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Current News

This page provides procurement-related news including featured stories from our Dollars & Sense newsletter, current updates related to our Preferred Vendors, and upcoming events. You can also view News Stories By Year or view Back Issues of our newsletter for more information. 

Featured Stories

Regular Features

New Contracts

Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) conducts many Invitations to Bid to establish contracts for use by departments and schools. These contracts may be for use by all departments and schools, which are Preferred Vendors, or they may be contracts for use by specific departments and schools. Contracts are established based on the results of a formal, competitive Invitation to Bid process. See the Preferred Vendor List for more information on all vendor contracts.

Recent Contracts Established by PPS
Recent Contracts Established by PPS
  • NUIT Load Balancing RFP (awarded to F5)
  • Budget Office Consultant RFP (awarded to Deloitte)
  • NUIT Data Protection Platform RFP (awarded to Cohesity)
  • DSS Video Storage RFP (awarded to Esscoe)
  • Travel Management Company RFP (awarded to Key Travel)

Existing Contract Updates

Updates to existing contracts established by Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) may include new contact information for dedicated representatives, service updates, and newly available products. For questions about these updates, please view the individual vendor pages on the Preferred Vendor List or contact PPS at 847.491.8120 or procurement@northwestern.edu.  

Recent Changes Made to Contracts Established by PPS
Recent Changes Made to Contracts Established by PPS
  • Qualtrics 3-year extension
  • Medill Anthology extension
  • CDWG computer peripherals/supplies extension
  • SiteImprove renewal
  • SoC Slate extension
  • NUIT Kivuto Extension
  • Vector Solutions Training Software Extension
  • New T-Mobile Account Representative
  • New Databank IMX Account Representative
    • The main Northwestern account representative for Databank IMX has changed. Bruce Jackson can be reached at bjackson@databankimx.com.
  • United Airlines Renewal
  • T100 Group Renewal
  • Two Security Services Contract Extension for University Police
  • Interior Investments Rebranding
    • One of our Preferred Vendors for Office Furniture has recently undergone a rebranding. Interior Investments (the Chicagoland dealer for MillerKnoll product) is now Continua Interiors.

Contracts We're Working On

Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) is always working to establish Preferred Vendor contracts that best serve the needs of all Northwestern departments and schools. These are a combination of new contracts and timely rebids of current contracts. For questions about these or other bids, please contact PPS at 847.491.8120 or procurement@northwestern.edu.

  • PC Hardware Preferred Vendor Evaluation
  • Office of Civil Rights AAP Software RFP
  • NUIT Data Center Engineering Services RFP
  • Maintenance, Repair, Operations supplies
  • Temp staffing services
  • Office Furniture
  • Signage/Banners
  • Janitorial Supplies (in early 2025)

Travel Related

Travel related updates
Travel Related Updates

Omni Hotels and Resorts is Proud to Announce an Expanded Partnership with Northwestern University

Omni Hotels and Resorts, one of our Chicago preferred hotels, is happy to offer Northwestern travelers 15% off their best available rate at most of their hotels including Omni hotels in Washington, DC, Midtown Manhattan, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and many more. Some resorts are excluded. You can use this customized link to book (you will have to use a personal credit card and be reimbursed) or you can book through Egencia or T100 Group using a chart string. For a full list of participating hotels, visit https://www.omnihotels.com/exclusive/northwestern-university.

United Airlines Updates

  • Final Month! United Airlines is Offering Discounts on Personal Travel for Northwestern Travelers
  • MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge, Ends in December 2024
    • There is still time to participate in United’s MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge promotion that ends December 2024. United is offering top-tier flyers of many other airlines a comparable status in their MileagePlus program. If you meet the criteria to participate in the Premier Status Match offer, your account will be upgraded to Premier Silver, Premier Gold or Premier Platinum status for 120 days based on the level you hold in your current frequent flyer program. This offer is valid for requests received through December 20, 2024. For more information about this promotion, visit United’s MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge web page.

For all travel program related questions, contact Kathy Koestring at 847-467-0590 or kathy.koestring@northwestern.edu.

Sustainability Highlight

With the implementation of the new transportation program, Northwestern is purchasing a new fleet of hybrid-electric buses for shuttle service use starting in Fall 2025. The hybrid shuttles use electric energy generated by bus operations and diesel fuel when additional power is needed. This dual approach reduces CO2 greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking three diesel shuttles off the road. The new buses will emit less harmful pollutants compared with their diesel predecessors and are equipped with geofencing technology that allows them to operate emissions-free in designated Zero Emission Zones, including high pedestrian traffic areas and bus depots.

Procurement Diversity Program

The next Annual Food Vendor Event will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025. This event is organized by Northwestern and our food service partner, Compass Group, for any food service-related vendor that is interested in doing or expanding subcontracting opportunities at the University. For more details, visit the Procurement Diversity Events web page.

Contact Peter Braithwaite, Director of Procurement Diversity and Community Engagement, at peter.braithwaite@northwestern.edu for any questions.

General Updates and Reminders

Purchasing Contract Process Reminders

As part of an effort to share information and improve the efficiency of procurement contracting practices, the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and PPS partnered on an initiative to clarify processes and provide resources. On the PPS Contract Process web page, you can find contract templates and contracting guidance, including the video from the October 2022 contracting training presentation.

Open Lab Sessions & PPS Listserv

Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) hosts monthly informational sessions called Open Lab Sessions in which staff members from the PPS office can answer campus user’s questions regarding Procure to Pay topics. Our next sessions will be:

  • Tuesday, January 14, 2025

PPS will send a monthly reminder regarding the Open Lab sessions to the Procurement and Payment Services listserv. To sign up for the listserv, review the IT Knowledge Base web page for instructions on how to subscribe. The list ID is PROCUREMENT (or PROCUREMENT@LISTSERV.IT.NORTHWESTERN.EDU).