Deltek Analyst Randi Powell reports.
From April 1-4, Deltek attended the Annual Meeting and Exposition of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) in Anaheim, Calif. The event had more than 200 vendors and more than 250 procurement/purchasing professionals representing 4-year and 2-year higher education institutions, as well as K-12 school districts. Much of the talk during this four-day event revolved around cost savings and efficiency.
This year, many education purchasing professionals are feeling the burn as lean budgets get leaner, and procurement is fast becoming the new focal point to find funds and salvage budgets. This is true for the California State University System (CSUS), which has seen nearly $1 billion in cuts over the past four years, and may see another $200 million cut from its budget for FY 2013 if voters do not pass a budget initiative in November. So, after hiking tuition, eliminating non-essential student services, postponing major projects, and even cutting course offerings, university administrators are now looking to their purchasing departments to help meet the bottom line.
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