States add Hughes to their lists of preferred providers to help overcome connectivity challenges

“States and the federal government are focusing on deploying broadband…as universally as possible,” acknowledged the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently. According to NCSL, 43 states and Guam consider addressing broadband issues as a top priority. To that end, Hughes works closely with multiple states and the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) ValuePoint™ program to simplify broadband procurement at the state level.

A recent example can be found in the State of Georgia, which expanded its Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) Direct program to incorporate Hughes broadband and managed services. With Hughes on the program’s list of most qualified suppliers within the GTA Master Services Agreement (MSA), Georgia agencies, local governments, colleges and universities, and boards of education statewide can purchase services directly from Hughes. Using an MSA streamlines the procurement process, sets boundaries for the contractual relationship (such as payment terms and service level expectations), eliminates contract negotiations, and standardizes the list of product, service and pricing options.

Another example is the NASPO ValuePoint contract, a cooperative purchasing program facilitating public procurement solicitations and agreements using a lead-state model. The lead state works with volunteers from other states to form a sourcing team. This enables the consortium to leverage their purchasing power and gain confidence in their buying decisions. Hughes is the first and only satellite broadband provider on this contract vehicle.

Contracts like these remove procurement complexity for state and local agencies, especially those with limited resources or expertise, and help them confidently upgrade legacy infrastructure in the field. Having an MSA at the state level ensures that agencies and organizations everywhere can rely on vetted providers like Hughes for the types of services they need, especially in deploying broadband to meet the needs of the digital agency from urban centers to the most remote government sites.

This is especially welcomed news for state and local government entities that face the challenge of rising network complexity and broadband disparity. Not only do they benefit from standardized pricing and service level agreements, they also enjoy access to managed broadband services that ensure reliable and best-fit connectivity for each network location, including hard to reach, remote locations. The managed services aspect of a solution reduces risk across the entire network, lets the agency rely on a team of experts, and creates a solid network-wide foundation for any number of digital initiatives.

For example, the managed broadband service under the HughesON™ suite of services includes a complete portfolio of connectivity options from hundreds of network access partners across the country – all managed by Hughes with a single bill. Hughes integrates the right mix of transport technologies and partners to meet an agency’s needs. That may involve wireline, such as fiber or cable, and wireless services, including 4G and 5G, point-to-point microwave, and satellite.

Hughes participates in a growing number of state contract vehicles to facilitate procurement for local government customers across the country. Visit our State Contracts page for more information.