Beginning January 21, 2025, all sourcing and bid support requests will be handled through the BuyWays system. Click here to learn more about this transition and discover available resources.

Competitive Procurement Process

  • Step
    1

    A department submits a bid request via the Sourcing Request Form for any goods or services which cost is 50k and over

  • Step
    2

    The bid request is reviewed by UPST and assigned to a Strategic Sourcing Team Member

  • Step
    3

    The Strategic Sourcing Team Member will work with the requestor/Campus Stakeholder(s) to create the necessary bid documents* for the Request for Bid (RFx)

  • Step
    4

    The RFx is posted to the public sourcing portal and interested suppliers submit a bid proposal

  • Step
    5

    The bid proposals are evaluated by UPST and the Campus Stakeholder(s). The proposal with the best value to the university is selected for award and contract. 

*i.e., Statement of Work (SOW), Price Sheets, etc. 

The University's Procurement Policy states that all goods and services shall be obtained at the best overall value to the University, as is consistent with the quantity, quality, durability, availability, serviceability, and other factors affecting service and use, as required by the using department of the University.

The UPST Sourcing & Category Management Team manages ~$1 billion in spend annually for the University and focuses on leveraging leading strategic and collaborative sourcing practices to maximize benefits and savings to UMass, in partnership with the Campuses. We do so by creating competitive bidding environments that provide open and fair opportunities for all qualified suppliers to win the University’s business, and we value Supplier Diversity by integrating these principles throughout the strategic sourcing process. 

Proof of Concept/Trial Information:

Highly technical and complex purchases of equipment, software, and certain technical services may not be ideally suited for traditional RFXs or “paper based” evaluations; i.e., appropriate diligence and evaluation may require actual hands-on use, or for services, actual experience with the processing.

Proofs of concept and trial agreements are agreements between the University and a Contractor to determine suitability to meet University requirements. Whenever possible the University’s standard proof of concept or trial agreement form shall be used. Given the preceding, and subject to the approval of UPST, Departments may substitute a proof of concept or trial to evaluate at least two (2) potential Goods or Service offers.  The proof of concept or trial exercise must include:

  • Execution of a proof of concept or trial agreement
  • Documented evaluation criteria
  • Submitted pricing from each bidder
  • Pricing/Cost analysis based on likely consumption of Goods and/or Services
  • Bidder’s response to the University’s Purchase Agreement; and
  • Documented scoring of both bidders across all of the above elements

The intent of the proof of concept or trial exception is not the elimination of marketplace competition but as an alternative when all requirements are not necessarily known at the initiation of the purchasing process or when the nature of the functionality does not lend itself to the traditional RFX process.

System-Wide Initiatives

MRO Program

The UPST and your campus MRO Advisory Team have partnered with the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC) to consolidate our purchasing power and go to the market to identify preferred suppliers that meet UMass' need for competitively sourced goods in alignment with Massachusetts law, discounted pricing, quick access and timely delivery of goods purchased.

Executive Recruitment Firm

The Executive Recruitment Firm Program empowers departments with a rich selection of firms to tap into when seeking exceptional talent for executive and leadership roles.

IT VAR

The IT VAR (Value-Added Reseller) program features 4 strategic suppliers: Connection, Whalley, WEI, and CDW-G. The program ensures accountability, compliance, and proactive supplier management.

Featured Job Aids

Competitive Procurement Reference Guide
Outlines the type of purchase agreement needed based on the type of good or service.
Create a New Sourcing Request
Demonstrates the process of submitting a sourcing request form in BuyWays.
Exceptions to Competitive Procurement Guide
Outlines when a purchase agreement is not required.

Get more resources for Strategic Sourcing such as videos, templates and reference guides.

Policies

Policy Resource Type Brief Description of Training Resource
BOT Policy on Codes of Conduct for University Vendor Relationships Policy Outlines the conduct of the University of Massachusetts and vendors when procuring goods and services.
DocuSign NBJ Requirements and Process (Amherst) Policy Describes the process and requirements of submitting a no-bid justification (NBJ) form (UMass Amherst only).
DocuSign NBJ Requirements and Process (General) Policy Describes the process and requirements of submitting a no-bid justification (NBJ) form (All campuses except UMass Amherst).
Information Technology Acquisition Policy Policy Outlines the process of the lease, purchase and implementation of IT-related hardware and software.