Purchasing

Washington State University (WSU) Purchasing Services is dedicated to conducting purchasing activities in the best interest of the university by obtaining quality products and services, timely delivery, and competitive prices.  Several contracts and purchasing agreements have been establishment to offer “green” products and an opportunity for organizational units to begin transitioning to more sustainable practices.

Purchasing at WSU

WSU Purchasing Services establishes contracts, purchase agreements, and organizes bid specifications for specialized products purchased by departments on campus.  When possible, efforts are made to take into account small or minority owned businesses, locally owned businesses, and sustainable businesses.  Purchasing Services is constantly working with vendors to identify potential sustainable products and equipment and brings representatives to campus to meet with departments to ensure needs are met.

Why is this Important?

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing or Green Purchasing refers to the procurement of products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.  This comparison considers aspects such as raw materials, production, packaging, distribution, maintenance, and disposal.  It is important to know the true cost of a material when purchasing goods and services because of limited natural resources and greenhouse gases created during the manufacturing of a product.

How you can Help- Reduce Unnecessary Purchasing- Make Your Dollar Count!

It is fairly common for someone to not have a second thought about their purchases.  Nowadays, you will find people shopping at stores where prices are low without taking time to think about the quality of the product.  These quick purchases, while seeming inexpensive at the time, doesn’t necessarily mean you will be getting the best quality per dollar.  In many cases, spending and extra dollar or two on better quality goods will save you money in the long run because of how long a product last, which also minimizes your water contribution.

• Purchase reusable goods to improve the health of the environment
• When purchasing paper, choose 100% recycled materials.
• Purchase locally grown foods which is commonly healthier, better quality, last longer, and minimizes impacts from transportation.