The Advantages of Education Purchasing Cooperatives for Schools and Universities
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) estimates no real growth in education budgets through 2031. Overall, they project just a 1% increase in inflation-adjusted dollars and this forecast does not take into account policy initiatives or changes in the age distribution of teachers or retirements. When you consider the current environment, with shifting demographics […]
Cooperative Purchasing Explained: How It Saves Schools and Institutions Time and Money
Cooperative purchasing is a procurement strategy where multiple organizations collaborate to increase their buying power, reduce costs, and streamline purchasing. As educational institutions continue to deal with budget constraints, staffing shortages, and increasing compliance requirements, cooperative purchasing for education has become an essential tool to enhance efficiency and affordability. By leveraging collective demand, educational institutions […]
Why More Institutions Are Relying on Cooperative Contracts for Procurement
There are plenty of reasons why more academic institutions are relying on cooperative contracts for procurement, but here’s the biggest one: saving money. Educational institutions that leverage cooperative purchasing agreements often reduce costs by 15–25% versus buying independently. By combining demand across hundreds or thousands of schools across the country, procurement cooperatives like E&I Cooperative […]
E&I Announces its 2025 Annual Business Partner Awards Winners
March 18, 2025 | Tremco CPG, Deloitte, Grainger, & Avantor Recognized for Excellence
What Are GPO Provisions for Higher Education? A Comprehensive Overview
According to the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP), as much as 38% of spending in higher education occurs using P-cards. P-cards can help streamline procurement, but they can also lead to the use of unapproved suppliers and non-contract spend—driving up costs and often bypassing compliance and approvals. It’s not surprising. At the department level […]
7 Features to Look for Before Joining a Procurement GPO for Higher Education
Funding concerns. Rising costs. Deferred maintenance. Increased pressure. There’s a long list of challenges that educational institutions face when managing procurement. Balancing the needs of your college or university while also ensuring you meet budget goals can be stressful. Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) for higher education can help. However, each GPO has a slightly different […]
Higher Education Group Purchasing Organization: Top Questions Answered by Experts
Procurement teams today are looking for an edge. Overcoming rising prices, tight budgets, and pressure to lower costs, without sacrificing quality, is a challenge. A higher ed group purchasing organization can help, streamlining procurement and saving you time and money. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to help you understand […]
What Makes Higher Education Procurement GPOs Different? A Deep Dive into Their Benefits
It happens all the time. The head of the biology department at a mid-sized university needed to restock lab supplies. Wanting a fast solution, they turned to Amazon, where they could order beakers, pipettes, and cleaning solvents with just a few clicks. The prices seemed reasonable; they knew the brand names, and the free shipping […]
The Top 7 Benefits of Cooperative Sourcing for the Procure-to-Pay Process in Higher Ed
The procure-to-pay (P2P) process in higher education is complex. You need to balance cost efficiency, compliance, supplier diversity, and sustainability requirements. P2P has become especially challenging considering today’s budget constraints and price increases. Cooperative sourcing for higher education offers a streamlined approach to procurement, helping procurement and finance teams stretch their dollars and streamline their […]
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Procurement Process for Higher Ed Sourcing Cooperative Members
The procurement process in higher education can be complex. Procurement and finance teams have to find cost efficiencies, meet a growing list of compliance regulations, and deal with tight budgets—all while making sure their school gets the goods and services it needs without sacrificing quality. A higher ed sourcing cooperative significantly streamlines the procurement process […]
