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PEAK Toolkit
Productivity, Effectiveness, Adoption, and Knowledge (PEAK) Toolkit: A Practical Approach to Technology Return on Investment
WICHE is partnering with the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) to produce a toolkit that will equip higher education institutions with a protocol and methodology to identify hidden costs, measure impact, and strengthen relationships across institutions to improve outcomes before, during, and after the procurement process. The work stems from a recognition that enrollment and fiscal pressures demand streamlined and strategic financial decision-making at institutions of higher education. The project will engage at least five cross-functional teams from institutions in the WICHE region who will provide feedback, test, and iterate the toolkit prior to production. Participating institutions will be awarded $15,000 for their participation in the project. Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (MT) on August 7, 2026. Questions and concerns should be directed to Olivia Tufo at otufo@wiche.edu.
This work is part of WICHE’s Cost Savings Partnerships which makes competitively bid cooperative technology contracts available to entities in the WICHE region, provides student health insurance plan options to institutions of higher education in the WICHE region, and promotes collaboration and resource-sharing on the topic of operational cost.
Click on the icons below to access the full Request for Proposal (RFP) instructions or to submit your proposal.
Partner Statement
NACUBO is pleased to partner with WICHE on the PEAK Toolkit, bringing its national perspective on higher education finance, operations, and institutional strategy to this important effort. Founded in 1962, NACUBO is a nonprofit professional organization representing chief administrative and financial officers at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the country. NACUBO works to advance the economic vitality, business practices, and institutional capacity of higher education in support of its missions.
This collaboration builds on the NACUBO Student Success Hub, which supports colleges and universities in aligning financial strategy, resource planning, and student success priorities. Through the Hub, NACUBO develops practical resources that help institutional leaders use data, cross-functional collaboration, and financial insight to make decisions that are mission-centered and sustainable.
In partnership with WICHE, NACUBO will contribute this expertise to the development of tools that help institutions better understand the relationship between technology investments, institutional capacity, and student success.
Timeline
| Dates | Activities |
| July 6-August 7, 2026 | Request for Participation |
| August 7-21, 2026 | Selection Committee Review |
| August 24, 2026 | Announcement of Participants |
| September 10-11, 2026 | Project Kick-off in Boulder, CO |
| October-December, 2026 | Framework Development and Needs Assessment |
| January-March, 2027 | Institutional Application of Toolkit Concept and Iteration |
| April-June, 2027 | Institutional Reporting and Feedback |
| Summer 2027 | Final Convening in Boulder, CO Testing Final Toolkit |
| October, 2027 | Publication of Toolkit |
| October, 2027-June, 2028 | Socialization of Toolkit Evaluation and Determining Future Needs |
FAQs
Who is eligible for participation in the PEAK Toolkit project?
WICHE and NACUBO seek the participation of at least five institutions for this two-year project. The selection committee will be looking for:
· At least five institutions that are distinct in their Carnegie classifications,
· Institutions that have undertaken a significant technology investment in the previous two years,
· Identify cross-functional teams directly impacted by technology investment,
· Institutions that demonstrate leader support for participation in the project,
· Institutions that demonstrate readiness to begin work in September 2026 and capacity for the project within their workplan through June 2028. · All participating institutions must be in the WICHE region.
What does the time commitment look like for participation in the PEAK Toolkit project?
Participating institutions are expected to meet with WICHE and/or NACUBO staff on a monthly basis, participate in quarterly community of practice calls, and send representatives to two in-person convenings, taking place at the State Higher Education Policy Center (SHEPC) in Boulder, CO. In year two, WICHE and NACUBO anticipate that there will be opportunities for project participants to contribute to presentations at national conferences. Travel support will be provided by WICHE for all participating institutions.
Why does this work matter?
Through work with the Cost-Savings Community of Practice, WICHE staff have identified the need for transparency and change management in technology purchasing. Procurement processes are not always transparent, and not every stakeholder with purchasing power is engaged in strategic budgetary and operational discussions. Stakeholders are often dependent upon vendors to understand the potential value and impact of implementing a technology solution, and challenges with interoperability, customization, and challenges of implementation and maintenance aren’t always understood or communicated by third-party vendors. Because technology solutions produced by different companies are not often interoperable, gaps between parallel technology solutions are often ad-hoc or manual, adding considerable hidden cost in labor, time, and efficiency.
What will happen with the toolkit at the end of the project?
The toolkit will be made freely and publicly available for use by any institution.
For more information, please contact:
