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. 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 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
Graduate to better technology for education.
Provide digital equity, rich learning and instructor opportunities, promote safety, and help boost productivity with technology solutions built right for higher education. From flexible online learning options to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to power augmented reality (AR) experiences to voice and collaboration technologies, our higher education solutions can help provide a better campus experience.Help improve how students learn, work and play.
Your campus is much more than just a place where students study—it’s also a place where they work, live, spend their free time and more. Whether walking throughout the campus, engaged in immersive learning or at the stadium watching a football game, a connected campus can help improve the holistic experience at your institution. We offer a variety of networking and internet services to help provide scalable, flexible and high-capacity networks and connections your campus needs. We also have the communication tools you need to help improve distance learning and keep staff productive. Plus, our connected community solutions can help you manage facilities, lighting, parking and campus security.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.