Driving Value and Savings in FY25

Savvy Negotiation Strategy Secures Major Wins

SWP’s IT Strategic Sourcing team, with UC Legal and IT partners, secured better discounts, new benefits, and a stronger partnership with Google through a thoughtful and strategic renegotiation. By aligning goals early and positioning UC as a partner—not just a customer—UC improved terms for Google Cloud services while setting the stage for future collaboration and innovation. This success shows how Procurement delivers broad strategic value and long-term benefits to the UC system.

Systemwide Procurement Leads the Way on Tariff Education & Mitigation

As tariffs continue to reshape global trade this year, UC’s Systemwide Procurement (SWP) stepped up with a proactive strategy to educate, inform and protect the UC community. Our Procurement Exchange three-part webinar series, Turning Tariff Turbulence into Strategy, helped colleagues understand tariff dynamics, supplier negotiation strategies, and compliance tools. 

Along with education, SWP launched the UC Tariff Impact Tracker, a live dashboard that tracks proposed versus actual tariff effects on spend across the Facilities, IT, and Life Sciences categories. These efforts help empower campuses to prepare, negotiate, and minimize the cost of unexpected trade shifts. Thanks to this coordinated strategy, UC limited tariff impacts to less than 0.2% of annual spend – a strong demonstration of Procurement’s role in protecting UC’s financial resources.

Working Smarter in IT Procurement

As part of its commitment to smarter purchasing and better outcomes, Systemwide Procurement IT Strategic Sourcing conducted the Networking Value-Added Resellers (VAR) RFP, a major effort to expand UC’s access to VARs essential networking infrastructure. This project’s aim was to provide a choice of more VARs, more competitive pricing, and support UC’s broader goals around greater economic and community impact. The team evaluated bids on best value, including service capabilities, innovation potential, and alignment with UC’s mission. The result? A project that reshaped how UC does business in this space.

Dorm Furniture Procurement Made Easy

The logistical and operational challenges of furnishing a rapidly growing campus like UC San Diego have pushed its procurement teams to explore more efficient solutions. Lynn Anderson, an interior designer with years of experience at UCSD, shares how cooperative purchasing, through partners like OMNIA Partners and Sustainable Furniture, has transformed their procurement process and ensured project success.