University of Hawaii regents have approved new procedures that will enable university administrators to more efficiently procure goods and services.

The interim policies, endorsed at the regents’ meeting Monday, also will allow the university to more quickly award and issue contracts for capital improvement, and repair and maintenance projects.

The action followed enactment earlier this year of legislation that grants the university more flexibility in shaping its procurement policies.

The 10-campus system has a $368 million maintenance backlog and more than $250 million in important projects planned and ready to begin.