Colorado WIC Program Policies and Procedures Section 1: Vendor and Farmer Management Revised: 10/01/2025

Vendor Training: Routine Partnership Connections

Policy: Local Agency Retailer Coordinators (LARC) are the first point of contact for the WIC-authorized stores in their area.

Regulation: Colorado WIC Policy

Procedure/Additional Guidance: LARC are encouraged to develop partnerships with the authorized vendors in their area and have routine contact with the store representatives as appropriate through store visits or phone communications, including the following:

● Contact the store regularly to establish good communication with the store personnel. ● Understand the Program vendor rules. Everyone in WIC who has contact with store personnel should be knowledgeable of vendor procedures. Colorado WIC vendor training materials are valuable sources of information. (See State WIC Roles: Training LARC for training materials and communications.) Familiarize yourself with these materials and the handbook before meeting with store staff. ● Provide the store with direct phone and email contact information for their LARC. This will make it easier for store personnel to call if they are having problems or have questions. ● Find out who to contact at the store. Begin contact with the manager and vary contact with the agreement of the manager, based on the nature of the problem. If someone is responsible for ordering formula, you may find it best to talk with that person directly regarding a formula-stocking problem. ● Consider asking to attend a store’s staff and/or training meeting. Take a few copies of the newsletter, WIC’s WORLD, materials, clarification from local or state meetings or training sessions, and/or other appropriate materials and/or information regarding a specific issue or problem that the store may be having. ● Conduct informal site visits. These visits are a way of contacting the vendor to assess the current situation, to determine if they are having any problems or questions and to assist them. Depending upon the level of training provided to the store, the visit might be counted as a formal interactive training visit in annual reporting to USDA. ● Consider following-up with the store liaison after the store conducts the periodic training required by State WIC to determine how the training progressed and for feedback and input. Relay pertinent information to the Benefit Delivery Unit. ● Track communications with the vendor as appropriate in the Compass Vendor Log screen.

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