About Us

What is UCount?

UCount is a University-wide initiative challenged to explore cost reduction opportunities, redefine business processes, and re-evaluate the way in which we all procure goods and services while maintaining the quality and integrity of our UConn community.

To put this in perspective, When UCount began in 2011, UConn spent $317 million on goods and services during that fiscal year 2011. Combined with the UConn Health Center, total spending reached $572 million. The scale of these purchases presented a real opportunity for UConn to find savings through efficiencies rather than job losses. To support this effort, UCount has looked at ways to reduce non-personnel expenses, increase efficiencies, and enhance collaborative opportunities across the University by:

  • Renegotiating pricing with existing vendors;
  • Rebidding contracts, where applicable and in the best interest of the University;
  • Pooling spend and leveraging volume across University campuses;
  • Identifying lower cost options and standards, where applicable, while maintaining the quality of the product/service;
  • Streamlining processes to increase efficiency.

 

What’s happening now?

With in initial charge to save over $4.0 million in FY ’12 alone, Commodity Sourcing Teams, comprised of faculty and staff at the Storrs, Regional and University of Connecticut Health Center (UCH) campuses, have explored several cost reduction and business process opportunities to find efficiencies in an effort to save University dollars. These efforts historically have focused primarily on commodities relating to furniture, laboratory supplies, office supplies, technology, telecommunications, janitorial supplies, audio/visual equipment, cleaning services, travel, and Facilities maintenance, repair, operation (MRO).

Various teams continue to review and developed standards for purchasing goods and services based on faculty and staff purchasing trends as well as intensive discussion and research.

As additional areas are reviewed,  efforts continue to be made to ensure purchasing practices are redefined to save cost where possible while increasing overall efficiency at the University.