Procurement Pulse - May 2025


Procurement Pulse
Volume 1, Issue 4 | From the Office of Procurement and Contract management
Publication Date: May 08, 2025
Information Beat
Tip of the Month: Help Us Help You—Submit a Ticket!
Our procurement and contract management team may be small (just four mighty folks!), but we are here to support all of Minnesota State. To keep things moving quickly and make sure your request does not get stuck in one inbox, please submit a ticket through our service desk: Support Ticket. It is the fastest way to get your questions answered, and it puts your request on the radar for our whole team!
Behind the Buy: Fun Fact
The World's First Recorded Procurement Contract? Procurement is not new, it dates back over 4,000 years! The oldest known written contract is from ancient Mesopotamia, where Sumerians used clay tablets to record the procurement of livestock, grain, and even beer. While we have moved on from clay, the goal remains the same: get the right goods, at the right time, from the right source!
From the Office of Procurement and Contract Management
Reevaluating Single Source Designations: Why Past Decisions May No Longer Apply
In public procurement, it's not uncommon to hear phrases like “This has always been a single-source supplier” or "We have used them for years." While continuity and historical relationships are important, procurement decisions—especially those involving limited competition—must be routinely reevaluated to ensure they still align with current needs, market conditions, and procurement policy.
Defining the Terms: Sole Source vs. Single Source
Understanding the distinction between sole source and single source is key to managing supplier relationships appropriately:
- Sole Source: A sole source procurement occurs when only one supplier in the marketplace is capable of providing the required goods or services. This is typically due to the supplier’s exclusive ownership of intellectual property, a patent, or a unique ability that no other vendor can match
- Single Source: A single source procurement, on the other hand, is based on a decision to award a contract to a specific supplier, even though other suppliers may be capable of providing the same product or service. This may be due to factors such as integration with existing systems, continuity of service, or specialized expertise. Single source decisions must be justified and documented appropriately.
When Single Source Designations Should Be Reassessed
Procurement professionals must remember that a supplier’s single source designation is not permanent. What may have been true at the time of the original procurement could easily change:
- New competitors may enter the market.
- Technology may advance, introducing new options.
- Licensing arrangements may shift.
- Supplier performance may decline.
- Business needs may evolve.
A once-valid justification may no longer hold under current circumstances. Regularly reviewing the basis for single source decisions helps ensure compliance with policy, promotes transparency, and supports equitable competition.
Best Practices
- Revalidate Routinely: Establish a practice of reexamining single source suppliers during contract renewals, amendments, or when new needs arise.
- Document Justifications: Ensure any continued use of a single source supplier includes current, objective, and well-documented justification.
- Engage the Market: When in doubt, consider conducting a limited market analysis or request for information (RFI) to assess whether alternative sources exist.
Final Thought
Single source designations should not be treated as permanent labels. Like any procurement decision, they must be based on current facts, changing landscapes, and policy requirements. By reevaluating supplier relationships periodically, we ensure that procurement remains strategic, competitive, and in the best interest of the organization.
A single source designation is not a lifetime contract; it must be earned, justified, and reevaluated over time. Steve Jobs
Read More About Single Source Guidelines for Minnesota State {internal link}
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Supplier Diversity
Expanding Opportunity: Equity Select
Minnesota State proudly upholds its commitment to equitable procurement practices through the Equity Select Program, an initiative designed to foster fair and inclusive opportunities for historically underrepresented businesses. This program aligns with Minnesota Statute 16C.16, Subdivision 6(b), ensuring that state contracts contribute to a more diverse, competitive, and representative marketplace.
Through the Equity Select Program, certain contracts valued at up to $100,000.00 can be exclusively awarded to certified Targeted Group Businesses (TGBs), including those owned by women and people of color. By limiting competition within this group, the program removes barriers that may have historically disadvantaged Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Businesses (MBEs/WBEs) in securing government contracts.
The program operates under a restricted competition model, ensuring that bidding is limited to similarly situated certified vendors only when at least two qualified businesses are available, willing, and capable of fulfilling the request. This intentional structure enhances participation while encouraging certified businesses to remain engaged with state procurement opportunities.
To maximize the program's effectiveness, Contract Administrators and Project Managers are encouraged to actively seek out certified vendors and utilize the Equity Select process whenever applicable. This includes searching through the four approved certification databases (Admin, CERT, WBENC, and NMSDC) to identify eligible businesses.
At its core, the Equity Select Program is more than just a procurement initiative—it is a strategic commitment to economic equity and representation. By prioritizing underrepresented businesses, Minnesota State is actively fostering a more inclusive procurement environment, one contract at a time.
Read More About Equity SelectSupplier Spotlight
Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) is a Minnesota-based, certified small, disadvantaged, disabled, and woman-owned business dedicated to inclusive interpreting services. Founded in 2011, it is co-owned by one deaf and one non-deaf individual, emphasizing equal representation. KIS actively promotes employment opportunities for deaf individuals, with an all-deaf office staff, including five managers and full-time Deaf interpreters. CEO Patty McCutcheon has over 25 years of experience in accessibility in higher education, while COO Jimmy Beldon has contributed extensively to interpreter training.
Community engagement is central to KIS, prioritizing relationships over profits. It provides on-site and remote interpreting services with a deaf-centered approach, ensuring interpreter quality and consumer preferences. KIS uses advanced technology to expand access in underserved areas and maintains a 24/7 scheduling team for continuous availability. Employing 17 full-time ASL interpreters, 2 full-time Deaf interpreters (CDI), and contracting with over 300 ASL interpreters, KIS also collaborates with spoken language agencies to offer multilingual interpretation. Its secure Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) software serves Minnesota State agencies with trained interpreters.
Committed to diversity, KIS recruits ASL talent from Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals across racial and ethnic backgrounds. It partners with state and local organizations to provide vital ASL translations, including for COVID-19 updates. Through high standards and a community-driven approach, KIS remains a leader in the interpreting industry.
KIS is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota
SWIFT - 0000393394
Disclaimer: Departments and employees are encouraged to review all available options and follow established procurement guidelines when considering vendor solutions.
Marketplace Administration
Contract History
To review changes in your contract or notes from approvers, it is best to check the contract history. Contract history can be found at the top left of any contract, as shown here.

