Imagine a UC Davis institute that wants to gain more visibility in its industry, but doesn’t have any experience with targeted advertising.
Or, it’s the day before a big event, and the campus photographers are all booked solid.
There’s no need to panic — the university now has a roster of preapproved, external vendors who can be hired quickly for these and other marketing tasks.
TOOLBOX ADDITION
Internal-external vendor resources
Questions? Send them by email to communicationsrfp@ucdavis.edu.
How it works
- A UC Davis department selects a vendor and contacts that vendor directly, also notifying communicationsrfp@ucdavis.edu.
- The department must make sure to mention the agreement number (listed on the external vendor website) for the type of work.
- The department must request a proposal from the vendor or propose a scope of work for which a quote will be received.
- Upon completion of the work, the vendor sends an invoice to the department. Work must be completed before payment is made.
- The department will process the invoice consistent with the department's standard processes for payment.
MORE TO COME
Strategic Communications and Purchasing is coordinating the development of more detailed instructions for use of the external vendors list as well as tools to assist departments with putting their specific contracts in place. This information will be available on the website soon.
The roster comprises vendors in freelance writing, graphic design, marketing strategy, media buying, mobile application design and development, photography, videography, and website design and development.
See box for more information, including "More to come" about detailed instructions that are still being developed.
Maureen Stanton, vice provost of Academic Affairs, said she’s excited to use the list to find a Web design contractor.
“I have been involved with a number of programs on campus that needed to set up new, robust websites,” she said. “It is great that groups like this will now have access to a list of vetted Web design firms that work frequently with UC Davis customers and so understand our design expectations.”
The university assembled the list from applicants who responded to a request for proposals, or RFP. Expert teams from the Davis and Sacramento campuses worked with Purchasing to vet the applicants, review samples of their work, check references and score each potential vendor. Those who made it through the RFP process had their insurance policies verified and took a required course in UC Davis branding and integrated marketing.
The roster supplements on-campus resources, which include Academic Technology Services, Information and Educational Technology Web Development, and Repro Graphics.
More than 50 external vendors are in the new system, which allows customers to rate the vendors.
The new system should save money, because prices have been capped below market rate, and customers may also be able to negotiate lower prices.
The university prenegotiated the vendors' rates, which means a department looking to use one of the vendors need not go with the one with the lowest price. Thus, every user can find the best match for the project at hand.
The list, which is part of the UC Davis Marketing Toolbox, is overseen by Strategic Communications and Purchasing. The university’s contracts with these vendors are in effect for one year with the option to renew for four additional one-year periods.
Departments can still use outside vendors that don’t appear on the preapproved list by working with Purchasing on separate contracts.
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Media Resources
Dave Jones, Dateline, 530-752-6556, dljones@ucdavis.edu