To achieve our mission of "Delivering Value Together for UMass," the UPST is collaborating with various partners both within the President's Office and our campuses on various initiatives. These projects span automation, technology adoption, process improvement, policy harmonization, and much more.
Research, Scientific, and Medical Supplies (RSM)
Research, Scientific, and Medical (RSM) purchases are essential to UMass’s mission as a leading research institution.
The RSM Purchases Initiative aims to strategically rebid UMass’s lab supply contract across all campuses. This initiative focuses on improving pricing, expanding access to suppliers, and promoting consistent use of these resources throughout the university.
IT VAR 2.0
Currently, UMass's largest active procurement initiative, the IT VAR Program, involves an annual Information Technology (IT) expenditure of over $40 million, covering hardware, software, and services. The IT VAR Program 2.0 initiative is set to be competitively rebid in 2026.
Recipient Select Plus (RSP)
Recipient Select Plus (RSP) is an innovative payment platform powered by Bank of America, designed to offer individual suppliers—both domestic and foreign—a convenient choice between traditional and electronic payment options. The Recipient Select Plus (RSP) has been successfully rolled out for individual UMass suppliers. The activation process for the RSP portal will begin automatically once UMass initiates a new payment for the supplier.
Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) Sourcing 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 Program
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.