Mark your calendars! The enhanced contract process is scheduled to debut in BuyWays on Monday, January 29, 2024. Explore the project page for essential information, including details about the mandatory blackout period, training sessions, and key dates you won't want to miss.
Background
Project Goals
- Automate the contract amendment process
- Update dollar threshold requirements for service contracts (including consultant)
- Include new commodity code structure
- Update language in contract request form questions
Benefits
- Automated Contract Amendment Process
- Auto populates original contract information into the amendment form
- Eliminates contract amendment templates (except for language/scope change
- Contract Dollar Threshold Change for Services
- Services up to $100K can be put through a PO with supporting documentation (quotes and statement of work)
- Services > $100K will need to go through the formal bidding process
- Commodity Code Structure Addition
- New question in the contract request form to choose the commodity code for your service
- General User Experience Updates
- Additional fields marked as required (i.e., finance section)
- Additional help text
- Rewording of questions that cause confusion
Blackout Period
During the blackout period, the submission or approval of new or incomplete contract requests will be temporarily unavailable. Our primary objective during this period is to clear existing contract requests to ensure that this update does not impact you, our stakeholders, negatively.
Exceptions will only be made for contracts that are an emergency (environment, health, and safety of the campus). Follow the steps below:
- Email upst@umassp.edu with details about your need.
- UPST will pass along the information to your campus gatekeeper for them to determine if it is a true emergency.
Key Activities and Dates
- Last Day for Campus Contract Request Approval: Friday, January 19, 2024 at 12pm
- Blackout Period: Monday, January 22 – Friday, January 26, 2024
- Updated Contract Process Go-Live: Monday, January 29, 2024
Information & Training Sessions
| Type | Date | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee with UPST (Information Session) | Thursday, January 18, 2024 | 11am - 12pm | Register Here |
| Training Sessions | Monday, January 29 – Thursday, February 15, 2024 | Register Here |