The current Administration recently announced significant tariffs that will impact nearly all trading partners of the United States.

Considering the uncertainty this creates, it is imperative that we take proactive measures to mitigate disruptions. 

The most effective and actionable step is to prioritize the use of UC systemwide contracted suppliers whenever possible.

These suppliers are integral to our procurement strategy, as we have established collaborative and long-term relationships with them. By aggregating our UC Procurement spend with these suppliers, we reinforce the value of our partnership and ensure continuity during this period of instability. These relationships are meaningful to both parties and provide a foundation of reliability in challenging times.

The partnered supplier catalogs within Aggie Enterprise continue to be the best option for procuring most goods. To procure items not found in the catalogs, consult the UC Procurement webpage to locate systemwide agreements. 

If you cannot utilize one of our strategic partners, it is recommended to consider possible impacts of tariffs when requesting supplier quotes. If costs are increased by the supplier, it is preferable for such additional fees to be clearly identified, rather than be embedded in the cost of the goods. .

The campus Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) and UC Systemwide Procurement are actively collaborating to navigate these challenging and unpredictable supply chain conditions. I will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.

Thank you,

Mike Kuhner
UC Davis Chief Procurement Officer