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December 2025 | Volume 6, Issue 2
Did You Know?
A newsletter curated by the Office of Strategic Procurement and Contracts
As we move into the holiday season and approach the winter break, the Strategic Procurement and Contracts (SPC) team wants to thank all of our partners on campus for your support and flexibility this year. As a community, we collectively navigated multiple challenges over the course of 2025. We are proud of the progress we have made as an organization and recognize it would not be possible without your support and understanding along the way. We look forward to further improvements in 2026 as we seek to streamline your procurement experience. In the meantime, we remain focused on closing out the year strong and want to share several updates that may help you do the same. See the key updates and resources below
Strategic Procurement and Contracts critical end of the year deadlines
Receiving & Shipping Over the Holiday Break
Accounts Payable Settlements and Zelle Payments
Strategic Procurement Open Office Hours
Small Business Supplier Highlight: Heroica Construction
We’ll also be sharing tips to help you navigate Requisitions and BCM requests. As always, let’s keep making an impact by supporting small businesses in our community.
CRITICAL END OF THE YEAR TIMELINES
The end of the fall semester and winter shutdown create some unique procurement challenges. As the volume of requests increases and the time to complete those requests decreases, SPC encourages departments to carefully consider their procurement needs well in advance and to submit those requests in a timely fashion.
To assist you in this planning, SPC has created the job aid below for your reference. The deadlines provided are based on historical performance and include departmental reviews, system workflows and average response times from ancillary review teams and suppliers.
Simply—, SPC has created the resource below to help guide you in In general, priority will be given to requests in the order that they are received. We will not be able to accommodate expedite requests, so it is imperative that you plan and take into account the timeline information.
The following General timelines are
PLEASE NOTE:
These deadlines exclude delivery lead times from suppliers as those are unique to each good/service being procured.
Please adjust the posted deadline accordingly for items requiring delivery before the winter shut down or for more complex procurements where additional contract negotiating time may be necessary.
RECEIVING & SHIPPING OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK
Receiving and Shipping over Winter Break? Please work with your sales representatives and suppliers if you plan to receive items over the winter break. The University will close at the end of the normal workday on Friday, December 23rd, 2025, and will reopen on Monday, January 6th, 2026 so please plan accordingly around this closure when receiving goods.
On Behalf of Accounts Payable (AP) Settlement and Zelle Payments
As we prepare for the upcoming winter break, we want to ensure that all payments and reimbursements are processed smoothly and without delay.
Accounts Payable’s (AP) last settlement before the break will be on Monday, Dec 22. Our processing time is 5-7 business days, so everyone is strongly encouraged to get everything submitted by Monday, December 15.
A reminder that Zelle payments will not be processed over the break unless your dept has already been in communication with AP
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us ensure a smooth and timely closeout before the winter break. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Accounts Payable team at accounts_payable@brown.edu.
Strategic Procurement Open Office Hours
Need personalized assistance with a requisition/purchase order-related question? Join us for dedicated Strategic Procurement at Brown Office Hours! This informal session provides a direct opportunity to connect with experts from Strategic Procurement who can offer guidance on a wide range of topics, including:
Requisitions
Purchase Orders
BrownBuys e-marketplace
Purchasing goods or services
NOTE: This is not a training session; this is an opportunity to have your questions about the topics above and the associated processes answered by the team.
December's office hours are scheduled for December 18, 10:30 a.m.
The link to register is located on the Workday website Training page!
Instructor(s): Deb Scaramuzzi and Eli DeFreitas
For Security Role(s): Cost Center Managers, Financial Coordinators
New-Procurement Operations Deskpro requests
To better serve you and ensure that all questions are handled efficiently, our Procurement Operations team is now using the Deskpro ticketing system for all requests related to the following:
BrownBuys- orders or system issues
America To Go- orders or system issues
Requisitions- issues or questions
Purchase Orders- issues or questions
Procurement Data Request(s)
This change allows us to provide a more streamlined and responsive help desk experience. By centralizing our support in Deskpro, we can accurately track common issues, continuously improve our training, and quickly identify and resolve any system-wide problems.
Thank you for helping us make this transition for better support
Brownbuys Tips and Tricks
Before starting your Brownbuy order, please follow these steps:
Clear your browser history:
Go into your browser history and delete all cookies and cache.
Use Google Chrome:
Ensure you are using Google Chrome as your browser for the best experience.
Locate your Brownbuy order number:
Go to Brownbuys and find your order number.
Click the order number to see if there’s an option to “Submit Back to Workday.”
If this option is available, proceed with the submission.
If the submission option is not visible:
Open Workday and run the “MY Requisition” report by typing MY REQ in the search bar and pressing Enter.
Enter the appropriate criteria to locate your order.
If you can’t find your Workday Requisition number:
This likely means the order was not submitted back to Workday for completion.
Try typing VIEW CART in the Workday search bar to see if the order is still available for submission.
If it’s not listed under View Cart, run the MY Requisition report again to verify whether the requisition exists and review its status.
If the requisition number still can’t be found:
The order was likely not completed correctly.
Refer to the job aid and recreate the order.
Be sure to click “Submit Back to Workday,” then complete the remaining steps of the ATG order in Workday.
Once completed, the order will be routed to your Cost Center Manager for approval and sent to the supplier for processing.
