The Walmart supplier portal (JUMP) provides a wealth of resources for suppliers who want to participate in the Made in the USA initiative.
JUMP stands for Jobs in U.S. Manufacturing Portal, and it has been around for some time — but many suppliers don’t know about it. Registration is required to view nearly all the JUMP resources, but you do not have to be a current Walmart associate or supplier to register. Just fill out a simple form and within a day you’ll be approved or denied access to the materials in the JUMP portal.
What are those materials?
- A simple process for submitting product proposals and certifications
- The latest news on the Made in the USA initiative
- A knowledge base for U.S. manufacturing
- Success stories, with videos and documents giving details
The site answers questions like “What counts as made in the USA?” and “Who can see the information in my product submission?” Suppliers can use this Walmart supplier portal to search questions and find helpful answers fast. You’ll note that the range of questions and answers encompasses the concerns of companies that would like to get on the shelf as well as those of current suppliers. Suppliers can also ask questions.
The success stories are certainly feel-good content — just see the happy video below — but they can also provide insights into the strategies companies are using to make Made in the USA work for them, and the benefits of doing so.
New content is added frequently. For example, on the portal Walmart currently includes video from the 2015 US Manufacturing Summit Supplier Academy. Much of the content is available elsewhere — either on the Walmart corporate website or at external sites, including government resource websites — but it’s handy to have a list in one place.
JUMP also links with Thomas.net, the primary directory for U.S. manufacturing. Suppliers should be able to use this directory to source products and parts in the U.S. Walmart has said that the more suppliers register and use JUMP, the more effective it will be at providing support for suppliers looking to make more of their goods in the USA.