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1.0 Purpose 

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the purchase of information technology (IT) hardware, software, and services follow established University of Alaska Board of Regents policies and president’s regulations, prevent duplication of IT services and IT costs, ensure supportability of technology by IT Services (ITS), ensure security of information systems and data, ensure sustainable budget support for technology and information systems, ensure that due diligence is performed to facilitate compatibility with existing systems and policies, that appropriate budgetary and support plans are associated with technology acquisition, and that the approval of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) or their delegates is obtained prior to issuance of an approved purchase order when and where applicable. 

2.0 Policy 

2.1 Scope 

This policy applies to all information technology resources and related services owned, used, or operated by the University of Alaska Anchorage, regardless of the source of funding, location, or intended purpose.  These resources include but are not limited to computers and servers of any form factor; cloud computing services, software and information systems; IT services, IT consulting and maintenance contracts; peripheral equipment (e.g. printers, scanners, etc.); network devices; television, audiovisual, surveillance and projection equipment; and door locking, alarm, and environmental monitoring Information Technology equipment. 

2.2 CIO Authority 

2.2.1 Authority to Set Standards 

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) has authority to establish, oversee, and enforce standards regarding the IT hardware, software, and services purchasing standards and processes for the University of Alaska Anchorage. Standardization and centralized purchasing allow the University to efficiently select and manage technology, obtain better technology pricing, reduce maintenance costs, and increase access to training and assistance. This authority is granted to: 

• Ensure that departments, employees, and appropriate affiliates use approved software in the conduct of university business and ensure licensing compliance. 
• Ensure enterprise level business needs are addressed strategically and without duplication. 
• Prevent duplication of like IT services and costs. 
• Ensure purchased hardware and software can be appropriately integrated into university network and systems and managed by university IT staff. 
• Optimize process and support costs of IT systems and functions.  
• Ensure the quality of higher cost IT systems and services.  
• Establish and manage hardware refresh cycles. 
• Reduce risk to the university by ensuring university IT hardware (workstations and servers) has appropriate security hardening, patching, maintenance, backups, and endpoint and server management. 

2.2.2 Authority over IT Purchases 

To enforce this policy and its standards the CIO or the CIO’s delegates have authority to approve or deny purchases, require that purchases are made through ITS, or require that software or hardware be supported by ITS. The CIO has the authority to grant exceptions in writing to this policy and its standards based on exception criteria established in the relevant standard.  

2.4 IT Management  

The CIO shall establish standards for determining which IT services and resources will require direct management by ITS, and what level of management is appropriate. These IT services and resources include the following: purchased software, contract management, vendor management, oversight of contracted IT services, invoice management, billing management, management of funds for the service, implementation management, and operational management. The levels of management and criteria to determine the appropriate level for a given resource will be established in the associated standards.  

2.5 Guiding Principles  

The standards associated with this policy will be established with input from the IT Governance Executive Board and will be based on such criteria as: 

• Cost thresholds. 
• IT support requirements. 
• The potential duplication of existing IT resources or services. 
• The potential that the resource should be an enterprise IT resource. 
• Level of complexity of the support required for successful implementation and operation. 
• Compliance with all IT security policies and standards. 
• Risk classification of the data used by the IT resource. 

The guiding principles for the standards will be as follows: 

• Central management of enterprise level IT services and resources in order to ensure appropriate support levels, financial sustainability, de-duplication of solutions, and appropriate IT security. 
• Decentralize management of solutions that are highly specialized to a limited or specialized or isolated function, used for specialized and specific research purposes, used for specialized and specific teaching and learning purposes, and/or do not require university data for their operation.  
• Software using university data must comply with university IT security standards and IT architectural standards as defined by the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ CIO or the CIO’s delegates. 
• Maximization of cost efficiency, strategic solutioning, and scalability of IT solutions. 
• Reduction and minimization of risk to the institution. 

2.6 Enforcement 

Violations of this policy or its associated standards may result in the refusal to provide data integrations for purchased systems, refusal to otherwise support purchased technology, disabling or deprovisioning of service accounts being used for the offending resource, refusal to allow the IT resource to connect to or operate on the University's network, or refusal to grant access to internal or contracted information technology resources. 

3.0 Procedures 

3.1 Purchase Review 

ITS will use its review step in any IT procurement process to apply the above policies and factor them into its approval of IT resource purchases and contracts. 

3.2 Existing Service Audits 

In consultation with IT governance bodies, the CIO may conduct audits of existing IT purchases and contracts to determine compliance with this policy. 

3.3 Reporting Violations 

Violations of this policy should be immediately reported by contacting the Technical Support Center at 907-786-4646 or contacting the Office of the Chief Information Officer. All reported violations will be investigated immediately and may result in disciplinary action noted above.  

4.0 Definitions 

³§±ð±ð IT Policies and Standards Definitions. 

5.0 References 

University of Alaska Board of Regents Policy & Regulations 
 

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Procurement Services Policies 

/about/administrative-services/policies/budget-financial-services/  

6.0 Policy Information 

Policy Effective Date: 06/01/2026 (original date unknown) 
Policy Revision Date: 06/01/2026 
Policy Owner: Ryan McDaniel - Associate Vice Chancellor and CIO 
Policy Author: Ryan McDaniel - Associate Vice Chancellor and CIO