Internet2 NET+ Recognizes National Procurement Month

By Sean O’Brien - Associate Vice President, NET+, Internet2

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

March is National Procurement Month, a time to recognize the vital role that procurement professionals play in the research and education community (R&E). Procurement is not just about buying goods and services, but also about ensuring that they meet the needs and expectations of the end users, comply with the policies and regulations of the institutions, and deliver value and efficiency.

We’re Here for You

At Internet2, we understand the challenges and opportunities that procurement professionals face in the cloud era. That’s why we developed the NET+ program, a collaborative initiative that leverages the collective expertise and influence of R&E institutions to provide cloud solutions that are tailored to the community.

The NET+ program offers a portfolio of cloud services vetted by our members through a rigorous peer-driven process. These services address common challenges, such as security, identity management, accessibility, compliance, and integration. They also offer favorable terms and conditions, transparent pricing, and community support.

In addition to the NET+ Program, the Cloud Scorecard Directory also provides a valuable way for procurement professionals to quickly determine if a service meets research and higher education needs. 

Community Channels and Collaboration 

But we don’t stop there. We also engage with members of the procurement community through various channels to ensure that we understand their needs and priorities and that we provide them with the resources and guidance they need to make informed decisions. One of these channels is the NET+ Business, Procurement, and Legal Advisory Committee (BPLAC), a group of representatives from Internet2 member institutions who advise us on business, procurement, and legal issues related to NET+ services.

BPLAC focuses on ways to expand NET+ and Internet2’s community reach with trust and transparency, meeting regularly to discuss topics, such as contract negotiation, risk management, data privacy, accessibility, and service evaluation. BPLAC provides input on updating and refining documentation for the NET+ program, such as the  Agreement Cover Sheet, which summarizes the negotiation that led to the agreement, and the Procurement Analysis Worksheet, which details key contract terms that were negotiated for NET+ agreements.

Another channel is the NET+ Vendor Management Working Group (VMWG), a group of representatives from Internet2 member institutions who are developing and documenting best practices to monitor and manage the performance of NET+ service providers as well as our relationship with them.

More Resources for You

To support the procurement community further, we have recently updated our NET+ web page with new resources and information. You can now find a dedicated page for procurement professionals that provides an overview of the NET+ program, its benefits and value proposition, its governance and process, and its current portfolio of services. You can also find links to other useful resources, such as FAQs, webinars, case studies, testimonials, and contacts.

Finally, to support public institutions’ procurement needs, we have initiated competitive processes for some cloud services for them to leverage. Examples include an RFP for an AWS Public Sector Partner and an RFI for Data Migration Tools. 

We invite you to explore these resources and learn more about how NET+ can help you achieve your procurement objectives. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions on how we can improve our program and services to better serve you. Please feel free to reach out to us at netplus@internet2.edu.

We thank you for your dedication and contribution to the R&E. Happy National Procurement Month!