Increasing procurement efficiency through optimal e-commerce enablement scheduling

Purpose: This study aims to show how cost savings can be achieved through optimizing the scheduling of e-commerce enablements. The University of California is one of the largest, most prestigious public education and research systems in the world, yet diminished state support is driving the search for system-wide cost savings. Design/methodology/approach: This study documents the preparation for and rollout of an e-procurement system across a subset of campuses. A math programing tool was developed for prioritizing the gradual rollout to generate the greatest expected savings subject to resource constraints. Findings: The authors conclude by summarizing the results of the rollout, discussing lessons learned and their benefit to decision-makers at other public institutions. Originality/value: The pilot program comprising three campuses has been predicted to yield $1.2m in savings over a one-year period; additional sensitivity analysis with respect to savings, project timelines and other rollout decisions illustrate the robustness of these findings.