Unlock the full potential of BrownBuys with our Tips and Tricks! Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, our BrownBuys FAQ/Tips section is your go-to resource for advice, tips, and FAQs.
Agreements for the purchase of goods/services that include terms
Any supplier documentation (such as quotes, invoices, proposals, etc.) for the purchase of goods/services that include terms and conditions or hyperlinks to terms and conditions needs to be reviewed by the SPC contract team through BCM. If you submit a requisition in Workday that contains supplier terms and conditions that have not been reviewed in BCM, the Procurement Operations Team will send the requisition back to the requester so that the department can submit a BCM request and the terms can be reviewed by the SPC Contract Team.
Brown Dining Services (BDS)
Please remember that Brown Dining Services (BDS) is to be given the first opportunity to provide catering services to the campus community. While the America To Go (ATG) punchout in BrownBuys contains BDS-approved external caterers for campus use, these ATG-accessed caterers should only be used when a department’s needs cannot be met by BDS.
Non-ATG external catering providers are NOT approved for campus use and departments should not be entering into direct contracts with caterers. If a unique need arises, departments should be reaching out to BDS for guidance.
Contracting Reminders
The Requesting Department must establish, approve, and negotiate all business terms (services, fees, dates, deliverables) to be favorable to the University and within budget, while managing potential risks. This includes negotiating terms such as services, fees, duration, and deliverables that are within budget. The department's authorized officer must approve the transaction including business terms. All contracts must then be reviewed by one of the authorized reviewing offices before the transaction begins – that is before an item is purchased or sold, the work is to begin, or the service provided – and before the contract is signed on behalf of the University.
Expedited contract requests
As a reminder, contract requests are reviewed in the order in which they are received and in observation of impending contract expirations or renewals. While we recognize the importance of every request, the Contracts team must prioritize requests based on the need to mitigate immediate impact on critical, essential University functions. Please be assured that the team will do their best to work on your request as soon as possible within their current capacity.
Check the status of your contract in BCM!
We know it's important to stay updated on your contract's status. As a contract requestor in BCM, the fastest way to check the status of your contract requests or contracts is by looking at your BCM dashboard. Once located there, you can click the record for more details. For example, you can navigate to the eSignature tab on any contract that is Out for Signature to see who's expected to sign next. Your active request or contract will appear in one of the five boxes on your dashboard:
My Contract Requests
My Executed Contracts
My Contracts Awaiting Signature
My Draft Contracts
My In Progress Contracts.
Keeping an eye on your BCM communication emails is also the best way to find out if your contract is with the supplier or your contract manager and who to ask for a status update.
Visit BCM FAQ, Tips and Tricks page for more information, and to help answer some additional questions about BCM.
Helpful Hint: One of the ways to ensure a smooth signature process is to correctly identify the supplier signatory and Brown signatory on your contract request.
Brown Small Business Supplier Highlight
Heroica Construction, Inc.
Founded in 2007, Heroica Construction, Inc. began as a small residential painting business, with humble roots and a strong family foundation. The founder, inspired by his father’s work in the industry, followed in his footsteps after completing college, turning a family trade into a growing enterprise.
By 2009, the company expanded its focus from residential projects to commercial work, taking on new challenges in construction. Their commitment to quality and professionalism soon opened doors to major clients across Rhode Island, including Brown University, Johnson & Wales, RISD, URI, RIC, and several local charter and Montessori schools.
The relationship with Brown University began in 2010 with a modest $7,000 project under the direction of Gary Martins with Facilities and Campus Operations. From that first opportunity, the partnership grew steadily. As the company proved its reliability and craftsmanship, Brown entrusted them with larger, more complex projects, a testament to the strong collaboration and mutual confidence built over time.
“Working with Brown has truly helped our business grow,” Jhonny Leyva shared. “It opened doors to other higher education institutions and helped us refine how we communicate, bill, and operate at a more professional level.”
One of the most meaningful projects involved extensive repairs to an academic building located at 79 Charlesfield Street that required strict lead safety precautions, a challenge the team handled with care, expertise, and attention to detail. Through this and other projects, they learned the importance of clear communication, quality assurance, and safety compliance when working with a large, decentralized institution like Brown.
Brown’s approach to nurturing small businesses also played a pivotal role. “ Brown University started us small and allowed the scope to grow as confidence in our work grew,” Jhonny Leyva said. “That gave us time to scale responsibly and meet demand without compromising quality.”
Today, Heroica Construction, Inc holds a three-year contract with Brown Planning Design & Construction Department, and provides services three days a week, with hopes to expand to a five-year agreement and full-week operations. With improved cash flow and consistent opportunities, the company continues to grow, reinvest, and strengthen its local workforce.
“It’s an honor to work with such a prestigious institution,” Jhonny Leyva reflected. “Brown helps keep our community strong by supporting local businesses and creating opportunities for people who live and work right here in Rhode Island.”
When asked what message they’d share with the Brown community, the answer was simple:
“Continue supporting small businesses, because when you do, you’re supporting families and neighborhoods across Providence and beyond. Brown keeps the community alive.”
Please note the following resources, where you can find helpful information and answers to many questions:
SPC's new website that we believe is easier to navigate and find information quickly
SPC's Monthly Newsletter for updates and helpful tips (sign up through our website or by sending an email request to Procurement@brown.edu)
For all other future inquiries, please feel free to send an email to Procurement@brown.edu.
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