Procurement Announcements

May82026

CruzBuy Email Order Management
Suppliers who receive Purchase Orders via email can now manage purchase orders directly from their email. When a purchase order is distributed by email, suppliers will see a secure link that provides access to order details.

For invoicing, suppliers will be guided to a new streamlined web form designed specifically for email-based order management. The invoice form includes the key required fields needed for invoice submission, making the process faster and easier without requiring additional system access.

This enhancement is designed to improve supplier efficiency, reduce manual communication, and accelerate invoice processing. Suppliers with questions or who need assistance using Email Order Management, please get in touch with the eProcurement helpdesk at buy4me@ucsc.edu.

May12026

Changes to Catering Definition
Effective May 1, 2026, the definition of catering is changing to refer to contracting out for covered services only. All other prepared food purchases will now be referred to as food for takeout or delivery.

All catering events funded by UC Santa Cruz and held on the UCSC campus or at a University-owned or leased property are required to use UCSC Catering.

For more information, please see the full announcement.

Mar42026

New Pivot Interiors/Miller Knoll Punchout Catalog
We are excited to announce a more efficient way to source office furniture and workspace solutions. Effective Monday, March 9, 2026, our partnership with Pivot Interiors/MillerKnoll is moving to a PunchOut Catalog in CruzBuy.

For more information please read the full announcement.

Jul12025

Enhancing CruzBuy: Strategic Updates to Procure-to-Pay Processes
As part of Financial Affairs’ ongoing effort to modernize and streamline Procurement and Accounts Payable operations, we will be implementing a series of critical enhancements to the CruzBuy purchasing platform later this month. These changes are aligned with our goals of improving operational efficiency, reducing manual interventions, and strengthening internal controls across the Procure-to-Pay (P2P) lifecycle. By fully leveraging the capabilities of CruzBuy, we aim to foster greater transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making in support of our institutional mission. Further information will be provided as we implement these changes in CruzBuy.

Please read our full announcement for further details on the four areas of focus.

May202025

General Guidance on Tariff-Related Pricing Impacts for CruzBuy Users
Due to the evolving nature of international trade policies and supply chain dynamics, some suppliers have begun applying surcharges or raising prices to account for increased costs associated with tariffs. To help Procurement validate and, when possible, mitigate these charges, we kindly ask that you add tariff surcharges, if known, as separate line items on your CruzBuy requisition and attach the supplier quote to the requisition. This will allow our team to follow up with suppliers for clarification as needed.

Some supplier price increases due to tariffs may not be immediately obvious. If you have any concerns, please contact Procurement in advance so we can help navigate the impact of tariffs and ensure your orders are placed without delay. If you receive notification from a supplier that a tariff is being applied after the PO is issued and they are requesting that the PO be revised, please forward the supplier’s email to buy4me@ucsc.edu, and one of the Procurement staff will review and advise.

Thank you for helping us monitor the situation, and as always, we are available to help support departments navigate these changes.