UW System Administrative Policy 510 (formerly G11)

Sharing Services/Products

Original Issuance Date: 1973
Last Revision Date: December 20, 2022

1. Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to specify the types of agreements on the services and products University of Wisconsin (UW) System Administration and institutions may enter with external agencies.

2. Responsible UW System Officer

UW System Director of Procurement

3. Scope and Institutional Responsibilities

This policy applies to UW System institutions that provide services to and share some products with external agencies.

4. Background

Most UW institutions are presently providing some services to and sharing some products with external agencies. Several have major external services agreements with other governmental agencies. The UW System also encourages cooperation between its institutions. These cooperative arrangements may reduce total cost, increase productivity, and provide higher quality service.

5. Definitions

None listed.

6. Policy Statement

Since the statutes clearly state that the University of Wisconsin System may perform services for other governmental and public educational agencies and the Board of Regents policy constrains the services and products offered, the following policy is adopted.

  1. A University of Wisconsin institution may enter into a cooperative arrangement with other institutions of the System or with external public agencies to provide services and products when such services and products are recognized to be of mutual benefit.
  2. Services to other institutions or external public agencies should only be undertaken under conditions which will assure no degradation of services to on-campus users.
  3. Any increase in resources primarily for the purpose of sharing services and products should be of such a nature as to allow for timely termination of those resources when they are no longer needed.
  4. All proposed cooperative arrangements over the threshold of $25,000 should be reviewed by legal counsel.
  5. Nonprofit private organizations serving the public interest can be served when it is deemed by the Chancellor that it is appropriate to the public service mission of the University.
  6. Services and products for the private sector are not included in specific statutory provisions, but can be provided where the Chancellor deems they are appropriate to the instructional or research mission of the University under Chapter 36, or where an emergency or unique situation exists and such services and products are not otherwise available from private sources.

7. Related Documents

Wis. Stat. §  66.0301(1)(a), Intergovernmental Cooperation

Wis. Stat. §  66.0301(2), Intergovernmental Cooperation

Wis. Stat. § 36.11(19)(a), (b), and (c), Intergovernmental Cooperation

Regent Policy Document 12-1, Competition with the Private Sector

UW System Administrative Policy 342, Extramural Support Administration (formerly G2)

8. Policy History

Revision 5:                 December 20, 2022
Revision 4:                 February 12, 2013
Revision 3:                 July 18, 1997
Revision 2:                 October 21, 1985
Revision 1:                 November 11, 1978
First approved:         1973

9. Scheduled Review

December 2027