Higher education institutions are competing harder than ever for recognition as top colleges and universities. Nowhere does that competition play out more keenly than in the field of research, where successful researchers and programs can garner enormous prestige for an institution. For administrators interested in burnishing the reputations of their institutions further, the goal is simple: Create support systems that make it possible for their star researchers to focus exclusively on their work--and to produce results quickly. E-procurement systems help put that goal within reach. While e-procurement already plays a strategic role throughout higher education--providing greater oversight on spending, maximizing the benefits of on-contract ordering, and streamlining procedures--its impact in the realm of research is particularly significant.