Purchasing & Payment Services

UMass is a fast-paced business environment where tasks sometimes need to be done or processed in a moments notice. The Strategic Sourcing team is here for you to help your department plan ahead for bids and purchases! The Strategic Sourcing team plays a crucial role in supporting each campuses efforts and working with them can help your department continue focusing on your core mission and allowing UPST to handle the procurement processes.

So, what does it take to work with the UMass Strategic Sourcing team? Here are some key tips:

1. Know when you need a No Bid Justification (NBJ) and how to avoid it

The UMass Procurement Policy states that goods valued over $10,000 require multiple quotes, and any good and/or service valued at $50,000 or more requires a formal bid. If your purchase meets either dollar threshold and you believe it cannot be put out to bid, you must complete a No Bid Justification (NBJ). 

An NBJ or exception to competitive procurement form allows you to express why you aren't going to allow suppliers to bid on your good and/or service purchase. When completing this form you will be asked to provide explanations on the good and/or service and why the supplier you're going with is the only supplier that can meet your needs.

How can you avoid having to submit a NBJ form? By shopping the UMass contracts (read below)!

2. Shop the UMass contracts

UMass, along with the Operational Services Division (OSD) and Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC), have worked hard to take the burden of contracting off of you. Between the three organizations, there are over 10,000 contracts that you can use for your purchase of a good or service. Below are just a few examples of major contracts that are available and ready for use: 

  • IT VAR - Partnering with campus Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and UITS, UPST narrowed down over 10,000 IT suppliers to 4 strategic suppliers to ensure accountability, compliance, and proactive supplier management. The 4 strategic IT VAR suppliers that UMass has contracted with includes, Gov Connection, Whalley, WEI, and CDW-G, all of which have a punchout catalog in BuyWays. View the IT VAR User Guide 
  • Airgas - Airgas is now available as a punchout catalog in BuyWays. Airgas is a major supplier for industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as safety equipment, and things like dry ice and process chemicals. The Airgas contract offers discounted prices, easier ordering process, the elimination of additional charges/surcharges to departments​, and more. View the Airgas Punchout Training Guide 
  • SupplyLogic - SupplyLogic is the Managed Print Services provider for the University system. Punchout catalogs are available for Amherst, Dartmouth, Lowell, and UMass Chan, which allows the ease of ordering everyday stationery items such as business cards, letter head, envelopes and more. SupplyLogic also offers UMass the ability to put in a quote request for custom jobs to be bid out to SupplyLogic's national and local print suppliers. View the SupplyLogic Project Page

3. Contact our Category Managers

Get a head start on your bidding process by contacting one of our category managers below! 

CategoryCategory Manager NameCategory Manager Email
Construction, Facilities Management, and (MRO)Mike BoyleMBoyle@umassp.edu 
Energy, Utilities & Library ServicesJohn HealeyJHealey@umassp.edu 
Research, Science & Medical (RSM)Paul BurnsPBurns@umassp.edu 
Professional ServicesBill MannixWMannix@umassp.edu 
TechnologyAlex TherkelsenATherkelsen@umassp.edu 
UMass category tree that lists the category managers connected with each category.
UMass category tree that lists the category managers connected with each category.