New Promotional Product Ordering Process Benefits Syracuse Nonprofit
The University鈥檚 printing vendor, Dupli, has partnered with a local nonprofit, the Good Life Youth Foundation, to streamline the purchase of branded University apparel and promotional products.
The new partnership is a result of months of work overseen by the University鈥檚 Purchasing department. Staff there had long desired to offer an easy, centralized solution to University departments looking to buy licensed, branded apparel or giveaways for campus events in bulk.
Expanding the University鈥檚 pre-existing relationship with Dupli was an easy solution, but Dupli needed a partner who could produce apparel (T-shirts, polos, hoodies, hats) and provide popular branded giveaway items鈥攍ike pens, backpacks, and sunglasses. Enter the .
The foundation operates , which was started to create sustainability for the Good Life Foundation and its programming efforts, including training for children and teens in the City of Syracuse, and providing a viable avenue for generating income for high-risk, high-poverty youths. GL Imprinting specializes in apparel and promotional items, embroidery, and graphic design and offers a variety of shirts, polos, button-ups and hoodies, all cleared by the University鈥檚 and pre-approved by the branding team in the Marketing division.
Buying Local
As GL Imprinting is based in downtown Syracuse, there鈥檚 one more benefit to University purchasers: placing an order helps each department meet its Buy Local spending goals for the year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really a clear-cut positive for University departments,鈥 says Vince Patriarco, executive director of purchasing. 鈥淎ll of these products are on brand, preapproved by trademark licensing, and available through a system that you鈥檙e already using. Helping to meet departmental Buy Local spending goals is just an added benefit.鈥
Purchasing staff was able to look through years of purchasing trends to give Dupli and Good Life a short list of products that they could initially offer鈥攑opular items that University departments were purchasing over and over again from external vendors.
How to Order
Dupli added the Good Life products to its existing online storefront available through the eProcurement system. Purchases can be made directly through the internal Dupli catalog, by clicking the “eProcurement” tile on MySlice. Those without eProcurement access can view the 鈥淥rder My Gear鈥 storefront at .
The University鈥檚 purchasing department anticipates that this new partnership will increase the ease of ordering for purchasers. They expect order and delivery timelines to be quicker through Dupli, compared to ordering from an e-commerce supplier.
Departments looking to purchase the new products can place their orders via eProcurement. Those needing assistance can contact Betsy McInerney, manager of print vendor services, at eamciner@syr.edu.
