In November 2024, over 200 higher education procurement professionals gathered in Phoenix for the annual National Association of Education Procurement (NAEP) District VI Conference. This year’s event spotlighted procurement innovation, showcasing how forward-thinking approaches can amplify our impact on stakeholders, communities, and the procurement profession.
User Perspectives Drive P2P Innovation
Six UC campuses currently use Jaggaer for procure-to-pay (P2P) processes, but until recently, user input had limited influence on the platform's development. To address this, UC created a Community of Practice (COP) user group to elevate user feedback, explore opportunities, and evolve Jaggaer to better meet organizational needs. This initiative has since expanded to include California State University (CSU), Colorado University (CU), and Arizona State University (ASU), strengthening the collaboration between Jaggaer and higher education.
At the conference, Russell Chung (Berkeley Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)), Snehal Bhatt (Irvine CPO), and Vickie Hsi (Systemwide Procurement (SWP) Executive Director – Information, Analytics & Systems) hosted a candid dialogue with Jaggaer customer success executives. Their session underscored the importance of listening to end-user needs to enhance the Jaggaer experience and promote innovative solutions. Have feature requests or feedback about Jaggaer? Contact Vickie Hsi to share your ideas with the COP group.
AI Transforming Procurement Workflows
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing procurement, offering tools to streamline processes, interpret policies, and synthesize data. Two standout examples were presented at the conference:
- Cruz Copilot AI Assistant: Developed by a UCSC engineering student and demonstrated by Emerson Murray (Santa Cruz CPO), this AI tool expedites payment processing, enhancing the efficiency of the UCSC Procurement team.
- Botho AI Assistant: Introduced by SWP Data Analyst, Kofi Okine, this AI chatbot organizes and synthesizes publicly available procurement policies, making it easier for users to locate relevant guidelines for sourcing and contracts.
These groundbreaking tools are still in the early stages, but their potential for broader application across UC campuses is promising. Interested in learning more? Reach out to Emerson Murray or Kofi Okine for details.
Supplier Diversity Enhanced Through eProcurement
UC is committed to achieving 25% spend with small and diverse businesses, and innovative approaches are key to reaching this goal. A notable example shared at the conference involved integrating small and diverse businesses into larger suppliers’ eProcurement catalogs. This not only simplifies onboarding for smaller vendors but also aligns with larger suppliers’ corporate social responsibility objectives.
Sean Parker (SWP Sr. Director, Strategic Engagement Team), Terese Merrell (SWP Procurement Systems Manager), and Paul Williams (SWP CPO), along with supplier Miller Knoll, highlighted how this approach is transforming procurement. Miller Knoll’s catalog now includes offerings from small and diverse businesses, demonstrating a scalable model for driving supplier diversity. For more examples or to get involved, explore success stories in the UC Procurement FY24 Annual Report or contact Sean Parker or Terese Merrell.
Let’s Continue Innovating Together
The NAEP District VI Conference underscored that innovation in procurement is not just about tools and technologies—it’s about collaboration, creativity, and commitment to continuous improvement. Let’s keep driving forward as we find new ways to deliver value, serve our stakeholders, and support our communities.
Congratulations and thank you to the many UC Procurement team members for leading, shaping, and presenting at NAEP District VI – we greatly appreciate your participation and contributions!