How To Buy: Software

This page is designed to assist with making software purchases simpler and more efficient. Before purchasing software, please visit your campus software page to see if they have an existing agreement in place for purchasing your software, take advantage of negotiated discounts, and get support from your campus OIT department.

Guidelines for purchasing software

Check with your campus OIT departments available Software applications and services:
Anschutz/Denver
Boulder
Colorado Springs

If your campus OIT does not have the software you are looking for, it is recommended you purchase your software through the recommended suppliers currently on University contract, listed below on the MSA List using a requisition.

How to order

Refer to the IT Procurement Checklist in the Related Resources link.

You may purchase from Non-Contract suppliers, IF:

  • They accept University Purchase Orders
  • They are reputable and are in good business standing
  • Your campus OIT has approved the purchase or has been notified
  • They are willing to negotiate with the University
  • Security and Compliance teams have reviewed and provided their final assessment

Things to Remember when choosing a Non-Contracted supplier:

  • Suppliers who are required to come on campus must provide necessary insurance forms prior to installation or work beginning.
  • Your team may be choosing a solution that the University may not be able to contract with or that may result in a longer contract process. Please plan accordingly.

Software Catalogs

Important Note:

IF your campus OIT does not have the software you are looking for, it is recommended you purchase your Software through the recommended suppliers currently on University contract, listed below using a requisition.

Enterprise-Wide Agreement List: Software

Strategic Catalog Supplier Description Term End
Dell Hardware and software reseller. 4/17/2028
 Catalog Supplier Description Term End
CDW Hardware and Software reseller. 10/30/2024
Connection Public Sector Solutions Connection Public Sector Solutions offers special education and government pricing contracts for computer hardware, peripherals, software, A/V, and IT services. 7/31/2027
RESELLERS
CarahSoft/I2 Reseller of  IT hardware, software and consulting services to federal, state and local governments, and educational institutions 8/14/2023
DLT/I2  Amazon Web Services (AWS). 2/2/2025
Insight Sector Contract vehicle for digital innovation, cloud & data center transformation, connected workforce and supply chain optimization. 10/11/2023
SOFTWARE
Adobe (CDW) Graphics, photography, illustration, animation, multimedia/video, motion pictures, print, e-signature, & PDF. 6/26/2026
CrashPlan Data Backups, IT Backup Platform Services 8/29/2025
Flywire  Global payments-enablement. 6/7/2025
Data Brands Aquisition-Formstack Workplace productivity platform that helps organizations streamline digital work through no-code online forms, documents, and signatures. 6/13/2026
Docusign  Electronic Signature. (Ordered through Carasoft.) 8/14/2026
Microsoft (CDW) Computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services. Windows, Office Suite, and Edge web browsers.  9/30/2026
Oracle CSA Cloud services agreemeement 4/18/2027
Oracle OLSA License and service agreement 5/31/2024
Proctorio Automated proctoring software or human-based live proctoring to ensure academic integrity on every online assessment. 11/8/2025
Qualtrics Web-based survey tool to conduct survey research, evaluations and other data collection activities. 11/24/2025
Salesforce uMSA  Customer relationship management, customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development. 7/28/2026
Syntellis Enterprise performance management software and data analytics solutions for healthcare, higher education and financial institutions. 3/8/2025
Tableau  Interactive data visualization software.  6/30/2025
VMware (CDW) Cloud computing and virtualization. Run multiple application and operating system workloads on one server. Resource management.  4/19/2027
Zoom Enterprise video communications. 1/6/2026

Accessibility

The University of Colorado is committed to making digital life accessible to everyone. The following links will provide additional guidance and resources for digital accessibility on your campus.

Security requirements

Important Note:

For ALL goods or services that involve, but not limited to, digital interface, software, licenses, or systems that can store, manage, control, manipulate or retrieve information/data for human interaction, including videos, platform, web content/web development, and communications products require compliance review and approval.

COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT PROCESS (HIGH LEVEL):

For Goods or Services that meet the criteria above, please ensure your campus Security and Compliance team has reviewed your request (including renewals or previously processed) for compliance. These teams may require PSC “Purchasing” to insert specific compliance language into the Contract, add to the SOW, quote, etc...

*Please NOTE, this part of the process is mandatory and can take several weeks. The Purchasing team cannot and will not begin their process until this step is complete and they have the results from the respective campus compliance team. Additional negotiations between the University and supplier may be required and take additional time. For more information regarding this step in the process, please click on your campuses link below or review the attached PowerPoint “Purchasing Process High level” (Attached in email) for more information.

  • Attach the final Security and Compliance results to the requisition or email your respective Purchasing Agent responsible for the commodity. This information can be located on our website at Commodity Listing | University of Colorado (cu.edu).
  • Attach the underlying/original agreement to the requisition. Please check the term of the contract to ensure it is an active contract. *Please note: Pre 2010 contracts will require our Contracts team to update our University terms and conditions.
  • Your Purchasing Agent will negotiate the Contract, Quote, SoW, & Supplier Supporting Documentation.
  • Once executed, your Purchasing Agent will email you the signed copy for further processing (issuance of PO for $10k and under OR will issue the PO for $10k and greater).