UC Irvine Procurement Results 2026
UC Irvine
UC Irvine Achievements by Strategic Pillar
Economic and Community Impact
UCI Supplier Showcase Sparks New Connections
More than 300 campus attendees met with 130-plus supplier representatives at UCI’s 2025 Supplier Showcase, building relationships and surfacing new sourcing opportunities.
Challenge
Campus buyers needed a direct way to meet suppliers, including certified small businesses, and to see new products and services in one setting.
Approach
UC Irvine Procurement Services hosted the 2025 Supplier Showcase on September 10, bringing more than 300 campus attendees together with over 130 representatives from 39 sponsoring suppliers, including 12 certified small businesses. Attendees included UC Systemwide Procurement, the UCIBuy+ Project Team, OIT, The Hill Bookstore, and Transportation & Distribution Services
Result
The event connected departments directly with suppliers, showcased new products and services, and brought together partners including UC Systemwide Procurement, the UCIBuy+ Project Team, OIT, The Hill Bookstore, and Transportation & Distribution Services.
Related Links:
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
The event connected departments directly with suppliers, showcased new products and services, and brought together new partners, including small businesses.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| 300 Campus attendees |
| 130 + 39 Supplier representatives + sponsoring suppliers |
| 12 Certified small businesses |
Small Business First Compliance Now Built Into UCIBuy+
UC Irvine embedded Small Business First supplier search and guided approval steps in UCIBuy+, making it easier for departments to find certified suppliers, follow policy, and track waivers.
Drive Value and Savings
UCI Modernizes Payments & Increases Revenue
UCI’s Payment Plus program gives participating suppliers faster, secure virtual-card payments while reducing administrative costs and risk and generating incentive revenue.
Challenge
Supplier payments were due for modernization, and UC Irvine needed a virtual-card program that could reduce administrative cost and payment risk while creating incentive revenue.
Approach
UC Irvine launched Payment Plus in July 2025 to modernize supplier payments and create a new source of incentive revenue. Procurement Services invested approximately 450 hours in project management, testing, technical coordination, supplier strategy, communications, and cross-functional collaboration to bring the program live.
Result
Participating suppliers receive faster, secure virtual-card payments, while UC Irvine reduces administrative costs and payment risk and earns incentive revenue on eligible transactions.
Related Links:
Payment Plus: A Faster Way to Pay Suppliers
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
Ongoing spend analysis and supplier engagement are expanding participation and extending the program's value.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| ~450 Implementation hours |
| Faster & Secure Virtual-card payments |
| Revenue Card use generates earnings |
UCI Embraces New Lab Equipment Maintenance Option
The UC-wide Remi Group agreement connects UCI labs to 24/7 repair support, broad equipment coverage, and cost-saving terms to help control maintenance costs and keep equipment running.
Continuous Improvement
UCIBuy+ Transforms Purchasing Experience
UC Irvine launched UCIBuy+ alongside a redesigned Procurement Services website, bringing modern purchasing technology together with clearer processes, guidance, and support.
Challenge
UC Irvine needed a modern purchasing foundation that combined new technology with clearer processes, training, and website guidance for the campus community.
Approach
In April 2026, UC Irvine Procurement Services launched UCIBuy+, modernizing campus purchasing and establishing a new foundation for procurement operations. Department feedback and subject-matter expertise shaped updated content and navigation, creating a more integrated purchasing experience that pairs modern technology with clearer processes, resources, and support for the UC Irvine community.
Result
The implementation combined process redesign, new guidance and training, and preparation for new workflows with a complete Procurement Services website relaunch on April 13.
Related Links:
UCI Launches UCIBuy+ to Upgrade Purchasing
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
UCIBuy+ gives the UCI community a clearer, more connected way to purchase—pairing modern technology with practical guidance and support to make procurement easier to navigate today and ready for future workflows.
Preparing Campus for a New Way to Buy
Pairing the UCIBuy+ launch with training, hands-on support, and a website shaped by campus feedback helped users navigate new workflows and set the stage for ongoing improvement.
Building Buyer Readiness for UCIBuy+
UCI’s Procurement Fundamentals course makes purchasing training a prerequisite for UCIBuy+ access, giving department buyers a consistent foundation in procurement practices.
Risk Management
Building In Safeguards for Digital Purchasing
UCIBuy+ brings security, privacy, accessibility, insurance, and contract reviews into UCI software and IT purchasing, with safeguards tailored to product and data risk.
Challenge
Software and IT purchases needed security, privacy, accessibility, insurance, and contracting controls inside UCIBuy+, scaled to the data risk of each purchase.
Approach
UC Irvine embedded security, privacy, accessibility, insurance, and contracting controls into software and IT purchasing through UCIBuy+. Suppliers handling UC Irvine data or systems now undergo an OIT security review with coordinated privacy assessment, while digital products must address WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility. For higher-risk P3/P4 software, departments upload a Purchase Agreement.
Result
Now cyber liability requirements scale with data risk, from $500,000 for P1 to $10 million for P4, with Risk Services and Campus Counsel involved when suppliers cannot meet requirements.
Related Links:
Related Annual Report pillar page
Why it matters
Risk-based reviews build security, privacy, accessibility, and contractual safeguards into software purchases—helping protect UCI data and systems while supporting responsible access for the campus community.
Faster Low-Risk Routing with Stronger Controls
UCI’s May 2026 UCIBuy+ release streamlined InfoSec review for eligible low-risk purchases and added data checks and governance controls across key compliance fields.
Strengthening Covered Service Compliance
UCI integrated Covered Services guidance into purchasing support, helping departments secure reviews and contracts before work begins and identify potential issues sooner.