A new approach to software standardization and centralized purchasing a priority for BFA

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A new approach to software standardization and centralized purchasing a priority for BFA

May 12, 2025

by Sarah Taylor

WWU Business and Financial Affairs

During one of the Business & Financial Affairs Innovation Sessions, a common theme that emerged was the need for increased software standardization and a more centralized purchasing process across the university. This type of feedback had previously led to a joint project involving Finance & Business Services (FBS) and Information Technology Services (ITS). Western's Software Review Process, launched last November, offers a structured and transparent method for evaluating and acquiring new software tools at Western.

This collaborative initiative, led by Procurement Services and Academic Technology and User Services (ATUS), ensures that all software requests are evaluated for compliance with Western's financial, legal, and technical standards. This process helps prevent unnecessary software duplication and promotes the use of existing, university-licensed, products, ultimately saving time and resources. "If we know what [software] we're looking for, we can take care of it and protect the user and the university," said Nancy Larson, Software Services manager.

Software is considered a controlled item under STN-U5348.01B, and pre-approval from Procurement is required before any purchase can be made. Departments are not permitted to purchase software with their Western-issued payment card, nor to purchase software with personal funds and be reimbursed without prior approval from Procurement.

In addition, the team's attention to detail extends to the legal side of software acquisition. Many software agreements require separate Data Sharing Agreements (DSA), particularly when handling sensitive data as defined by the State of Washington (RCW 39.263.340). This ensures that the university fully complies with state regulations and safeguards the privacy of data shared through software tools.

The first step in the Software Review Process is for departments to read through the steps and submit a Software Request Form. The intake process is designed to cover all scenarios, whether the software is cloud-based, locally installed, free, or paid. From there, the request may be routed to several university stakeholders, including the Information Security Office, Accessibility Committee, Enterprise Applications Services, and others. Each request is carefully evaluated based on functionality, compatibility, security, privacy, and accessibility requirements.

The need for such a process became clear over time.

"What motivated the launch of [the Software Review Process] was because software was getting purchased with no controls," said Andrea Rodger, assistant vice president for Finance and Business Services. "We were buying duplicative software [and] buying tools we already had."

Departments are already seeing benefits of the process, particularly in cost savings. Kellen Beam, Western Contracts Specialist, highlighted that early engagement in the review process allows for more strategic purchasing. "If we get ahead of the process, we can negotiate contracts more easily," he said. "We can look at cooperative contracts through the state, which bring discounts, and push for enterprise licenses that reduce costs at the department level."

Beyond cost savings, a significant benefit of centralized review is effective technical support. As Wanna VanCuren, director of Enterprise Application Services explained, having multiple tools serving the same purpose can make support difficult. "If you have lots of different tools doing the same thing, support becomes impossible," she said. "We're an AMS [Microsoft] shop. If someone buys Tableau instead of using Power BI, I can't provide support. This is ultimately about helping departments succeed."

Chuck Lanham, associate vice president and chief information officer, echoed that sentiment, noting that using supported tools shortens the procurement timeline and helps teams get to work faster. "If we already have a Microsoft product that gets you 85 percent of the way there, with our in-house knowledge, we can cover the remaining 15 percent," he said. "We can get them up and running faster with support."

You can support these efforts by sharing this information with your colleagues, reviewing the current software list, and encouraging them to engage with the Software Review Process early when considering new tools. Together, we can build a more coordinated, secure, and cost-effective software environment across campus.