Licensing partners for state and local

Specialized partners for Azure for Government

Microsoft partners offer a unique perspective on working in government, and they are ready to walk you through the procurement process. These partners are also intimately familiar with the security needs of government customers, and they are well-versed in government-specific hoops such as RFPs.

• Abilis Solutions Corp.
• Accelera Solutions
• Advanced Digital Systems, Inc. dba Mi-Corporation
• Adventos LLC
• AgreeYa Solutions Inc.
• AKA Enterprise Solutions
• Alliance Enterprises, Inc.
• Applied Information Sciences, Inc.
• ASC Group, Inc.
• Automon, LLC
• AvePoint Public Sector, Inc.
• BlumShapiro Consulting, LLC
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
• BPro Inc.
• Buchanan & Edwards, Inc.
• Capital Legal Solutions LLC
• Catapult Systems, LLC
• Ciracom Incorporated
• ClientTrack, Inc.
• COBAN Technologies, Inc.
• Codesmart, Inc.
• CorasWorks Corporation
• CyberTech Systems & Software, Inc.
• Discover Technologies, LLC
• DynTek Services, Inc.
• EastBanc Technologies, LLC
• GCOM Software Inc.
• Genetec USA, Inc
• H3 Solutions Inc
• InfoReliance Corporation
• Innovative Architects
• Intact Partners Inc
• Intergraph Corporation
• JHC Technology, Inc.
• Keylogic Systems Inc.
• Konnech Inc.
• Libera, Inc.
• Lockheed Martin
• Mid-America Consulting Group Inc
• Mindcubed LLC.
• Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• NC4 Public Sector, LLC.
• NWN Corporation
• Open Text Inc.
• Planet Technologies Inc
• Planned Systems International, Inc.
• PluralSoft Inc.
• Project Hosts, Inc
• Quest Information Systems, Inc
• Questionmark Corporation
• Red River Computer Co., Inc.
• Ridgewood Technology Partners
• SADA Systems, Inc.
• Sagitec Solutions, LLC
• Silver Bullet Technology Inc.
• Tallan, Inc.
• TCG, Inc.
• TechTrend, Inc.
• Tecodo, Inc.
• The Computer Solution Company of Virginia, Inc.
• United Public Safety Inc.
• VieVu LLC.
• Visionware
• vTech Solutions Inc.
• Windsor Solutions, Inc.

Specialized partners for Office 365 for Government

Microsoft partners offer a unique perspective on working in government, and they can walk you through the procurement process. Partners also know the security needs of government agencies and are well-versed in all government-specific procurement processes.

• Liftoff, LLC
• Planet Technologies
• Catapult Systems, LLC
• SADA Systems, Inc.
• InfoReliance Corporation
• NWN Corporation

How to buy Microsoft products for federal government

Finding a partner

Licensing partners

Licensing partners are ready to assist. Select a partner to guide you through the appropriate procurement process.

find a licensing partner

Solution partners

Solution partners are ready to deliver specialized experiences. Building on the Microsoft platform, they are ready to discuss tailoring your solution needs.

find a solution partner

Government solutions

Take advantage of Office 365 for Government, Azure for Government, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for your government organization.

I want help with…

• Procurement
• The licensing process
• Implementing a government-specific solution
• Implementing Office 365 for government
• Implementing Azure for government
• Implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

Procurement: The Path to Purchase

Buying Microsoft products for a government agency usually involves going through a third-party organization that partners with Microsoft. These partners understand the Microsoft licensing options for government, and they can advise you on the most appropriate procurement process and help you get started.

Why work with a partner?

Working with a Microsoft partner offers a number of benefits that can help you get up and running quickly—and stay that way. By working with a partner that has the product experience to fit your needs, you may experience professional deployment and setup assistance to make your solutions come alive, as well as local training and on-site support.

Partners

Microsoft partners offer a unique perspective on working in government, and they can help you choose the solution that best fit your specific needs.

• Licensing partners
• Solution partners

Licensing partners, also called licensing solution provider (LSPs), are advisors in how to procure and manage Microsoft licensing. They understand the government marketplace, and they have a history of your purchases so they can work with what you have as a starting point for success. Talk with the person in your department who manages procurement to find out which license partner may be working with your agency. Find a licensing partner.

Connect with Microsoft solution providers to build tailored solutions to real-world challenges for federal government agencies on Microsoft technology. Solution providers with proven expertise are awarded gold or silver competency. Check out the Partner Finder Tool to select with a partner with your preferred expertise. Find a partner.

Office 365 for government

Provide users with familiar Office applications that are optimized for their devices, so they can do their best work wherever they are.

• Compare Office 365 plans

Get hands-on experience with a free trial of Office 365 before making any investments, and give your teams the tools to get more done! The free 30-day trial enables you to explore the productivity platform designed for government agencies that want the flexibility to move to the cloud. Try Office 365 now.

Ready to buy? Once you have activated your Office 365 trial, you may also purchase the service directly within the trial experience. Get started with Office 365.

