Procurement · Buying Guide
The higher-ed parcel locker buying guide
A practical walkthrough of how successful campus procurements run — who's at the table, what to evaluate, how long it takes, and what TCO actually looks like.
Stakeholders
Who needs to be at the table
Mailroom director
Owns volume, labor, and student-experience reality.
Auxiliary services
Owns the cross-unit portfolio (mail, dining, bookstore, ID).
IT director
Owns identity, integrations, and InfoSec review.
Facilities / housing
Owns space, power, data, and install windows.
Procurement
Owns RFP, cooperative pathway, contract, and signature.
CFO / business officer
Owns capital vs operating decision and TCO sign-off.
Evaluation
The evaluation criteria that matter
Higher-ed depth
Vendor's actual higher-ed deployment count and references.
Integration footprint
Native SIS, SSO, LMS support — not vague 'API available'.
FERPA posture
Documented, contractually binding, audit-ready.
Total cost
Hardware + install + software + support over 5 years.
SLA & support
Uptime, response, parts, escalation contacts.
Roadmap fit
Outdoor, refrigerated, course-driven workflows you'll want later.
Timeline
How long the process actually takes
Internal alignment
Get stakeholders aligned on scope, volume, and approach.
RFP or cooperative
Either issue RFP (6–8 wks) or select cooperative contract (1–2 wks).
Evaluation & award
Demos, references, scoring, board approval if required.
Contract & planning
Contract execution, integration scoping, install planning.
Install & cutover
Phased install during a break window; software cutover and training.