Cut Costs with Sustainable Purchasing

Looking for simple ways to stretch your department’s budget while reducing waste? Stanford’s new purchasing guidance makes it easier to save money, reuse materials, and make smarter purchasing decisions across campus. From catering and office supplies to lab equipment and software, the guide shares practical tips you can start using right away.

To get started, here are a few tips:

1. Before purchasing new items, check whether they can be reused through campus programs
   • Browse the Stanford ReUse website for furniture and equipment
   • Use the #stanford-property-reuse Slack channel Slack channel to request or share supplies
   • Explore the Surplus Chemical Program and Stanford ReUse website through Environmental Health & Safety 
     
2. Use Stanford’s purchasing tools and existing supplier programs
   • Check SmartMart Catalog Suppliers or Amazon Business for streamlined purchasing, built-in approvals, and competitive pricing
   • Review University-Wide Procurement Agreements (UWAs) before starting a new purchasing process
   • Use the Supplier Explorer tool to identify small, local, and sustainable businesses
     
3. Improve visibility into spending
   • Use the guide to identify opportunities to consolidate purchases and reduce unnecessary expenses
   • Explore cost-saving alternatives for commonly purchased items like office supplies, software, and lab materials
     
4. Learn more and share feedback
   • Watch the Making your funding go further information session to learn more about the resource
   • Email responsiblepurchasing@stanford.edu to share feedback and suggestions to help improve the tool and better tailor it to individual business units over time