Need assistance in implementing Office 365? A set of partners are ready to work with you to deliver the Office 365 for Government experience to ensure your success. These solution partners offer a smooth, quick procurement process for Office 365 for Government.

• Find a solution partner
• Find a licensing partner

Office 365 U.S. Government plans are designed for the unique needs of U.S. government organizations. Find the option that’s right for you. Compare Office 365 plans now.

Azure for government

Microsoft Azure Government is a government-community cloud that offers hyperscale compute, storage, networking, and identity management services, with world-class security.

• Try Azure
• Buy Azure

Get hands-on experience with a free trial of Azure Government before making any investments. With this trial, you can take advantage of hyperscale compute, storage, networking, and identity management services for 90 days. The trial includes monthly resources you can spend on all Azure Government services. Try Azure now.

A Microsoft partner is ready to get you started in the cloud. Choose from a set of partners that have competencies to deliver Azure for Government, so they will be able to bring expertise in providing deployment and setup assistance, local training, on-site support, and a range of additional services.

• Find a solution partner
• Find a licensing partner

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

Efficiency, tracking, analysis: Microsoft Dynamics CRM has far-reaching benefits for government organizations. Find examples and resources about how Microsoft solution partners can help you use this tool to meet government-specific challenges.

• Try Dynamics
• AppSource

Get hands-on experience with a free trial of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and see how the built-in workflow can enable process-based government functions. Once you receive your trial, you’ll receive a set of templates to download and get started. Try Dynamics now.

A Microsoft partner is ready to get you started. Federal government organizations can purchase Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online through volume licensing. Find your licensing solution provider to walk you through the process and choose the right license for you. Find a partner.

Looking for more Government Solutions? AppSource is the destination for business solutions from Microsoft and select Partners. From apps to Dynamics and Power BI, you’ll find solutions that can enhance what you already use. Try any app before you buy, then work with a trusted Microsoft Partner to implement your new solution. AppSource.

Find a partner

Microsoft partners pave the way for procurement and can empower government agencies to achieve their technology goals. Select a partner with the solution expertise you need today!

• Find a licensing partner
• Find a solution partner

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The post How to buy: procuring Microsoft products for federal government appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs.

Already know who your software reseller is for Microsoft products? Review the list to find their contact information:

Reseller	Phone	Mail
CDW-G	800-808-4239	GSASales@CDWG.com
llDe	855-860-9606	usasapfederalinside@dell.com
GovConnection	800-800-0019	fedcontracts@govconnection.com
HP	402-885-2874	slmsusfederal@hpe.com
Insight	800-862-8758	federal@insight.com
Minburn Technology Group	571-699-0705 – Opt 1	Microsoft@minburntech.com
SHI	888-744-4084 – Opt 1	fedsales@shi.com
Softchoice	877-333-7638	gov@softchoice.com
Softmart	877-628-9091	govt@softmart.com

Home use

Many government employees may be eligible for the Microsoft Home Use Program (HUP), which allows qualified employees to purchase and download a single copy of Microsoft Office software on their home computer for just $9.95! HUP enables an organization’s employees to use the same great Microsoft Office software at home that they use at work, an especially useful benefit for organizations that are embracing telework.

Find out if you are eligible

Microsoft financing

Government at all levels can use flexible payment options to acquire IT solutions while staying within budget.

Key benefits:

• Use your existing agreement, and stretch your budget to buy what you need now.
• Get a customized payment plan with the potential to defer or ramp payments.
• Benefit from steady payments over time, while the value from your IT solution grows.
• Feel confident with a long-term sustainable IT road map.

Software assurance

Simplify your budget with predictable payments and get the most out of your software investment with Software Assurance. You’ll get software updates as they are released; planning, deployment, and training tools to help you deploy and optimize your software; in-depth assistance from Microsoft Services or partners to help you plan deployments and extend IT efficiency; and access to the Home Use Program (HUP) for some of your employees.

Learn more

Government Solution Partners

For expanded search to find a partner with the skills and expertise you need, visit the Microsoft Pinpoint to search by industry or application to locate a provider.

Find a partner

More

Government Cloud Services

Learn more about Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365 for Government, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Government—and try them for free.

• Start your Microsoft Cloud for Government trial today

Microsoft Online Services

• Microsoft Exchange Hosted Services

• Microsoft SharePoint Online

The post How to buy: Federal agencies and Department of Defense appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs.

One news source explained that the DATA Act “expands the USASpending.gov platform to include detailed and uniform financial data on grants, awards, procurement and other spending.” Our colleagues at GrantVantage, who offer an integrated Outlook and cloud-based solution designed to streamline, automate and standardize the process of managing grants, succinctly calls the recently enacted law and OMB compliance requirements “a new federal grant assistance paradigm.

So how do the DATA Act and Uniform Grant Guidance change the grants management landscape for state and local governments and grant recipients? GrantVantage says the federal government’s enhanced emphasis on documentation, standardization, transparency and efficiency:

• Increases grant and contract administrative costs
• Establishes new compliance mandates
• Reduces discretionary grant decision-making
• Escalates audit and compliance costs
• Requires increased investments in information technology as well as human capital and personnel training.

