Strategic Initiatives

Departments can purchase high-quality, 100% PCW paper at contracted prices from Office Depot through UCIBuy (eCommerce portal in KFS).

Designated UCI contracted suppliers should be the first choice when purchasing any commodity as the overall pricing will be the most stable throughout the course of time. Our contracts contain terms regarding shipping, handling, and returns that often make it a better overall value. However if you find a great edeal, please inform Procurement Services by opening up a ticket and selecting Sustainable Purchasing, General Questions from the drop down.

No, many advances have been made in recycled paper. Jams or other technical problems are most often caused by lower quality paper, older or worn machines, or paper that has been exposed to high humidity rather than the recycled content of the paper. However, if you are experiencing a higher frequency of jams after transitioning to the new standard, please contact procurement@uci.edu for assistance.

Recently, UC Procurement has negotiated 100% PCW paper to be at the same price, if not lower than 30% PCW paper! See below for additional sustainable and cost-saving tips:

• Set printer default to double-sided printing.
• Set default to print black and white, and only print in color when necessary.
• Minimize use of printing emails or unnecessary cover sheets.
• Minimize printing copies of reports or documents for meetings, if available electronically.
• Use Print Preview to view what will actually print.
• Print only necessary pages (use Print Range).
• Reduce margins (under Page Setup).
• Print multiple slides per page when preparing presentation handouts.

No, but we highly recommend using a small business when possible.

Yes, please note that not all existing small or diverse vendors have up-to-date certifications. Search for certified SBs/MBs or DVBEs through single sign-on or contact us by opening up a ticket and selecting Supplier Diversity - Small Business First, Help Finding a Certified Small or Disabled Vet Business for further assistance.

• Explorer.io (Recommended) (training video )
• Cal eProcure (training video )

See this short list of accepted certifying agencies for our Small Business First program.

If you are selecting a contracted supplier you may continue to work with them. However, if your selected vendor is not contracted and your purchase falls between $10,000 and $250,000 and none of the other exemptions apply , then you will need to find a certified small business or disabled veteran business enterprise through Explorer.io or contact us by opening up a ticket and selecting Supplier Diversity - Small Business First, Help Finding a certified Small or Disabled Vet Business.

At this time, there are no international certifications, so you will need to find a U.S.-based company. Depending on your search results, the Waiver or SSPR form will be required if one cannot be found.

No, but you can identify if a vendor is a certified small business with a new icon which is under development.

When vetting a small business, if you find that is not economically advantageous, you will need to fill the Waiver if awarding a large business. You will need backup documentation with a quote from a SB (small business) or DVBE (disabled veteran business enterprise) attached to your waiver request.

No, the SBF program does not apply to circumstances where a federal grant, court decision, or court order requirements dictate how funds can be expended.

Currently, there are vetted vendors that are certified small businesses on our vetted list. If you need additional assistance, please contact smallbusiness@uci.edu.