Vendor Complaint Process

HSSBC Supply Chain is committed to a fair and transparent process for awarding BC health authority contracts. To support this commitment, HSSBC has a clear and formal Vendor Complaint process that can be initiated by a vendor if they have objections regarding the management of an RFP or the award of any contract by HSSBC.

Process Overview

The HSSBC Supply Chain Vendor Complaint Process has four distinct stages that must be completed in chronological order and requested in writing. Note that this information provides a simplified overview of the process; detailed information on the requirements of each stage are provided on the individual stage pages.

Stage 1 – Vendor debriefing: Any vendor meeting the criteria can request a debriefing meeting with the file lead regarding the award status of the contract within 10 business days of the receipt of award notification.

Stage 2 – Further clarification or formal complaint: Within 10 business days of the debriefing, the vendor can either:

• Request additional clarification, which will be reviewed and responded to in writing by the file lead’s director.
• Submit a formal complaint, which will be reviewed and responded to in writing by the file lead’s director.

Stage 3 – Additional review of formal complaint: Within 30 business days of receiving the written response from stage 2, the vendor can request an additional review of the complaint, which will be reviewed and responded to in writing by the Vice President, Supply Chain.

Stage 4 – Final Appeal: Within 30 business days of receiving the written response from the Vice President, Supply Chain, the vendor can request a final appeal from an ad-hoc committee of health authority senior management representatives, who will review the complaint and provide a written response. The decision of this committee is final.