California State University: Northridge (CSUN)

Streamlining Systems with Superior Strategies

 

CSUN’s Approach to Procurement and Supply Chain Management

Serving more than 42,000 students each year, CSUN is one of the largest universities in the United States, and it has an impact that matches its size. With such considerable size comes the task of maintaining supply on a massive scale.

Nevertheless, CSUN is poised for remarkable growth and success as it continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

The university is expanding its academic and operational capabilities by investing in cutting-edge facilities and fostering leading partnerships to drive innovation and create new opportunities for students and faculty.

With expansion comes the need to pay even more attention to the granular details regarding inventory. To aid in ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks the university’s team has been equipped with more easily accessible technology and digital tools.

This has led to a very modern and flexible procurement experience that does an impeccable job of taking care of students with the exact services and support systems they need.

By focusing on these key areas, CSUN can create a thriving educational environment that meets the needs of its current students and attracts future generations of learners.

The vision for CSUN’s success includes a dynamic campus where academic excellence, innovation, and inclusivity are at the forefront.

With a commitment to these principles, CSUN continues to be a beacon of higher education, empowering students to achieve their fullest potential and contributing positively to the broader community.

 

An Inside Look at the CSU System’s Efficiency

The California State University system (CSU) is the largest public university system in the state, with 23 campuses and a Chancellor’s office. At the heart of this system is California State University, Northridge (CSUN), established in 1958.

As a key player in this expansive network, CSUN’s procurement and supply chain management strategies are crucial to its operational efficiency and success.

CSUN’s 171 academic programs and engaged centers enjoy international recognition for excellence.

The institution currently partners with more than 100 institutions of higher education in 22 countries around the globe and attracts the largest international student population of any U.S. master’s level institution.

As an institution, CSUN is known for elevating its students, the Social Mobility Index ranked it fifth in the nation for elevating its students’ economic and social well-being. So, CSUN’s student body diversity has developed into one of its core strengths.

However, with such a diversity of experience, therein lies the task of providing the resources, tools, and materials needed to sustain an enriching academic environment.

What consistently accomplishes that task is CSUN’s procurement and supply chain management processes, which are designed to be efficient and systematic.

“The departments typically find the vendor they want to work with… at that point, they put a requisition in requesting the services or goods for the certain amount that fits their budget. Then requisition comes over to purchasing on our end,” explains Lead Buyer III Jenni Cox.

The purchasing team ensures vendors are part of the existing vendor database or assists new vendors in completing the necessary paperwork and insurance checks.

Once all requirements are met, purchase orders are issued, and contracts are managed through meticulous legal and administrative oversight.

Contracts play a significant role in CSUN’s procurement process, particularly for construction projects and IT acquisitions. These contracts undergo thorough legal reviews to ensure compliance with the Chancellor’s Office and CSUN’s terms and conditions.

This rigorous process involves negotiations and back-and-forth communications with vendors to finalize terms that meet institutional requirements.

To make procurement decisions even easier, the university supplements its purchase orders with what it calls a P-Card.

CSUN’s Procurement Card (P-Card) program complements traditional purchase orders by providing departments with a more flexible and faster purchasing option.

“Our procurement program allows for anything that does not go on a purchase order to be purchased using what we call a P-Card. It’s a credit card that is tied to US Bank… so it gives the campus another way to procure things faster,” says Chief Procurement Officer Deborah Flugum.

While this program comes with its own set of rules and regulations, including monthly reconciliations of receipts, its benefits far outweigh the criteria required to make use of the program.

The Standard of Technology and Vendor Selection

CSUN does not have a specific set of criteria for vendor selection. Departments have the autonomy to choose vendors based on their needs, ensuring the chosen vendors comply with CSU’s bidding thresholds and other regulatory requirements.

According to Flugum, the vendor selection can vary depending on the needs of the students, however, there are a few recurring constants, namely, software subscription renewals, maintenance agreements, and transportation orders for athletes.

Regularly used platforms for sourcing vendors include GovSpend and PlanetBids, which help in identifying potential vendors and managing bidding processes.

By handling vendor selection on a departmental level, CSUN’s procurement teams can focus the bulk of their efforts on procuring the ordered items as efficiently as possible.

“We make sure to meet the CSU bidding thresholds, but if we have to find other vendors, we try to negotiate… but for the most part, the department is the one that does the research and knows who they want to buy from,” Flugum explains.

CSUN is also continuously evolving its procurement processes through technological innovations. This has helped ensure requests are handled promptly as well as provide valuable metrics to understand the needs of the campus.

The university has introduced dynamic forms that significantly streamline the process and ensure requests have the necessary information based on how the requestor has submitted the information.

One such innovation is the integration of the university’s ICT form, one of its main procurement forms, into the TopDesk platform, a comprehensive ticketing system.

The TopDesk platform automates workflows, ensuring compliance and efficient processing of procurement requests. It comes with premade templates that can be filled out and placed into the larger workflow with the push of a button.

For larger job order contracts, CSUN leverages a platform called Gordian that helps with contract management and execution.

Both platforms streamline the procurement process, ensuring ADA compliance and efficient communication between departments.

Overall CSUN is utilizing technology well but it recognizes that there is always room for importance. The institution is currently exploring the possibility of introducing AI into many processes across campus.

The goal would be to provide additional resources for the campus community to answer their questions related to the procurement process to lessen the volume of questions coming into the procurement team.

 

Securing a Brighter Future for Procurement

Looking ahead, CSUN is focused on enhancing its procurement and supply chain processes through continuous improvement and training.

One major initiative is the continued development of an online, self-paced training module for the P-Card program. This initiative aims to make training more accessible and efficient, ensuring all cardholders are well-versed in the program’s guidelines.

By doing this CSUN’s procurement team can free up a lot of time for its P-Card Coordinator to be able to work on other things in the operation.

CSUN is also strengthening its community engagement and partnerships wherever it can.

While CSUN’s procurement team does not directly handle community partnerships, the institution engages with local businesses through sponsorship agreements, particularly for athletic programs.

These strategic partnerships support campus activities while adhering to state regulations, but more importantly, they provide the procurement team with a large line of support when it comes to meeting the needs of the CSUN student body.

These partnerships are crucial for campus activities and are managed within regulatory frameworks.

Ultimately, CSUN’s procurement and supply chain management processes exemplify efficiency and strategic planning.

By leveraging technology, ensuring legal compliance, and empowering departments with flexible purchasing options, CSUN maintains operational excellence.

As the institution continues to innovate and improve its processes, it remains a model of effective procurement within the CSU system.

AT A GLANCE

California State University: Northridge (CSUN)

What: A leading academic institution known for its exceptional procurement and supply chain management strategies.

Where: Northridge, California. Operates as part of the California State University system, serving students and faculty across 23 campuses.

Website: https://www.csun.edu