Strategic Technology Acquisition

The mission of the Office of the CIO's Strategic Technology Acquisition (OCIOSTA) unit is to enhance UC Berkeley's information technology environment at the enterprise level through the use of professional technology-acquisition practices.

OCIOSTA focuses on strategic technologies, products, and vendors, which are those deemed critical to carrying out UC Berkeley's mission of instruction, research, and public service. OCIOSTA provides direct support to campus managerial staff who are responsible for strategic technology implementations, works closely with Procurement Services, and maintains ongoing contacts with major technology vendors.

OCIOSTA provides the following services to acquisition sponsors and campus departments:

• Conducts projects and analyses to derive better long term value related to IT acquisition investments.
• Participates in task forces appointed to study and/or select technology solutions.
• Collaborates in the development of solicitations (RFPs, RFQs, RFIs) for the acquisition of information technology systems.
• Collaborates in the evaluation of vendor bids arising from solicitations.
• Reviews and negotiates contracts and pricing for the acquisition of information technologies.
• Collaborates with campus departments in resolving serious difficulties they may experience with key vendors.
• Negotiates volume agreements, site licenses, and other technology agreements for the campus that take advantage of economies of scale.
• Serves as the primary campus representative on UC systemwide Advisory Group on Technology Acquisition Support (TAS).
• Develops and promotes policies, standards, practices, procedures, templates, and other foundations of an effective technology acquisition process.
• Hosts the BITS Forum listserv, and ad hoc vendor presentations.

See also High-Cost Information Technology Acquisition Review for request forms.

OCIOSTA has developed an RFx User Guide [PDF] to provide a high-level overview of the RFx process and to highlight areas for technology managers to focus on throughout the process.

Contact Information

To ask questions about major technology acquisitions, contact David Willson, (510) 643-9677,