Technology Purchasing
The Technology Purchasing office provides services to the Cardinal community to ensure consistent, timely, and efficient procurement of technology solutions.
Our goals include:
Supportability - keeping a consistent level of technology across the University so that our support operations can work efficiently.
Sustainability - regularly updating end-user technology to help our hardware tools keep up with the pace of our work.
Accessibility - maintaining a consistent level of access to software tools that help us provide excellence in the organization and the classroom.
Efficiency - leveraging economies of scale and institutional buying channels to minimize budgetary waste.
Primary Community-Facing Service Offerings
New Computer Ordering
New Hires
- Computer ordering happens on the UIW Help Desk website, within the "Request a Service" portion. You need to log in to the site to access these forms.
- New hires typically receive a laptop-driven bundle that acts like a desktop while in the office but retains the flexibility of a laptop. The IT team provides a laptop, a single full-sized 24-inch monitor, and a keyboard/mouse combo.
Special Computing Needs
- Special use, departmental floaters, new academic needs, and part-time computers fall into this category.
- Ordering happens in the same place as new hire orders, on the UIW Help Desk website, within the "Request a Service" portion. You need to log in to the site to access these forms.
- Provisioning may be new or used, based on the scenario and need.
New Academic Additions
- These are governed by the Technology Replacement Policy.
- Additions of academic labs and spaces should be coordinated directly with the Technology Purchasing office. Please email crnelso2@uiwtx.edu to engage us in the discussion.
Computer Refresh Planning and Execution
The UIW IT team strives to keep the computers as up-to-date as possible. Generally, the goal is to refresh every four years. This is subject to budget approval.
As computers come up for refresh, the Technology Purchasing office reaches out to the impacted individuals and departments to plan the replacement.
- Employee choices for refresh are limited to laptop-driven workstations; desktops are not an option currently.
- Refresh orders occur at the same place as all other computer orders, within the "Request a Service" portion of the UIW Help Desk website.
At any time, you may request a review of your computer's eligibility for a refresh, as described in the requesting a replacement computer section of the Guidelines for Requesting New Computers.
Computer Inventory Updates and Recordkeeping
Periodically, our office will audit and update the computer records we keep for the University. This process informs the decision-making and planning for computer refresh and is important to keep updated.
If your area has experienced a spike in staff movement or shuffling, you may request an off-cycle audit by contacting crnelso2@uiwtx.edu.
Technology Purchasing for Miscellaneous Needs
The Technology Purchasing office assists in making consistent and compatible purchases for ancillary technology by reviewing tech gear before individual departments purchase it.
This applies to computing technology items that are not desktop or laptop computers, such as:
- Device Cases, Sleeves, Carrying Bags
- iPads, Tablets, or e-Readers
- Secondary Computer Monitors
- Webcams
- Flash Drives or External Hard Drives
- Scanners
- Headphones or Headsets
- Computer Speakers
- Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
- and other similar devices
The general process is as follows:
- The requesting department contacts the Technology Purchasing office to obtain a quote for the required equipment. The current contact for this is Chris Nelson, (210) 829-3844 or crnelso2@uiwtx.edu.
- Upon receipt of the requested quote, the department’s administrative staff will enter a purchase requisition into Banner for a purchase order to be created for the item(s).
- After the purchase requisition passes through the appropriate approvals in Banner and a PO is created, the departmental administrator will email the PO back to the Technology Purchasing staff member.
- The Technology Purchasing staff member will finalize the order with the vendor, manage the physical receipt of the equipment, and hand the item(s) off to the department once received.
- Purchases of general technology utilizing specialized or grant funding follow the same process outlined above.
Exclusions to this process are:
- Audiovisual items, such as digital displays, conference/meeting room equipment, or specialty audiovisual equipment, such as broadcast and recording equipment, photography equipment, etc.
- Printers