Strategic Partnerships in FY25
Strategic Partnerships
Campus Contributions Towards Strategic Partnerships
Systemwide
UC & Omnia LAMP: Delivering Impact Beyond UC
In the past fiscal year, the UC and OMNIA Lead Agency Marketing Partnership (LAMP) program moved $1.1B in spend across 80 contracts in 31 categories, returning $7.6M in fee share to UC—with $24.2M total over the seven years of the program.
Adopted by 7,500+ public agencies nationwide, from schools to local governments, LAMP helps stretch budgets, accelerate purchasing, and create community impact. With top contract usage in Facilities and IT, and Professional Services as the fastest-growing category, the LAMP program’s successful 29% year-over-year growth reflects UC-wide collaboration and the extension of UC Procurement’s mission nationwide.
UC Davis and Peet’s Partner to Brew Innovation
UC Davis is home to the nation’s only academic Coffee Center, a multidisciplinary hub opened in May 2024 to study coffee from farm to cup. In July 2025, the UC Davis Preferred Partnership Program (UP3) finalized a campus-wide agreement with Peet’s Coffee, which includes an annual donation of green coffee for research and teaching. The sustainably grown beans will also be roasted and sold in UC Davis bookstores, generating revenue to support the Coffee Center while giving students hands-on learning and research opportunities.
Peet’s Coffee Now Brewing at UC Merced
After months of collaboration and negotiation, UC Merced Procurement and Dining have proudly brought Peet’s Coffee to campus. Students, faculty, and staff can now enjoy Peet’s at campus dining locations, with plans underway to add another location in the upcoming Medical Education Building. By working closely with Dining leaders, the team ensured both coffee and bean pricing deliver the best value for our community—making every cup a win.
UCLA Signs Coca-Cola Pouring Rights Agreement
UCLA has renewed a landmark 10-year sponsorship and purchase agreement with The Coca-Cola Company and Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling effective September 1, 2025. This strategic partnership reflects a shared commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of the Bruin community through a variety of beverage choices and increased support for campus initiatives. Under the agreement, UCLA will receive support for campus programs and scholarships. Additionally, Coca-Cola will provide support for marketing and merchandising efforts, sustainability initiatives, and a summer internship program, as well as beverage donations for special events and student-athlete use.
UC San Diego Launches Innovative Beverage Partnerships
UC San Diego reimagined its beverage program with a first-of-its-kind Campus Partnership, transforming the standard pouring rights contract into a collaborative model. After broad campus engagement, UCSD secured two partners: Pepsi for soft drinks and water, and Red Bull for energy drinks—prioritizing variety and affordability over exclusivity. The 10-year deal triples prior benefits, funding scholarships, equity and inclusion programs, sustainability, student jobs, and events. By tying supplier investment to student-centered initiatives, UCSD set a new standard in collaborative, impact-driven sourcing.
Building Stronger Supplier Partnerships at UC San Diego
How can universities move beyond transactions to build meaningful supplier partnerships? Greg Muller, UC San Diego’s Director of Strategic Sourcing, shared on Amazon Business’s Smart Business Buying podcast how UCSD builds supplier partnerships beyond pricing. By fostering strategic relationships, UCSD drives community investment, student opportunities, and alignment with campus goals—showcasing how rethinking partnerships delivers greater value for students, faculty, and staff.
UCSF Credit Card Programs Garner Accolades
UCSF Supply Chain Management (SCM) earned top honors at the 2024 University of California Best-in-Class awards for their outstanding work with UCSF-issued credit cards and the PaymentPlus program. These programs have seen remarkable growth, with card transactions up by nearly $35 million and a 40 percent increase in supplier enrollments, highlighting SCM's commitment to efficiency and innovation.
UCSC Strategic Sourcing Advances Global Gamma-Ray Research
UC Santa Cruz particle physicists won a $3.9M NSF award to develop the first U.S. contribution to the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO)—a next-generation telescope alignment system. UCSC-designed systems will be installed on seven telescopes worldwide, advancing gamma-ray research. Faculty partnered with Strategic Sourcing to secure a vendor to prototype and manufacture specialized components. This academia–industry collaboration highlights UCSC’s leadership in experimental physics and shows how procurement expertise helps drive global scientific innovation and shape the future of space exploration.
