Supplier Information

Acquiring Vital Resources

BNSF purchases thousands of material and service items from an extensive list of sources. We seek to acquire quality goods and services at the lowest total cost of ownership by working resourcefully, efficiently, effectively and ethically with both current and prospective suppliers.

Our procurement process, which is designed to be very approachable and progressive, is organized around four key phases:

• Planning - understanding what It takes to do business with BNSF
• Sourcing - accessing the tools and processes needed to pursue a business relationship with us
• Managing - arranging and handling transactions
• Paying - invoicing and receiving payment for these transactions

Please take the time to understand how this four-step method works and what is needed to create successful supplier relationships. Doing so may open new or additional opportunities for you and your company.

Additional resources on our procurement process are also available by logging on to any Suppliers page on BNSF.com.

BNSF's relationship with suppliers is based on the highest ethical, legal and procurement standards. The BNSF/Supplier Relationship section below provides an overview of the stands included in our Supplier Guide.

Message from Matt Rose, BNSF Chairman, President and CEO

"Our suppliers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and reliability of our materials and components and , ultimately, the service we provide to customers. We believe that the success of our supplier relationship requires adherence to the highest ethical, legal and procurement standards."

Matt Rose, BNSF Chairman, President & CEO, Addresses DFW Minority Development Council's Access 2004 [56k] [Broadband]

The BNSF / Supplier Relationship

As part of our commitment to high standards of ethical behavior and legal compliance, we developed the BNSF Railway Supplier Guide to remind suppliers of the standards that we expect in our business relationships.

The Guide outlines key expectations from our Code of Conduct and also includes the standards BNSF Strategic Sourcing and Supply follows to acquire quality goods and services at the lowest total cost of ownership. Primary areas covered include the following:

• Gifts and business entertainment


• Conflict of interest


• Environmental compliance and safety


• Harassment in the workplace


• Reciprocity


• Bidding


• Diversity


• Electronic solutions

Your company's adherence to these standards in all dealings with BNSF Railway employees is essential. Failure to do so can result in a loss of business with BNSF. If a BNSF employee suggests conducting business in a manner inconsistent with the standards, or if you suspect fraud by an employee or other third party, you are expected to immediately report the incident to the Vice President - Corporate General Counsel at 817-352-2369 or BNSF's Corporate Hotline at 800-241-5689.

We at BNSF Railway value all of our suppliers and believe this Guide enhances that relationship.