Case Study: Iowa State University achieves rapid procurement adoption and increased savings with ESM Solutions

Iowa State University - Customer Case Study

Iowa State University engaged ESM Solutions to modernize and scale its procurement marketplace, tackling low adoption, limited vendor choice, and off‑contract spending. The university’s goal was to increase user and vendor participation, improve contract compliance, and drive procurement efficiency across campus.

ESM Solutions delivered its procurement platform, training content and responsive support, resulting in rapid adoption and measurable gains: users grew from 1,640 to 3,721 (+127%), vendors from 22 to 38 (+73%), and orders from 33,093 to 52,455 (+58%). Marketplace spend rose from $17M to $25M (+73%), non‑contract purchases dropped 50%, p‑card volume increased from $50M to $63M with rebated revenues rising—outcomes Iowa State attributes to ESM Solutions’ features, training and customer service.

Iowa State University

Cory Harms

Director of Procurement