NEW! Sustainable T-shirt purchasing initiative 08/25/22
Purchasing Services and the Office of Sustainability encourage all departments to switch their t-shirt purchases to sustainable choices. We have researched best options and recommended suppliers. Read more about our new Sustainable T-Shirt Purchasing Guidelines.
Purchasing contract review update - 6/2/22
The Purchasing Contract Reviews footprints system has been updated.
Airgas - Helium Gas Force Majeure
On 2/14/22, UVM was notified that Airgas has put a Force Majeure in place for their Helium gas. This situation was caused by a severe accident at one of their supply sources and an unplanned shutdown of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The University is currently being allocated 65% of its normal Helium product. At this time, Airgas is not able to offer any specifics on how this allocation will be managed or estimate the duration of this Force Majeure. Please contact purchasing@uvm.edu if you have any questions.
Supply chain shortages
Due to global supply chain shortages, the University is experiencing delays in receiving many products and in ordering services. Certain goods and materials are either on back order or are simply not available. In addition, some vendors are declining to participate in RFPs because they cannot commit to supplying the University or adhering to our deadlines due to labor shortages.
We ask that departments plan ahead - and in some cases, to plan far in advance of the date when products or services are needed.
Some of the areas in which we are experiencing the greatest challenges are:
- Vehicle rentals (must be reserved weeks, if not months, in advance)
- Van rentals (must be reserved weeks, if not months, in advance)
- Bus rentals (reserve months in advance due to the shortage of drivers)
- Paper products, especially 100% recycled paper
- Any and all equipment with microchips
- Technology products and equipment in general
This list is not exhaustive, and we anticipate more goods and services to be added in the weeks ahead. We ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate this supply chain problem, and for your advance planning when contemplating a purchase.