UC Berkeley Procurement Results 2026
UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley Achievements by Strategic Pillar
Economic and Community Impact
Turning Mattress Replacement Into Waste Reduction
Using UC’s Dormlife contract, UC Berkeley diverted 670 mattresses—more than 18 tons—from landfill, using the same competitively bid solution available to other public institutions without a separate RFP.
Challenge
Providing a comfortable residential experience for university students means continually replacing hundreds of mattresses in residence halls. But mattresses are notoriously difficult to dispose of and are traditionally destined for landfills. When it came time for a major mattress refresh at UC Berkeley, they faced the daunting challenge of staying true to Berkeley’s sustainability goals while efficiently managing hundreds of used mattresses.
Approach
UC Berkeley used UC's competitively solicited Dormlife contract to pair a major residence-hall mattress replacement with measurable waste reduction.
Result
Through certified recycling partners, 670 used mattresses were diverted from landfill, recovering 36,850 pounds of steel, foam, wood, and other materials - more than 18 tons of waste removed from the disposal stream. Dormlife also provided sustainability reporting to support UC waste-reduction goals.
Related Links:
Dormlife Mattresses = Sustainability + Efficiency
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
The project pairs measurable material recovery with a reusable public-sector contract, making it a model for replicable sustainable purchasing.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| 670 Mattresses recycled |
| 36,850 lbs Recovered materials |
| 18+ tons Diverted from landfill |
Supporting Local Small-Business MRO Purchasing
UC Berkeley is connecting everyday maintenance, repair, operations, tools, and facility purchases with a local small-business partner.
Challenge
Campus maintenance, repair, and operations purchases needed a way to support a local small business without changing the Grainger products and pricing departments already use.
Approach
UC Berkeley is using the Stygian Powered by Grainger catalog in BearBUY to connect everyday maintenance, repair, operations, tools, and facility purchases with a local small-business partner.
Result
Departments receive the same Grainger products and pricing they expect, along with responsive support from Oakland-based Stygian, Berkeley's approved small-business partner for the catalog.
Related Links:
Small Business = Big Impact with Stygian
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
The channel gives campus buyers a practical way to advance economic-impact goals through routine purchasing without changing product access.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| Supports local SBE Same product/price access with more impactful buying |
| Leads to expansion Successful collaboration results in more partnerships with UCSF, UCLA, and UCOP. |
| From 2 to 18 staff Opportunities created through UC strengthen California's small business community. |
Berkeley's Virtual Sustainable Travel Event Expands Reach and Cuts Emissions
UC Berkeley’s virtual Sustainable Travel Event reached more UC campuses while avoiding an estimated 10.3 metric tons of travel-related CO₂e.
Challenge
An in-person travel event limited participation and created avoidable travel emissions. UC Berkeley needed a format that could reach more campuses while keeping the focus on lower-carbon booking choices and containing overall travel costs.
Approach
UC Berkeley's third annual Sustainable Travel Event moved online in November 2025, expanding participation to additional UC campuses while eliminating an estimated 10.3 metric tons of CO2e associated with presenter and attendee travel.
Result
The Berkeley Travel Team partnered with the Campus Sustainability Office and UCOP Central Travel Office to bring together travel suppliers and sustainability experts for sessions on lower-carbon booking choices, aviation, hotels, rental cars, and travel emissions.
Related Links:
Berkeley Sustainable Travel Event 2025
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
The event demonstrates how procurement and travel programs can combine supplier engagement, education, and event design to reduce environmental impact.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| 10.3 metric tons Of CO2e associated with attendee travel eliminated. |
| Travel costs Exhibitor, presenter, and attendee travel costs eliminated. |
Strategic Partnerships
Building the Blueprint for Workforce Transformation
UC Berkeley is leading the way as UC’s first Hays MSP pilot campus, shaping a more connected, consistent approach to contingent workforce management.
Challenge
UC Berkeley was the first campus in UC's Managed Service Provider rollout and needed a consistent way to manage contingent labor before the FY27 implementation. Discovery work had to connect hiring, approvals, purchasing, and workforce oversight.
Approach
UC Berkeley began work with Hays in May 2026 as the first campus in UC's phased Managed Service Provider rollout. Discovery workshops brought Procurement, hiring managers, and departments together to design a more consistent approach to contingent labor.
Early Result
The program combines Hays' Three Story Software with planned JAGGAER integration to connect hiring, approvals, purchasing, and workforce oversight.
Related Links:
Building the Blueprint for Workforce Transformation
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
FY26 discovery and design laid the groundwork for implementation in FY27 and a planned early 2027 launch, with a focus on improving visibility, compliance, and administrative efficiency.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| FY26 Discovery and design |
| FY27 Implementation groundwork laid (to be applied to future campus rollouts) |
| Early 2027 Program launch planned |
Berkeley Helps Shape Public Sector AI Procurement Tools Through Strategic Collaboration
UC Berkeley is working with procurement software providers as a strategic design partner for emerging AI procurement tools.
Challenge
Public-sector purchasing tools often miss higher-education realities such as policy compliance, funding limits, and multi-department approvals. UC Berkeley needed to shape emerging AI procurement tools as a design partner, not only as an end user.
Approach
UC Berkeley is working with procurement software providers as a strategic design partner for emerging AI tools. Rather than purchasing technology only as an end user, the campus is contributing feedback on practical challenges such as policy compliance, funding constraints, and multi-department approval chains.
Result
This co-creation approach brings real operational needs into product development and aims to produce tools better suited to higher education.
Related Links:
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
By contributing campus expertise early, Berkeley is helping shape solutions around the realities of public-sector purchasing.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| Design Partner To influence development of AI procurement tools |
| Considerations Policy compliance, funding limits, complex approvals |
| Higher Ed Wins Incorporates realities of higher ed procurement environment |
Drive Value and Savings
Duty-Free Guide for High-Value Research Equipment
UC Berkeley’s new guide helps researchers assess potential duty-free treatment for scientific equipment and plan for the paperwork, timing, and costs involved.
Challenge
Departments importing high-value scientific equipment needed a clear way to seek duty-free treatment without assuming a refund is automatic. The federal application is complex, and cash-flow planning still matters if duties are due when equipment arrives.
Approach
UC Berkeley published a structured pathway for departments seeking duty-free treatment on high-value scientific and research equipment through federal Form ITA-338P. The process may apply when imported equipment supports educational or scientific work and no equivalent U.S.-manufactured instrument can meet the intended use.
Result
Procurement guidance also sets realistic expectations: the application is complex, departments may need to pay duties when equipment enters the country, and refunds depend on later federal approval.
Related Links:
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
The resource helps researchers evaluate tariff-mitigation opportunities while planning for documentation, timing, and cash flow.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| Reduces time/effort Guide provides structured pathway |
| Clearer expectations Clarifies and simplifies process |
| Cost savings Successful applications help mitigate tariffs |