Business View Magazine - Mar 2024

The campus buzzes with a vibrant student life, offering over 150 campus organizations, intramural sports, Greek life, and NCAA athletic programs, ensuring a rich and engaging experience for students from diverse backgrounds. One thing is clear, the A-State campus is alive and thriving with student life and activity. However, the real question here is: what lies at the heart of it all? The answer to that isn’t the first thing that many people think of when identifying the driving factors behind a university’s success. While uncommon, the answer is simple. A-State’s secret growth factor is its stellar procurement and supply chain practices. THE ADVANTAGES OF HIGH-LEVEL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT A-State has certainly cultivated a wonderful environment for its students to grow in and the way it has done this is by having all of its internal affairs thoroughly organized and in order. “We have a centralized procurement office,” Director of Procurement Services Lisa Glasco states.“We allow the departments to order certain commodities and services under $20,000. The department can choose which vendors they want to use. Above $20,000, we go out for a bid or use state or cooperative contracts.” A-State deploys a strategy of departmental autonomy to ensure a consistent flow of resources while operating from a centralized office, ensuring a more organized and streamlined process. With the focus being on efficiency from multiple angles, the university’s utilization of state and cooperative contracts also optimizes cost- effectiveness. By leveraging mutually beneficial agreements with big entities like E & I Cooperative Services and tapping into state contracts,A-State has been able to navigate its supply chain complexities with finesse. Run your higher-education institution your way with the Intelligence Connected Workplace. Secure. Connected. Empowered. Discover digital solutions that cater to your institution’s needs. Take advantage of OneRate, and enjoy the convenience of one consistent monthly invoice and payment. Visit RethinkWork.com When I.T. works, you’re unstoppable ©2024KONICAMINOLTABUSINESSSOLUTIONSU.S.A., INC. Business View Magazine_Quarter Ad_JAN2024v2.indd 1 1/25/24 4:33PM 115 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 03 ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSI TY