Strategic Sourcing and Non-Personnel Spending

Current state of sourcing and spending

Today, goods and services are often purchased across the University through separate agreements and varied practices that do not take full advantage of the institution's collective buying power. This initiative will shift us to procurement, contract and payment practices that are managed more consistently and strategically. Over time, the intent is to reduce one-off arrangements, improve contract discipline, tighten P-Card expectations and create better visibility into where non-personnel dollars can be redirected to advance WMU's mission.

Benefits

For the University

• Better value from institutional purchasing by consolidating spend, strengthening vendor management, and improving contract review and negotiation practices.
• Greater ability to reduce avoidable non-personnel spending and redirect resources to core institutional priorities, helping advance our mission.
• Better visibility into University spending patterns, compliance and continuous improvement with stronger reporting, monitoring and key performance indicators.

For colleges and departments

• Easier access over time to streamlined purchasing pathways, preferred vendors and more standardized products and services through strategic sourcing and eProcurement.
• Fewer one-off purchasing arrangements and clearer guidance on contracts, payment methods and sourcing decisions, making routine purchasing easier.
• More predictable expectations for purchasing controls, including tighter P-Card standards and broader use of coordinated buying processes.

For affected teammates

• Clearer, more efficient processes for requesting purchases, managing contracts and selecting appropriate payment methods.
• Better support as eProcurement becomes a core feature of the University's purchasing model, including catalog-based buying and approval workflows.
• Greater consistency across units in how purchasing decisions are made and how compliance expectations are communicated and reinforced.