Department of Veterans Affairs

THE NEED

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a sacred mission: to serve and honor America's military veterans. From health benefits to service pensions, the VA incorporates several different administrations under one Federal authority. Their duty is to be a vital resource for the men and women who have sacrificed in service to the United States.

As of 2019, the Department of Veterans Affairs counted some 19 million living American veterans. Not only is that a large number in absolute terms, but the demographics of that group are changing rapidly. More veterans will be younger in the years to come, and the percentage of female veterans will rise sharply as well. That leaves the VA in charge of caring for a large (and dramatically changing) population of veterans.

With that as their task, the VA can't afford to fall down on the job. Not only must the people at the VA be prepared to go above and beyond for the well being of those in their care, but the VA itself needs suppliers and vendors who are reliable and capable.

But that's not as simple as it may sound.

THE CHALLENGE

As a Federal government agency, the VA is required to purchase necessary supplies through vendors that have been approved by the General Services Administration (GSA). GSA approval denotes that a particular vendor meets the legal and regulatory requirements necessary for doing business with the United States government. Those requirements can run the gamut, from how the company is structured and owned, to which brands of products are on sale, to how environmentally-friendly the vendor's operations are.

Needless to say, the need for GSA approval automatically adds complexity to the VA's search for suppliers. Even something as simple as finding paper-alternate paper towels for a facility that can't use standard paper towels becomes a logistical nightmare for VA purchasers like Aeneas Goff.

"None of our major distributors had what I needed,"; Mr. Goff put it simply. "Beyond that, I was always worried about the hoops you have to go through when ordering through GSA companies."

To expedite purchases by government organizations, the GSA has implemented what it calls the "Federal Marketplace (FMP) Strategy." This is a series of initiatives meant to streamline the process of both purchasing (on the government's end), as well as selling (on the supplier's end). By introducing a federal marketplace through which agencies could find pre-approved vendors, they could dramatically ease their search burden.

Likewise, a marketplace would benefit vendors, in theory, by making it easier for them to gain approval and start doing business with Federal agencies. But even with the transition to the FMP, purchasers like Aeneas Goff at the VA still have to wade through more "layers" on their way to getting business done.

So not only was Mr. Goff stuck inside a purchasing system that, although trying to modernize, was still unwieldy and complicated — he was also trapped with a list of "suppliers" who could do anything but actually supply his and his facilities' needs. With the ever-present pressure of the VA's mission weighing on his mind, Mr. Goff had to find a vendor that could both navigate the Federal system and promise reliable stocks of crucial supplies.

THE SOLUTION

On Time Supplies is a GSA-approved supplier of a huge range of office products, cleaning supplies, and other not-necessarily-easy-to-find items. Our ability to create and sustain partnerships with key vendors helps us keep more in stock, more of the time. That's one of the greatest advantages we provide to all of our clients, government agencies or otherwise.

But one of the unique boons we bring specifically to our customers in government is our seamless ability to fit their requirements. Not only are we GSA-approved to do business with Federal agencies, but we are also empowered to work both inside and outside the FMP. That means that when someone gave our link to Mr. Goff, he found it a snap to dive right in and find what he needed.

"I'm someone who likes to talk on the phone, and I was happy that On Time Supplies made that easy," Mr. Goff said. He was particularly happy when our one-on-one human contact confirmed that, yes, in fact, the inventory on the site was accurate, and On Time Supplies was carrying all the supplies that Mr. Goff's facilities required.

"It's been easy to stick with On Time Supplies since. I like that I can find what I'm looking for, the inventory is in real-time, and they carry the things I need. It's as simple as that."

THE SUCCESS

Thanks to a user experience and design that improves Thanks to a UI/UX that improves upon the average government purchaser's shopping experience, as well as the way we make GSA-approved transactions simple and straightforward, On Time Supplies has been a tremendous relief to Mr. Goff.

"With too many other suppliers, you never know if you're going to get what you purchased. But with On Time Supplies, I always feel reassured that I'm going to get what I purchased, and get it in a timely manner."

At On Time Supplies, we love that word: reassured. Knowing how important the mission of the VA is, and how often they have to struggle with other GSA-approved suppliers, we're encouraged to know that Mr. Goff and his colleagues could feel assured that their purchases were in good hands. We do this by offering an extra level of support for customers who prefer to call in their orders and do business over the phone. We're making it easier for the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve and honor the great men and women who have carried this nation's flag is, itself, an honor.

Thanks to our extensive and deep supply network, our genuine human care, and our ability to satisfy GSA and other Federal regulations, On Time Supplies is the secret to government agencies getting more done, more easily, with less stress, and at a lower cost.