The HESS Consortium is not a GPO so we partner with the Coalition for College Cost Savings on master service agreements (MSA) for our collective members. Standards for selection are jointly established between the organizations in partnership. It is a costly process to create MSAs for our members so we want to make sure that companies meet a high level of excellence and national coverage. Before they are submitted as candidates to the Coalition for a master service agreement, HESS leadership uses the follow rubric to evaluate new business partners for both the business affiliate level and the business contract partner level.
Does the company reach all or a large portion of our member institutions nationally?
It is important for our partner companies to have the capacity to work with our national membership and provide the best services and/or products to the majority of our member institutions. What is your past and current commitment to the U.S. higher education market and what are your resources here? The criteria for this is usually associated with the number of sales and technology staffing within the company and, based on the type of services offered, the location and number of field offices in the U.S. With this, smaller local and regional businesses are normally disqualified.
(20 points)
Has the company been referred to HESS by two or more member institution as a reputable company. If a company is recommended by member institutions as a viable and reputable company who provided (or is providing) good services/products, HESS will take this into account when reviewing potential business affiliates and partners. (30 points)
Our HESS / Coalition master service agreement (MSA) has many items that are meant to protect our member institutions, their data and their operations. While the MSA is a short and broad guide for standards that we require from our business partners, many companies may be unable to adhere to the requirements that we ask of our business partner candidates. (standard requirement)
HESS / Coalition Contract Business Partners are requested to engage with our HESS member institutions on a quarterly basis and be active in our national conferences and periodic regional gatherings. These quarterly engagements include 1.) quarterly webinars on various topics related to higher education technology operations, products and services and 2.) quarterly entries in our HESS Consortium Business Partners Quarterly e-blast. Some companies do not have the resources to provide content necessary to engage with our members on a regular basis. (20 points)
As the HESS Consortium grows in numbers, the value of the consortium grows in terms of buying power, marketing and engagement with c-suite leadership. With this, we have set up a two-tiered partner program where companies support the HESS Consortium monetarily for its communication services and events for its members on behalf of our business partners. Many companies are unable to afford even the low costs that are involved with the programs.
HESS / Coalition Business Affiliates ($2,500 annually) are given 1-2 webinars annually, a microsite on the HESS Online Leadership Community closed social media site and invited to our annual national conference.
HESS / Coalition Contract Business Partners (low negotiated revenue share) are offered quarterly webinar engagements, quarterly articles in our HESS Consortium Business Partners Quarterly e-blast, a microsite on the HESS Online Leadership Community closed social media site and invited to our annual national conference to be sponsoring companies.
(standard requirement)
Our HESS Business Affiliates and our Contract Business Partners should be of high report, a national leader in their service/product areas and be able to perform at the highest levels in sales, support and pricing for our national membership. HESS leadership evaluate the need of companies’ products and services from member communications and sometimes polling of the membership. This is also weighed heavily against current contract MSAs HESS currently has in its portfolio of contracts to avoid duplication of services. (30 points)
If a potential business partner meets the standard requirements and scores at least 80 points (out of 100 possible) within the rubric, the company is recommended to the Coalition by HESS as either a business contract partner or business affiliate. Please view current HESS Business Partners and Affiliates below.
Current Approved HESS / Coalition Contract Business Partners and Business Affiliates
Evisions Overview
At Evisions, we help colleges and universities turn data into decisions that drive results. Our mission is simple: deliver data solutions that meet your institution exactly where you are, whether your data and systems are on-premise, in the cloud, or hybrid.
Drawing on our experience serving more than 1,000 higher education institutions, we understand the operational realities you face because we’ve lived them. Our team comes from higher ed — we’ve been in your offices, faced your challenges, and built solutions to solve them.
We’re here to help you:
- Improve decision-making with timely, accurate insights.
- Streamline administrative processes to save time and resources.
- Build a stronger, more connected data foundation to support your strategic goals.
No matter where your technology journey takes you, we’ll be there — supporting your institution with world-class service and solutions that adapt to your needs.
Our Solutions
- Argos – A flexible, powerful, and easy-to-use enterprise reporting tool that delivers the insights you need to make timely, well-informed decisions across every department of your institution.
- Accelerators – Use-case–focused dashboards and workflows that help you easily access, blend, and analyze data from multiple systems to unlock insights and drive campus-wide operational improvements.
- FormFusion – A robust document design and delivery solution that allows you to customize and streamline the generation and distribution of documents, from transcripts to award letters, with ease and accuracy.
- IntelleCheck – A comprehensive check printing, processing, and disbursement solution that streamlines financial transactions — including direct deposits — while maintaining the flexibility to customize outputs as needed.
Our Services
- Professional Services – Our higher ed–experienced team is ready to assist with everything from quick consultations to full-scale development, implementation, and training engagements — ensuring your solutions deliver ongoing value.
- Data Maturity & Readiness Assessment – A targeted, short-duration assessment designed to improve clarity and action in your data environment. We help you:
- Map business processes and stakeholders.
- Define a path for improved data governance.
- Identify actions that accommodate all impacted areas.
- Determine training needs at both functional and leadership levels.
- Strengthen communication, shared documentation, and change management practices.
Why Work With Us
We don’t just work in higher ed — we come from higher ed. Our solutions are built from decades of first-hand experience, informed by the daily realities of campus operations.
Why Institutions Choose Evisions:
- Meet You Where You Are: On-premise, SaaS, hybrid — wherever your systems and data live today or tomorrow, our solutions are designed to work with you, not against you.
- World-Class Support: We pride ourselves on being responsive, knowledgeable, and invested in your success long after implementation.
- Proven Track Record: Over 1,000 institutions trust Evisions to support their data, reporting, and process needs.
- Higher Ed DNA: Our team understands your challenges because we’ve been in your shoes — and we know what it takes to solve them.
Wherever your journey takes you, Evisions is your partner in turning data into better decisions, stronger outcomes, and lasting institutional success.
To learn more about these relationship levels and how your company might develop a business relationship with HESS, click here. For more information on this process, please contact Keith Fowlkes, Executive Director for the HESS Consortium at keith.fowlkes@hessconsortium.org.