UC & US Bank Map MVP Partnership Path
Leaders from UC Systemwide Procurement, Finance, and Card Administration came together in May 2025 for the third Annual Business Review and launch of the MVP program with U.S. Bank—important milestones in a decade-long partnership that will take UC and U.S. Bank's programs to the next level. They tackled everything from corporate card spend and virtual card adoption to new payment technologies and supplier relationships. U.S. Bank continues to invest in UC’s broader mission—supporting campus-based internships, foundation grants, and the XPRIZE Challenge. They’ve also played a key role in advancing new technologies and standardizing best practices systemwide.
HelioCampus for Data-Driven Decision Making
At a time when financial sustainability, student success, and operational efficiency are top priorities for higher ed, UC campuses are tapping into the power of HelioCampus—a data-driven institutional performance management platform. With HelioCampus Institutional Performance Management solutions, UC can harness data to optimize resources, improve learning outcomes, and make informed strategic decisions. By leveraging HelioCampus, UC campuses are ensuring they remain at the forefront of data-informed decision-making—maximizing impact while staying true to their mission.
Matheson Supports UC Research & Education
Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. recently announced the reopening of its Dry Ice production facility in Martinez, California. This significant development strengthens the University of California’s (UC) existing partnership with Matheson and ensures a reliable supply of dry ice essential for research and educational activities across the UC system. After substantial investments in modernizing the facility's infrastructure, Matheson has enhanced operations to prioritize safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The revitalization of this plant not only supports the local workforce and community but also aligns with UC's commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation.
UC + AWS: Powering Innovation across the UC System
UC partnered with Amazon Web Services to drive innovation in unique ways across 10 campuses and six health centers.
- UC rebuilt its admissions system on AWS in just six weeks, seamlessly handling nearly 246,000 applications in 2024.
- UCLA fundraising gained 25% in efficiency and 30% more donor engagement
- UC Davis Veterinary Hospital improved reliability, reporting, and client communication with Amazon Connect.
UC’s cloud adoption isn’t just about tech—it’s about better service, faster outcomes, and access for everyone across the UC system.
Partnership Built on Trust and Transformation
UC Systemwide Procurement and Huron Consulting Group recently held a strategic business review to reaffirm a transformational partnership working behind the scenes on UC’s administrative, academic and research infrastructure since 2003. Over the past five years, Huron has conducted more than 60 engagements across the UC system, spanning consulting, digital transformation, healthcare optimization, and research administration. The UC/Huron partnership stands out due to our shared history and shared priorities. Huron knows how UC works. They speak our language, and they’ve proven reliable—with a 9/10 average client satisfaction score and a Net Promoter Score of 82.
Renewed Fisher Scientific Contract & Ongoing Partnership
UC Systemwide Procurement is thrilled about the renewal of the UC-wide agreement with the Fisher Scientific channel through June 2029 to provide life science research supplies, equipment, and preventive maintenance. Thermo Fisher Scientific™ has become a key strategic partner with the University of California, fostering groundbreaking research collaborations across multiple campuses, and maximizing research dollars via the Switch & Save program. This program optimizes UC research budgets, ensuring every purchase delivers maximum value while maintaining high standards.
Spotlight on Travel Partnerships
The UC Central Travel Office (CTO) hosted its 5th Annual Supplier Spotlight Series in fall 2024, giving the UC travel community a chance to connect directly with airline, hotel, car rental, and other key UC partners. Promoted to more than 50,000 UC faculty and staff across all campuses and health centers, the series continues to be a favorite—drawing an average of 380 participants per session. With a satisfaction rating of 84%+, the Spotlight series has become a trusted way to learn about new programs, strengthen partnerships, and get insider updates from the suppliers who support UC travelers every day. Learn about upcoming 2025 sessions at travel.ucop.edu/connexxus/travel-webinars.
MVP Pilot: Unlocking New Possibilities
UC Systemwide Procurement is pioneering a new way to collaborate with its most impactful suppliers through the Mutual Value Partnership (MVP) pilot—an initiative to create deeper, more strategic relationships that benefit both parties. This pilot program aims to drive innovation, efficiency, and mutual success. Four suppliers—Deloitte, Oracle, U.S. Bank, and Waxie—were selected for the inaugural pilot following an extensive segmentation and evaluation process. The pilot goal was to determine how to best adapt this private sector best practice to work well public higher education procurement.
Strategic Priorities
UC Procurement is committed to the five strategic priorities below. Through dedication to these priorities, we strive to empower our campuses, foster innovation, and shape a more sustainable and equitable future. This Annual Report is organized by these five priorities – click any card to delve into our progress in these areas:
Economic and Community Impact
Strategic Partnerships
Drive Value and Savings
Continuous Improvement
Risk Management
Our supply chain, legal, and policy strategies minimize risk to safeguard UC against financial, operational, and reputational damage.