Communication Plan is publicly accessible and supported by the Department’s contracting page. Key contacts for this initiative include Andrew J. Sullivan and Denise Roberts, who can provide further information. The Department operates out of Washington, DC, under the Contracts and Acquisitions Management office, and adheres to the NAICS code 611710, related to educational services. This plan was initially posted in February 2012 and aims to facilitate vendor collaboration while safeguarding sensitive procurement details.