Doing Business With TEMA

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), as an agency of the State of Tennessee government, conducts business with external entities as required under state and federal law, state purchasing regulations, and other standard accounting and procurement practices.

Procurement Information

TEMA purchases materials and supplies through the state department of General Services, Purchasing Division. This first step in becoming a vendor with which the agency can do business is to become a registered vendor with the state's Purchasing Division. Specific instructions, forms, and information needed to accomplish this process may be found at the Procurement Office website on doing business with the state. For items that are available on an existing statewide contract, the agency is required to purchase from these contracts unless the contract specifications are not suitable to the purpose for which the items are needed.

During emergencies, the agency is able to utilize special regulations and laws that allow the agency to bypass certain requirements during times of crisis. The state Purchasing Division normally deploys an Emergency Services Coordinator to the State EOC during emergencies to facilitate the purchase and acquisition of emergency supplies. Note that any vendor wishing to sell or rent material, services or supplies to the state during an emergency must still be a registered vendor as outlined above. On the registration form, there is a specific section to be completed to provide for your organization's emergency and after-hours contact information specifically for this purpose.

Marketing to TEMA

Since the majority of emergency response activities takes place at the local government level, however, TEMA typically will buy any needed equipment, supplies or services using state contract procedures. Emergency purchases during a declared emergency may be handled differently due to the need for speed of delivery.