VOL 5 | FALL 2025

A recent collaboration between KU IT and KU Procurement’s Esmeralda Phillips has transformed how the university manages Microsoft support, delivering more flexibility, better alignment with campus needs and major savings.

KU IT and Procurement worked together to shift support services from Microsoft to a qualified third-party provider, replacing a rigid model with one that fits how KU actually operates.

The new agreement moves KU to a pay-for-what-we-use structure, eliminating unnecessary costs and ensuring support levels match real demand.

The contract adds key flexibility:

This partnership produced a 47% cost reduction compared to the previous support arrangement. A fixed hourly rate for three years also provides long-term cost control and budget stability.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) partnered with Procurement on an RFP to improve crisis support and online therapy for students. The result is a new supplier, a usage-based model and significant savings.

CAPS moved from an all-you-can-use model to a pay-for-what-you-use structure, cutting costs by nearly half of the previous expense.

The agreement allows therapy sessions to be purchased in smaller 50-session blocks, 10% rollover of unused sessions and waives multi-year commitments. This gives CAPS the flexibility to adapt as student needs change.

The contract includes several negotiated no-cost services:

Procurement-secured protections for predictable costs:

The agreement also strengthens KU’s broader position with the inclusion of a piggyback clause enabling other KBOR institutions to join, enhancing future negotiating leverage with the new supplier.

This collaboration shows how KU Procurement and CAPS combine smart sourcing with operational flexibility to improve student services while stewarding university resources.

The School of Business partnered with KU Procurement’s Luke Raynor to bring Breakout Learning, an AI-powered platform for small group online discussions, to students this semester.

The software enhances BUS 150 and the Professional Development Program by extending in-class collaboration into a digital space. It facilitates, evaluates and provides feedback on student discussions, integrates seamlessly with the existing learning management system, and aligns with the school’s instructional goals.

Luke worked closely with Dr. Keith Chauvin and faculty stakeholders to meet a tight deadline, structure a flexible payment plan and ensure onboarding was underway even as the contract was finalized. 

Dr. Chauvin said, “Thank you to everyone on both sides of the contract for staying on task and getting this wrapped up in a timely fashion. I know there are so many touch points in a process like this that can create delays, but from my perspective this went extremely well.”

This successful partnership demonstrates the power of cross-functional collaboration in delivering timely, student-focused solutions, ensuring KU students have the tools they need to learn, engage and succeed.

When a department submitted a request to purchase more than $50,000 in branded merchandise, Procurement Officer Mike Adams noticed a potential issue. The requested brand was very specific, but the supplier identified was not approved to produce KU-branded merchandise.

A quick review showed that none of KU’s approved suppliers listed this exact product. So, the department, eager to move forward, had obtained a quote from a non-approved vendor.

Before approving the purchase, Mike worked to ensure KU’s brand standards and purchasing policies were upheld, and  discovered that one of KU’s longstanding approved suppliers could provide the exact product—even though it wasn’t listed on their website.

Because of KU’s established relationship and order history with the supplier, the university secured the order at over $4,000 less than the non-approved quote.

This outcome highlights how KU Procurement safeguards brand quality, ensures policy compliance and delivers significant cost savings all while supporting trusted supplier relationships.

KU Procurement, in partnership with KU IT, helped the university avoid more than $140,000 in costs during a recent enterprise software renewal.

Procurement Officer Esmeralda Phillips led the project, turning careful review and persistence into significant savings. With no near-term plans to switch suppliers, Procurement proposed a three-year agreement instead of a standard one-year extension. This strategy not only locked in favorable pricing, but also improved the standard escalation rate and created savings over the life of the contract.

Before finalizing the renewal, an IT stakeholder raised concerns about certain legacy licenses. The purpose and value of those licenses were unclear, and there was concern that removing them could trigger higher costs elsewhere. Procurement pressed the software provider for clarification and confirmed that those licenses were obsolete and no longer supported, and removing them would not impact other pricing. This change generated substantial additional savings, including over $30K in FY 2026 alone.

In total, the renewal avoided more than $140K in costs, demonstrating how early engagement, cross-campus partnership and asking the right questions translate into real value for KU.

KU Procurement and IT leadership from the Lawrence campus, KU Medical Center and the University of Kansas Health System (UKHS) joined forces to create a One KU agreement for next-generation firewalls. KU Lawrence aligned its entry with UKHS’s planned purchases to maximize leverage, delivering benefits for all campuses.

The agreement provides:

This One KU collaboration shows the power of combining procurement and IT across campuses to achieve better pricing, streamlined support and enhanced security—a win for all.

Procurement’s Ephrom Marks and HR’s Angie Loving teamed up to consolidate multiple LinkedIn Learning contracts into a single One KU enterprise agreement, delivering expanded access and significant savings for faculty, staff and students.

Previously, HR and the School of Business maintained separate contracts, while the KU Medical Center and other students had no access. Expanding access without an enterprise agreement would have nearly doubled costs if each unit contracted independently.

The new enterprise agreement now covers nearly 40,000 users, with growth beyond the current count not triggering additional fees during the contract term. This ensures predictable pricing and flexibility. Besides simplifying contract management and expanding access, the per-user cost was slashed by nearly 40%, resulting in annualized savings of over $74K. That’s $223K over the contract term. 

This One KU approach demonstrates how cross-unit collaboration reduces costs, streamlines administration and maximizes value, providing a unified, efficient solution for the entire university.

Want to see how KU Procurement supports campus initiatives like the ones mentioned here? Check out the Procurement Training Modules and watch “KU Procurement 101” to learn about our mission and approach, and the value of partnering with us.

Ready to get started? Submit a new Procurement Request through the Finance Service Portal. Collaborating early means smarter planning, better pricing and stronger results for your department.

KU Procurement is excited to announce upcoming training in late January on new curated offerings from the Amazon Business catalog. These carefully selected items span key categories, including Office, Breakroom and IT Peripherals, providing departments with a curated shopping experience and savings of up to 25%.

The training will cover:

This is a great opportunity for KU staff to learn how to make the most of the curated program while getting the products they need.

Thursday, Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. (central) — Save this link to join the meeting 
Thursday, Jan. 29 at 1:30  p.m. (central) — Save this link to join the meeting 

Mike brings higher education experience, private-sector insight and a love of continuous learning. He helps KU departments get the best value while staying compliant.

“Procurement isn’t about forcing vendors—it’s about strategic partnerships,” he says. Outside of work, Mike enjoys boating, Taekwondo and sushi, and lives by his motto: “Be stronger than your excuses.”

Melanie combines legal training with procurement expertise and a collaborative approach. A Kansas City native, she focuses on building strong supplier relationships and helping units meet their goals efficiently. Outside of work she enjoys family time, painting and playing with her two miniature Sheepadoodles, Jet and Chili.

Her motto: “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”

Reach out — Mike and Melanie and the rest of the KU Procurement pros are eager to partner and support your purchasing needs!

This is just a glimpse of how Procurement can be your strategic partner in driving value for your department and the university. Visit the Finance Service Portal today, and let us know how we can help.

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