The contract history has a quirk where it will only open the history of the tab that is currently open. Currently, I’m on the contract header tab so it is only going to provide the history of the header being modified.
However, instead of limiting yourself to one tab’s history, you can update that by expanding the “Filter History” options. Under the “Section” drop down, select the empty space above “Header” and select “Apply”. Now you can view all contract history and who made those changes.

When approvers leave notes, they will show in the contract approval history.

Comments
Contract history is a great tool to review every change made within the contract, however, it is not that straightforward as a communication tool. For more clear communication, we recommend using the "Comments" tab native to every contract. Simply scroll down to the "Comments" tab, and either start a new thread or reply to a current thread whether the contract is checked out to you or not. With either action, you are also given the option to add a recipient to notify.

Sourcing Sync
The 7 Rights of Procurement: Guiding Principles for Smarter Purchasing
Procurement in higher education goes beyond purchasing, it is a critical function that ensures transparency, compliance, and alignment with our academic mission. The "Seven Rights of Procurement" offers a practical framework for making thoughtful, efficient, and ethical purchasing decisions:
- Right Product: Select goods and services that meet detailed specifications and institutional standards.
- Right Quantity: Balance inventory with need using tools like ABC Analysis and Just-in-Time models to avoid waste or disruption.
- Right Time: Plan for lead times, Board approvals, and supplier onboarding to align with academic and fiscal schedules.
- Right Place: Ensure accurate delivery instructions to avoid logistical issues across campuses and departments.
- Right Price: Focus on best value, not just lowest cost, through competitive sourcing and strategic negotiations.
- Right Supplier: Choose reliable suppliers with strong compliance, data security, and an understanding of higher ed requirements.
- Right Technology: Use modern, secure, and scalable procurement tools—embracing AI and automation to improve outcomes.
These principles ensure that every purchase supports the institution's goals while reinforcing stewardship of public funds.
Spring 2025, Komolafe, N., The 7 Rights of Procurement: Fundamental Principles, NAEP Educational Procurement Journal, Spring 2025.
New or Extended Master Contracts
Catharsis Productions
Minnesota State recently executed a contract with Catharsis Productions to work with campuses and students and provide gender-based violence prevention education training solution systemwide as required by federal and state legislation, as well as Board policy. Title IX and campus compliance officials from the system office and the colleges and universities are working with Catharsis to ensure students can access comprehensive training by the upcoming fall semester. Keep a watchful eye out for information about how your students will access the training this fall.
Contract Number: MNSCU-2025-051267
CampusWorks
Minnesota State recently executed a contract with CampusWorks for Third Party Owners Representative (TPOR) for NextGen Student Implementation. CampusWorks will assist Minnesota State in the successful planning, implementation, and sustainment of Workday Student by being a strategic partner, advisor to, and advocate for Minnesota State.
Contract Number: SYSOFF-2025-05178
Envision Strategies
Minnesota State recently executed a contract with Envision Strategies to provide food service consulting for its universities, with the exception of Metropolitan State University. The System Office will collaborate with Envision and each participating campuses to develop an RFP for each university. The RFPs are expected to be released in August 2025, with a target contract start date of July 1, 2026.
Clinician Nexus
Clinician Nexus is a cloud-based platform designed to streamline clinical education and workforce management within the healthcare sector. It serves as a centralized hub connecting healthcare organizations, academic institutions, and students to manage clinical rotations, onboarding, scheduling, and evaluations efficiently.
Clinician Nexus master agreement was extended by 4 years, bringing the total term to 5 years. Contract Number: MNSCU-2024-040919.
Stay Connected
Resource Hub: Access policies, templates, and training materials on our Procurement Community Site (internal employee access only).
Suggest a Topic: What would you like to see in future editions? Share your feedback procurement@minnstate.edu.
Thank you for being part of Minnesota State’s procurement community. Together, we are building a more efficient, equitable, and resilient supply chain that reflects the diversity of our students and communities. Stay tuned for our next edition on June 05, 2025!