But they are quick to add that “despite the serious challenges the implementation of the DATA Act and the Uniform Grant Guidance present … and the sheer scale of changes in grants management policies, state and local governments … can and must successfully overcome the new compliance problems.” Here’s how:

• Contain higher administrative compliance costs by focusing on innovative, systemic, government-wide solutions. “The most feasible solution is to combine all grant and contract management processes and compliance requirements in a single, efficient and flexible … platform to track and administer costs,” says GrantVantage.
• Address existing data maturity and personnel skills gaps, focusing on unification of data formats across state and local agencies.
• Develop and implement uniform information management processes for state and local agencies that administer federal grant funds, ensuring close alignment to the DATA Act and program specific OMB reporting requirements.
• Invest in infrastructure, applications and vendor management that will standardize and simplify reporting across and within state and local government agencies. While compliance costs may increase in the near-term, having multiple agencies tasked with the same initiative will significantly reduce costs in the long-term.
• Create a well-designed readiness plan, providing step-by-step guidelines for successfully implementing new grants management policies, with CIOs and CFOs working in unison to facilitate the transition.

With the DATA Act being implemented incrementally by 2020, now is the ideal time for state and local governments to put the grant administration process at the top of their modernization to-do list. Microsoft CityNext and our partners stand ready to team with companies like GrantVantage and other innovators to provide the modern grant and contract management technology and tools needed to increase efficiency, reduce costs and ensure compliance with the DATA Act and Uniform Grant Guidance.

Have a comment or opinion on this post or a question for the author? Please let us know on Twitter.

The post The changing federal grant management landscape appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs.

Move to the Cloud at The Department of Health and Human Services
Today, InfoReliance, a technology consulting firm and Microsoft partner, announced a cloud service Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to InfoReliance to move the Department of HHS’s email application and collaboration services to the Microsoft Office 365 solution that is hosted in a Government Community Cloud (GCC). HHS has established a blanket purchase agreement to support its move of approximately 125,000 seats to cloud-based email. Additionally, this agreement will enable standardization on Microsoft’s Office 365 collaboration framework for content management and unified communications.

By deploying Microsoft Office 365 in a GCC at HHS, all of the operating and staffing divisions will be able to unify systems, enabling employees to collaborate across each department more efficiently and effectively. As an example, when public health outbreaks and emergencies occur, many disparate operating divisions of HHS are involved in the response efforts. While these operating divisions have different missions and responsibilities, much of the data, correspondence and activities are similar. The move to Office 365 will provide greater efficiency in managing cross-division processes, including data and analytics, as well as documentation management and reporting.

Furthermore, through skills and people search capabilities, the platform will enable public health workers across HHS to broaden their effectiveness by identifying specialists and teams to support response efforts. For instance, once individuals and teams are identified by skills and certifications, they can collaborate through an integrated email, calendar, content management and unified communication solution, all under the HHS umbrella. This new collaborative framework will provide a dramatic reduction in cost across the department, while providing the tools and solutions to promote public health, scientific research, citizen awareness, preparedness and response.

Clouds Sweep Across Federal Government
At other Federal agencies such as the Department of Labor (DOL), the move to a centralized infrastructure has formed the underlying foundation for a successful move to an enterprise-wide Office 365 cloud email system. InfoReliance has led the deployment of cloud-based email at DOL under an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for cloud services. DOL Deputy CIO, Dawn Leaf, is directing the effort to successfully consolidate nine legacy email systems to one cloud email as a service approach.

Additionally, many U.S. tribal governments are choosing to consolidate their systems and take advantage of the Microsoft Office 365 Government Community Cloud to run the government of the tribes. Tribal governments like the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi rely on Office 365, in tight partnership with Dynamics CRM, to consolidate the communications around citizen services, such as health care, education, and housing.

FedRAMP ATO Has Security at the Core
Across the Federal government, the vast majority of Cabinet-level agencies in whole or in part are moving to Office 365. These agencies can trust that their solution is helping them keep sensitive data private and secure.

Indeed, we announced that Microsoft Office 365 Government Community Cloud solution has been granted an agency Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Authority to Operate (ATO) from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). Now, customers have the assurance that Office 365 meets the necessary security assessments to move to the cloud with confidence. To learn more about the FedRAMP ATO news, please head on over to the Office blog.

This FedRAMP announcement complements the Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO) from the FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB) that we achieved for the Microsoft Azure public cloud offering last year. Our platform, which includes infrastructure, platform, and software services, was the first to receive this level of FedRAMP compliance.

At Microsoft, we understand the unique technology demands of our federal, tribal, state and local government customers. We are committed to providing the most complete government cloud the industry has to offer – from software-as-a-service to platform and infrastructure-as-a-service needs.

Have a comment or opinion on this post? Let me know @Microsoft_Gov. Or e-mail us at ongovernment@microsoft.com.

Greg Myers, Vice President of Microsoft Federal | 20 November 2014

The post Cabinet-level agency Health and Human Services joins other federal departments to improve collaboration, productivity with Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud platform appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs.