Strategic Partnership Scientific Gases

Preferred Supplier for
Scientific and Medical Cylinder Gases

Airgas Inc.

  Airgas

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing, along with Key Stakeholders on campus, have conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Scientific and Medical Cylinder Gases. To begin our strategic sourcing effort, Procurement sent out a survey to the research community asking qualifying questions, and requesting volunteers for the RFP Evaluation team.

An evaluation team consisting of Procurement staff and Research Faculty analyzed data (usage, pricing, etc.), reviewed Supplier proposals, and attended Supplier Presentations. Based on the overall consensus of the evaluation team; the University has entered into a strategic partnership with Airgas Inc. to provide laboratory gases and cylinder tanks for the campus community.

Some of the many benefits of this Strategic Partnership include:

  • Lower scientific gas prices
  • Elimination of monthly tank rental / demurrage charges, replaced with a low one-time processing fee.
  • The processing fee is based on lab purchased volume and includes a small one-tome rental fee and a $1.75 delivery charge
  • Implementation of a cylinder tracking and inventory system
  • Airgas will soon be enabled as a punchout supplier in WayneBuy, which will make the order process easier than monthly blanket POs

Our strategic sourcing efforts with Airgas to leverage the University spend will save approximately $130,000 research dollars per year. Replacement of demurrage with the one-time Processing fee alone will save the individual labs $14.00 to $25.00 per tank per month.

In 2013, Procurement held 6 Town Hall meetings, which gave the campus community an opportunity to meet key contacts with Airgas Inc., to gain information on the new program offerings including: the one time processing fee, savings available, inventory tracking, other services, invoicing, and to answer any questions end users may have had. A copy of the Airgas Powerpoint presentation is available by clicking here.

If you have any questions regarding this strategic sourcing initiative, please feel free to contact Loretta McClary via email at ac2843@wayne.edu or by phone at 313-577-4567.

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing