- A part of ensuring a vendor’s business remains in compliance with a TIPS-USA contract includes paying TIPS administrative fees in relationship to the revenue earned from sales on projects for cooperative program members. These payments are expected whenever a vendor collects either a partial or full payment from a TIPS member.
- For example, if a member pays 25% of the final sales amount owed to the vendor when a project begins, then, the vendor must log on the vendor portal and pay 25% of the TIPS administrative fees. The vendor continues to pay on the remaining TIPS administrative fee balance in proportion to the payments received from the TIPS member through the duration of the project until the balance is paid in full.
- If a member doesn’t pay the vendor until the job is completed, then, the vendor can wait to pay the full TIPS administrative fees owed upon project completion.
- **Note: A vendor is found non-compliant with a TIPS contract if these payment guidelines are not followed. The TIPS member can be fined, and the vendor is at risk of losing their current TIPS contracts and the ability to receive future awards.
- A vendor portal user guide or a live virtual vendor portal training are available as needed.