Understanding GPOs: Smarter Buying Through Group Purchasing
To say things are changing in today’s higher education environment is a massive understatement. Every day, it seems like there’s a new challenge over funding and fundraising, financial aid, endowments, enrollment, and more. Inside Higher Ed’s 2025 Survey of College and University Presidents put it into perspective. While 87% of those surveyed are confident in […]
What Can I Buy Through the Staples Contract for Higher Education?
Staples offers thousands of products educational institutions use every day. While you can get discounts through the company’s Business Advantage program, colleges and universities can significantly reduce their costs with additional savings by utilizing a cooperative contract with E&I Cooperative Services. Cooperative Purchasing With E&I’s Staples Contract E&I Cooperative Services is a member-owned, nonprofit sourcing […]
How Does E&I’s Staples Contract Help Streamline Campus Purchasing?
Procurement leaders in higher education are under growing pressure to do more with less. Shrinking budgets, decentralized purchasing, and the need for consistent service across campus departments make managing procurement both complex and time-consuming. As a result, many institutions turn to cooperative contracts for relief, and one of the most effective solutions available is the […]
How Do I Register a Staples Business Advantage Account for My Institution?
A Staples Business Advantage account integrates with your eProcurement system and provides competitive pricing with a Higher Education focus. However, colleges and universities can make their Staples Advantage business account go even further by working through a cooperative agreement with E&I Cooperative Services. With E&I’s Staples contract, you get exclusive pricing that gives you access […]
Is Staples Business Advantage Worth It for Colleges and Universities?
Is Staples Business Advantage worth it? Here’s the quick answer: yes. With Staples Advantage program, you get an extensive higher education focused core list at competitive pricing. This typically results in about a 10% reduction compared to other suppliers. However, there’s also a way to lower your costs even further. When you choose a cooperative […]
Modern Procurement in Higher Education: Strategies, Solutions, and Smart Sourcing with Staples Advantage
Colleges and universities across the country are navigating an increasingly challenging financial environment. Inflation, budget constraints, shrinking endowments, fluctuating enrollment, international tariffs, shifting government funding policies—the list is long (and getting longer). Nearly half of institutions surveyed by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) say they have serious concerns about federal student […]
Key GPO Provisions That Strengthen Group Purchasing Agreements
Procurement plays a vital role in achieving your institutional goals. For higher education institutions, procurement is more than just purchasing; it’s strategic stewardship of resources. Yet, managing cost control, compliance, and supplier relationships can be complex. Rising costs, shrinking budgets, and increased scrutiny make it harder for procurement teams to do more with less. Group […]
How Group Purchasing Organizations Transform Institutional Buying
The role of procurement leaders is changing rapidly, with a greater focus on strategy than transactions. A 2025 EY survey of CPOs shows that procurement leaders are increasing efforts to prioritize supplier relationships and performance management as well as ensuring alignment with institutional goals. Yet, this focus demands one thing that is always in short […]
How GPOs Work: A Deep Dive into Group Purchasing Organizations
A GPO, or group purchasing organization, is a group that negotiates contracts on behalf of its members. By aggregating purchasing volume across multiple institutions, GPOs are able to secure pricing and contract terms that would be difficult, for any single institution to obtain on its own. In higher education, this model has significant appeal. Academic […]
Exploring the Different Types of Group Purchasing Organizations
There are nearly 600 group purchasing organizations in the U.S., accounting for billions of dollars of procurement spend annually. Some are general-use business GPOs while others specialize in certain industry sectors. With these different types of group purchasing organizations available, procurement teams must look closely at how each model aligns with their goals, governance structure, […]
