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 competitively solicited Staples contract offered through E&I Cooperative Services.
This partnership streamlines campus procurement by giving educational institutions access to competitively priced, education-specific solutions from a trusted supplier. With Staples’ extensive catalog and E&I’s cooperative purchasing power, institutions can reduce administrative burdens, save money, and gain greater control over their procurement processes.
E&I Cooperative Services is a nonprofit, member-owned sourcing cooperative that exists solely to serve the education sector. By aggregating demand across thousands of colleges and universities, E&I negotiates contracts with top-tier suppliers for products and services at deeply discounted prices.
The Staples contract program gives members access to a large catalog of office supplies, technology, janitorial products, furniture, print services, and promotional items.
However, the real value isn’t just the business solutions at Staples you get, it’s how much you save and how easy it is to do so.
Managing multiple vendor relationships, securing quotes, and issuing competitive bids can slow down operations and strain staff resources. With the Staples contract, much of this work is already done. E&I has competitively solicited and awarded the contract on behalf of its members, ensuring your compliance requirements are met. That means your institution can skip the time-consuming RFP process and still access pre-vetted pricing and terms that meet public sector procurement standards.
This significantly shortens the buying cycle and gives you a gift: time to spend in other areas.
Another key benefit of using the E&I agreement with Staples is the access it provides to exclusive pricing and incentives. Because the contract leverages the collective volume of E&I’s entire membership base, higher education institutions enjoy pricing that’s often better than what they could negotiate on their own and lower than just being in the Staples Business Advantage program.
This includes discounted pricing on thousands of commonly used items and exclusive volume-based rebates and incentives to stretch your budget further.
Staples Contract and Commercial is the business-to-business arm of the company. Its business is built around speed, convenience, and service, and that operational strength carries over into the campus environment. Through the cooperative contract, institutions can take advantage of simplified ordering systems that integrate with existing procurement platforms, allowing faculty and staff to easily search for approved items, submit requisitions, and track deliveries.
Academic institutions can set up customized punch-out catalogs for departments, listing approved products to greatly reduce noncompliant spending.
Perhaps most importantly, institutions benefit from dedicated account management. Representatives that understand the nuances of educational procurement can offer personalized support for budget forecasting, sourcing alternatives, and issue resolution. That ongoing partnership helps ensure the Staples contract continues to meet your needs.
Beyond the everyday supplies and equipment, the Staples contract includes a suite of value-added services that align with the goals of colleges and universities.
These business solutions at Staples include:
Whether you’re trying to align with campus-wide green purchasing goals or simply need better data to support purchasing decisions, Staples has the resources you need.
Implementing the Staples contract through E&I can lead to measurable improvements in procurement operations:
In short? Fewer headaches for procurement teams and more value for the institution at large.
E&I Cooperative Services makes onboarding simple. Institutions that are already E&I members can submit a quick Statement of Intent to activate access to the Staples contract. If your institution is not yet a member, E&I offers free membership to qualified educational entities and will walk you through the enrollment process.
Once access is granted, your team will be connected with Staples’ dedicated education support staff to configure your account, tailor your catalog, and begin placing orders under the contract.
If your institution is ready to streamline purchasing and increase value, the business solutions at Staples Contract and Commercial available through the E&I contract provide the perfect place to start. Contact E&I Cooperative Services today to get started.
