Collaboration Means Cost Savings…For Campus Employees, Too!

July 6, 2018, @ 7:38 AM

Since its founding, LVAIC has based a greater portion of collaborative efforts on opportunities that maximize the resources of its six member institutions. Moreover, one third of LVAIC’s strategic plan is dedicated to exploring ways to maximize resources. That spectrum includes the LVAIC Joint Purchasing Program that affords campuses discounts.

LVAIC seeks to identify strategic sourcing and procurement opportunities that meet the common needs of our members. LVAIC does not purchase any goods directly on behalf of the members, but rather, works in conjunction with members and suppliers to establish mutually beneficial agreements. Working together, members in the consortium can purchase goods and services collectively as a group to maximize our financial resources and operational efficiencies through effective procurement practices while leveraging our collective volume and expertise.

LVAIC institutions work together to identify or source high value opportunities for joint purchasing through membership in Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) or through LVAIC Preferred Suppliers or Contracted Vendors. By utilizing LVAIC Preferred Suppliers or Contracted Vendors, members are assured of doing business with suppliers that offer competitive pricing, consistent and proven service, and excellent performance.

“The LVAIC Joint Purchasing Program is really valuable to our member institutions and saves them hundreds of thousands each year. The campuses combined spent $22.6 million on collaborative spending in the 2016-2017 academic year, just to show what a large impact this has on overall campus spending,” explains LVAIC Strategic Partnership Director, Katy Thomas. “The cost savings realized from these contracts are all reinvested in campus programming targeted at achieving other campus goals without increasing the cost of attending our institutions.”

As employees of LVAIC’s member institutions, staff and faculty are often extended special pricing by vendors with which their employers do business. As a benefit of our consortium, these benefits are extended across the schools.

In addition to employee pricing provided through our LVAIC Preferred Suppliers and Contracted Vendors, employees of LVAIC member schools may also be eligible for employee pricing provided through other consortia or group purchasing organizations (GPOs) with which their institution has a membership. Employees can contact their purchasing office for additional information on other GPOs with which the institution is a member.

For more information about how to take advantage of these cost savings, for both consortial work and for personal use, visit the LVAIC Joint Purchasing Program website page here.