The University of Oklahoma is pleased to be of interest to your organization. The technology infrastructure, organizations, requirements and procedures may be confusing to new suppliers. To assist in the development of strategic supplier relationships and help navigate the technology landscape at the University, OU Information Technology (OU IT) has established the Vendor Management Program. This diverse team can assist your organization in making contacts with the correct people on campus, aligning your efforts with OU IT’s priorities and coordinating the procurement of technology for the University of Oklahoma’s Norman Campus. They can also help guide your communications and interactions at other campuses within the OU System.
Selling Technology to the University of Oklahoma
We encourage you to communicate with the OU IT Business Office on a regular basis. The more information you share with us, the quicker we can help guide you through the process. Here are a few instances where the OU IT Business Office will need to be contacted. Those instances include:
- Any requests that would require the travel of an OU IT employee
- Any contractual or business relationship issues
- Any time you are providing quotations for products or services
- Any presentations intended for a campus-wide IT audience or where food and/or giveaways will be provided
- If your organization plans to respond to an active solicitation, all on-campus and off-campus visits must be coordinated through your specialist.
Please note, while many OU IT employees are not prohibited from attending vendor-sponsored events (lunches, dinners, social gatherings, etc.), we highly discourage this activity. These types of events can create the perception of a conflict of interest and liabilities for our staff members.
Want to be a Vendor for OU?
All new vendors or “cold calls” will be directed to our vendor registration website to ensure we can properly instruct you on how to do business with OU IT.
1. OU IT currently has several contracts in place. These are usually awarded to a single vendor for a specific manufacturer or offering. Examples of these contracts are internal contracts, national contracts or State contracts. This model allows us to complete these purchases well in advance of our needs, select our provider, secure aggressive pricing and even seek Regents approval in advance of purchases. By doing so, we can dramatically shorten the procurement process on specific purchases for projects and operational needs.
2. Per OU Purchasing guidelines, purchases over $5,000 that do not fall under a current State or University contract must be solicited. These solicitations can range from the informal RFQ (Request for Quote) to formal Bids/RFP’s (Request for Proposal), depending on what products and services are being sought. University solicitations are performed by an authorized Buyer in the Purchasing Department. Purchases over $1 million require approval by the Board of Regents in advance of the transaction. Please contact the OU IT Business Office for Regents meetings deadlines to ensure your item will be placed on the agenda. Splitting of orders to circumvent the dollar limits is specifically prohibited.
***Additional information can be found can be found in the OU Regents’ Policy Manual. Please click the link below for more information.
Vendor Guidelines
- Please call ahead for appointments. Avoid “dropping in” on any University contact.
- Make your visit profitable by bringing new ideas, approaches or products. Avoid social calls.
- Gifts and gratuities are problematic. Do not offer them. Do not give them.
- Please pay special attention to timelines and deadlines. Extensions are rarely given by request and never, once the date passes..
- Please notify the OU IT Business Office of any account team changes and provide contact information for new representatives.
- Per State guidelines, all invoices for the University must be net-45 days.
Are Lunch & Learns Acceptable Venues for Presenting My Solutions?
Yes, but only when coordinated through an OU IT Business Office specialist. We limit these types of events to once per quarter for each vendor and there are a limited number of slots available. These events are open to all IT professionals on campus. A specialist will help you identify the best date for the event, assist in the creation of an agenda, and handle the logistics of invitations, venues and ordering of food/refreshments.
Gifts-In-Kind-Policy
The University of Oklahoma requires all gifts-in-kind to be reported through the University’s financial management systems. A Gift-in-Kind is defined as equipment, demonstration /seed units, software packages/components and services provided at no cost and not associated with a purchase. If you plan to provide any items that may fall under this definition, please contact the OU IT Business Office.
No University employee may sign a contract, statement of work or quote, that obligates the University in any way or in any amount, unless he/she is specifically authorized to do so in writing by the OU President. Presidential delegation of authority and letters of authorization are addressed in the Regents' Policy Manual for The University of Oklahoma, Section 4.10 – Authority to Sign Contractual Documents.
