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An E&I member since 2003, Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit university located in Missouri. The campus’s recreation facility serves approximately 13,000 students who have access to over 19,000 square feet of fitness space, including an indoor track and gymnasium.
SLU was looking to replace a line of cardio equipment in its recreation facility that had reached the end of its lifecycle and was outside the scope of its warranty.
When replacing fitness equipment in the past, SLU’s Campus Recreation & Wellness team was required to work with the University’s Business & Finance team to go through the time-consuming and costly competitive bid process.
In addition to finding the best cardio equipment for their facility, it was important to ensure the line had the proper warranty in place since cardio equipment tends to have a shorter lifespan. “It’s a significant factor we consider when choosing a supplier, in addition to the pricing,” said Eric Anderson, Director, Campus Recreation & Wellness at SLU.
Core Health & Fitness was already on SLU’s radar, having had success working with the company in the past. But when the University discovered that E&I and Core have a competitively solicited contract in place, they decided to move forward with the agreement.
Upon signing up, Core provided dedicated support to SLU, delivering up-front pricing and warranty information in addition to the expertise on their products and knowledge of the E&I contract.
The team at Core has been amazing, going above and beyond to help us evaluate our situation and determine how we can provide the biggest benefit to our students.
Time & Cost Savings
By using the E&I contract, SLU was able to save significant time by avoiding the bidding process. SLU purchased a new line of cardio equipment through the agreement and realized an average savings of up to 8%. The University also experienced a quick turnaround time from the initial purchase, successfully receiving the products within their fiscal year.
Warranty Included
Rather than purchasing extended warranties that would jump up the pricing, Core’s offering includes a 5-year warranty, which provides the University with an added layer of confidence.
Buy-In from Business & Finance
“This contract has the full support from our Business & Finance team for a number of reasons,” said Todd Robben, Assistant Director, Campus Recreation & Wellness at SLU. “It removes us from the negotiating and competitive bidding process which is incredibly beneficial from a time-savings standpoint. And having a direct contact at E&I and Core, as well as access to the price sheets, is very reassuring because we know we’re getting the best value for our institution.”
Seamless Integration
The new equipment complemented the existing pieces within the facility, benefitting the end-user by delivering a new and improved experience that offers familiar functionality. “From an end-user’s standpoint, it’s really exciting because they’ve become familiar with a certain console, or the feel of a piece of equipment, so being able to have that in a new piece was huge for us,” said Robben.
When asked if he would recommend this contract to other E&I members, Anderson responded with a “resounding yes.”
“In an environment when everyone’s being asked to do more with less, and everyone’s trying to manage their time as best as possible, being able to use this agreement is like a breath of fresh air because it expedites the process,” said Anderson.
