Specialty Underwriters: Equipment Maintenance Program

A contract with Specialty Underwriters (SU) is available to VCU departments for equipment maintenance. Savings of 17-35% can be realized by converting maintenance/service agreements to the SU program. And with the SU program, in most cases you can still use the same providers you currently have under contract. The program has been successfully implemented at many peer institutions, including William & Mary and Virginia Tech. VCU departments may place orders directly with Specialty Underwriters at any dollar amount, without the need for a sole source justification, as this is a pre-approved VCU contract.

Equipment Covered

  • Laboratory and other Scientific/Research Equipment
  • IT Equipment
  • Food Service Equipment
  • Medical Equipment
  • Miscellaneous Office Equipment
  • Note: both existing equipment and new equipment may be covered under the program.

Benefits of the Program

  • Significant cost savings over existing provider/manufacturer (17-35%)
  • One point of contact for all service calls
  • Ability to use your same service providers in most cases
  • Flexible billing plans
  • No additional charges – once you pay the discounted program rate, you cannot be billed for any overages that come up during the life of the contract

How to use the Specialty Underwriters (SU) Contract:

To request a quote, simply email a copy of your existing contract to Specialty Underwriters:

Ty Demuth
tdemuth@su-group.com
office: 800-558-9910, ext. 2773

SU will respond with a quote indicating how much savings they can provide you. If for any reason SU is not able to cover the equipment in question, or they cannot provide a discount over what you are currently paying, they will let you know right away.

To place an order with SU, you would simply create a requisition in RealSource under the vendor name Specialty Underwriters. (If your equipment is currently still under contract with your existing provider, coverage by SU will begin once the current contract expires.)

How to Request Service from SU:

For each piece of equipment covered by SU, they will provide you with a tag (sticker) listing their 1-800 service number (800-833-7050) and a unique identification number for that piece of equipment. To request service, simply call the 1-800 number and provide the identification number and some other basic information. SU will then arrange for service on your behalf. If the situation is urgent, caller should indicate that to the SU dispatcher.

Questions? Contact the Associate Director of Procurement in Procurement Services: at (804) 628-2878.

Edit | Last updated: 07/09/2020