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Frequently Asked Questions:
Working with Fresenius Medical Care North America

Strategic Procurement examines and evaluates a company's supply base, purchasing activities, and procedures, in order to identify improvements on a continual basis. FMCNA's Strategic Procurement Group consists of sourcing professionals who maintain a fair evaluation process. Procurement provides guidance to suppliers to ensure that solutions and proposals are presented correctly and in the best format for key FMCNA decision makers. This includes developing category strategies, leading sourcing events, negotiating pricing, drafting contracts, and managing supplier performance.

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) is the North American division of Fresenius Medical Care. Fresnius Medical Care is a subsidiary of Fresenius Se & Co KGaA ("Fresenius Group"), a global healthcare group offering high-quality products and services for dialysis, hospitals, and outpatient treatment. In addition to Fresenius Medical Care, the Fresenius Group includes three other independently operated business segments: Fresenius Kabi ("Kabi"), Fresenius Helios ("Helios"), and Fresenius Vamed ("Vamed").

FMCNA's Strategic Procurement team manages spend only for FMCNA. However, we have counterparts in other business segments with whom we collaborate, when possible. Suppliers of one business segment are not necessarily approved to provide products or services to the other business segments. For more information on the Fresenius Group or its business segments, we encourage suppliers to visit the Group Overview page on the Fresenius website.

Yes. Joining the SAP Ariba Network is a mandatory requirement for all suppliers to do business with FMCNA.

FMCNA leverages an eSourcing tool or a manual process for all sourcing events. Suppliers will receive an email invitation from this tool when they have been chosen to participate in an event. The competitive bid process and timing will vary depending on the products or services being requested. Not all services or products may be open to new suppliers.

All competitive bids are administered through Strategic Procurement. Suppliers (new or existing) that communicate with a business contact about an existing bid, without approval from Strategic Procurement, risk being disqualified from the sourcing event.

For national level agreements an FMCNA Corporate Officer must sign the contract. Strategic Procurement will assist suppliers and business stakeholders in identifying the correct signatory.

Frequently Asked Questions: SAP Ariba Network


You will receive a Trade Relationship Request (TRR) from FMCNA. The email will be delivered to you by Ariba.  This letter explains how to register on Ariba Network and the steps to create your account or link your current account to include Fresenius as a customer. By accepting the Trade Relationship Request, you are agreeing with Fresenius to abide by all policies and procedures.

Best practice indicates that suppliers should use one Ariba account for all suppliers trading with them on Ariba Network. FMCNA assumes the cost for its suppliers to have a full-function Enterprise Account, which is normally paid for by suppliers. If FMCNA is your only Ariba customer, create and upgrade your account to Enterprise status. However, if you trade with other customers on Ariba Network and upgrade to Enterprise, you will be subject to fees based on your activity with your other customers.

Ariba Network uses Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) for all communication between procurement applications, suppliers, and Ariba Network. HTTPS is the standard for secure internet communication and uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) with RSA Labs encryption. Additionally, accounts on Ariba Network are password protected.

FMCNA is committed to the success of this initiative and is working hard to make the transition as painless as possible for our valued suppliers. Suppliers are expected to comply with this process change as a requirement for continuing the business relationship.

There is no cost for suppliers to trade with FMCNA using an Enterprise Ariba account.  Fresenius assumes all costs associated with an Enterprise account.

A valid email address, a high-speed internet connection, and a Web browser are the only requirements.  Ariba Network works well with Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer — just be sure you are using to the most recent versions of these browsers.

Using a next-generation tool like Ariba (R2P) results in greater efficiencies (speed and accuracy) in ordering, approvals, and transmission of documents (P.O.s and invoices) with suppliers.