The Procurement Team (formerly “Purchasing Services”) is dedicated to helping you find and purchase the right products and services through strategic sourcing.  We are here to guide you through the procurement process, lead discussions with suppliers and help you and KU get the best value. 

Procurement has the category expertise, market research and analysis tools, and campuswide visibility that helps you get more for less. The current fiscal climate necessitates that Procurement plays an even bigger role to help KU dig out of a historic budget deficit and reach market pay. Whether it's overseeing competitive bids, negotiating better deals, finding resources already within the university or otherwise optimizing your spending, we're here to help ensure you get the most bang for KU’s buck. 

Recognizing the need for more lunch options, Human Resources partnered with Ephrom Marks, Associate Director of Procurement, to launch a pilot program featuring diverse food trucks. This initiative provided faculty, staff and students with convenient and delicious lunch options every Wednesday in April.

Accessible Teaching, Learning and Assessment Systems (ATLAS) at KU needed an event planner, and partnered with Procurement Specialist Carey Keo. Together, they identified an event planner with extensive university event experience that is a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). This not only met ATLAS's diversity goals but also delivered the best overall pricing for venue selection and staffing.

Supplier incentives can be tempting, but Procurement Officer Ramia Whitecotton put one such discount under a microscope. When a microscope supplier offered an "Early Adopter Program" discount, Ramia conducted a thorough bidding process, which found three lower bids for comparable equipment compatible with existing lab instruments. Following Ramia's request for a best and final offer (BAFO), the awarded supplier slashed their quote another $16,000 and the researchers wound up with a better microscope with a much friendlier price tag.

Software You Need, Without the Waste

In a recent contract renewal for KU’s campuswide learning management system (LMS) software, Senior Procurement Officer Esmeralda Phillips identified significant changes in KU's needs since the last agreement. Esmeralda worked with IT to "right-size" the license allocation, eliminating unused modules and adding ones in high demand. This strategic approach not only provided better functionality, but also saved over $36,000.

Procurement Officer Carla Swoyer's sharp negotiation skills delivered a double win for KU. First, she secured a $48,000 refund for missing ride data from a supplier to Transportation Services. Then, she leveraged her skills to obtain an additional $48,000 in savings on A/V production for commencement in collaboration with KU’s Office of Ceremonies and Special Events. This combined $96,000 freed up valuable resources, ensuring KU's resources are used wisely and can meet our evolving needs.

When KU IT needed a critical uninterrupted power supply (UPS) battery, Procurement Officer Luke Raynor secured a competitive bid, resulting in a whopping $137,000 savings. This ensured campus Wi-Fi operations wouldn't be interrupted by a power outage. Ruth Allenbrand in KU IT commented: “We were looking at a possible $350,000 expense and the accepted bid came back at $212,792. The $137,208 savings will greatly help IT’s underfunded budget.”

Holding the Line on Service Costs

In a challenging inflationary environment, Procurement Officer Julie Bellucci managed to keep pricing flat on a variety of on-call service contracts including electrical, painting, and HVAC. This proactive approach prevented cost increases on essential Facilities Services and other KU Operations services and laid the groundwork for continued fiscal responsibility in the face of inflation.

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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