Post Syndicated from Mary Ellen Cavanagh original https://backblazeprod.wpenginepowered.com/blog/backblaze-now-available-via-carahsofts-naspo-contract/

If you’re an IT professional for a state, local government, or educational institution or you’re a reseller serving those entities, you know firsthand how complex and time consuming procurement can truly be. Onboarding a cloud storage provider that meets both your needs and your organization’s procurement requirements is a challenge. And the need for affordable and secure data storage has never been greater—an incredible 79% of educational institutions reported being hit with ransomware in the past year. 

Today, choosing Backblaze as your preferred cloud storage provider just got a lot easier. Backblaze is now available to purchase via Carahsoft’s National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) ValuePoint contract. 

The contract addition enables Carahsoft, The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, and Backblaze to provide cloud storage solutions to participating states, local governments, and educational institutions. The contract also comes on the heels of Backblaze’s inclusion on Carahsoft’s NYOGS- and OMNIA-approved vendor lists.

What Is the NASPO ValuePoint Contract?

NASPO ValuePoint is a cooperative purchasing program that facilitates public procurement solicitations and agreements using a lead-state model, which means one state or organization takes the lead on soliciting proposals on behalf of others and working with a sourcing team to evaluate responses and choose a vendor. By leveraging the leadership and expertise of all states and the collective purchasing power of their public entities, NASPO ValuePoint delivers the highest valued, reliable, and competitively sourced contracts, offering public entities outstanding pricing.

Benefits to Customers

As a state, local government, or educational institution, you get a number of benefits by purchasing Backblaze through Carahsoft’s ValuePoint contract, including:

• Simplified Procurement: You don’t have to go through the hassle of setting up your own contracts or negotiating prices. You can just use the NASPO ValuePoint contract, and that hard work is already taken care of.
• Cost Savings: Because the ValuePoint contract covers lots of states and organizations, services are purchased in bulk, which usually means cheaper prices.
• Time Savings: You save time researching suppliers or going through a long bidding process. You can just choose from the options already approved under the contract.
• Quality Assurance: The contract usually has strict standards for its offerings, ensuring that you as a customer get access to quality products and services.

Benefits for Resellers

Resellers who are not currently listed on the NASPO ValuePoint Contract can still reap the benefits as well (and if you’re already listed, even better). By purchasing Backblaze through Carahsoft, you will gain:

• Access to a Larger Market: Resellers can sell Backblaze to multiple states or organizations without having to negotiate separate contracts each time. This means more potential cloud customers.
• Streamlined Sales Process: You don’t have to spend as much time and effort trying to win individual contracts. Now that Backblaze is on the NASPO ValuePoint Contract, you’re pre-approved to sell B2 Cloud Storage and Computer Backup to all participating entities.
• Increased Credibility: With Backblaze being part of a trusted contract like NASPO ValuePoint, you can enhance your reputation and credibility in the cloud market, potentially attracting more customers.
• Stable Revenue Stream: Having a contract with multiple states or organizations provides a more stable and predictable revenue stream for you as a reseller, as you have access to a broader customer base.

Making It Easier to Provision Backblaze

As a public sector agency, you face some of the greatest challenges when it comes to affordably protecting and using your data given ransomware attacks and budget constraints. Carahsoft’s NASPO program cuts through this complexity with cooperative purchasing, resulting in more favorable terms and conditions and competitive pricing. 

Previously, it was hard for many state, local, educational and government institutions to benefit from the affordability and reliability that Backblaze provides. Now, Backblaze’s addition to Carahsoft’s NASPO contract streamlines procurement of B2 Cloud Storage and Backblaze Computer Backup—speeding up your acquisition timeline.

The availability of the Backblaze portfolio to NASPO members strengthens our partnership by aligning with Government procurement processes and expanding Backblaze’s reach in the Public Sector market. It is critical we support the Government as they work to modernize their cloud data storage systems to meet the demands of an increasingly digital era. By collaborating with Backblaze and our reseller partners, we can continue to expand and improve agency access to the affordable, cutting-edge solutions they need to achieve mission success.

—John Rentz, MultiCloud Team Lead, Carahsoft

How to Purchase Backblaze via Carahsoft

Backblaze’s offerings are available through Carahsoft’s NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement #AR2472 and OMNIA Partners Contract #R191902. To purchase, reach out to your preferred reseller or contact the Backblaze team. For more information about the NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement, contact the Carahsoft team at [email protected].

More About Carahsoft

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, supporting public sector organizations across federal, state and local government agencies and education and healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator® for our vendor partners, Carahsoft delivers solutions for multicloud, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, big data, artificial intelligence, open source, customer experience and engagement, and more.

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