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This week, the NET+ AWS program kicked off a two-part series introducing the AWS Private Marketplace to the research and education community. This innovative AWS service promises to be a useful tool for institutions’ contract procurement process.

The first session, attended primarily by university cloud enablement teams, provided a comprehensive overview of the AWS Private Marketplace. Here are the key takeaways:

  • Approved contracts only: Private Marketplace allows your institution to curate catalogs of approved contracts from AWS Marketplace.
  • Procurement compliance ensured: Private Marketplace ensures AWS users at your institution only purchase from contracts that comply with your procurement policies, including private offerings with custom terms you’ve negotiated.
  • Customize Private Marketplace for departments or schools: Your institution can create individual private marketplaces for different schools or departments within their organization.
  • Flexibility: Configure your Private Marketplace now and decide when to expose it and to whom, allowing for thorough preparation before full implementation.

Following this introductory session, attendees are encouraged to engage with their procurement colleagues to identify contracts for inclusion in their Private Marketplace. This collaborative approach ensures that the tool is tailored to each institution's specific needs and policies.

The series will culminate in a hands-on lab session, guiding cloud teams through the process of building their private marketplaces. To bridge the gap between the introduction and the practical session, an open office hour has been scheduled for participants to address any questions or concerns.

Next Steps

Whether you attended the initial session or not, NET+ AWS subscribers can access the recording, slides, and other resources at this Google Drive folder.

  1. Review the checklist in meeting folder
  2. Discuss with your procurement team
  3. Bring questions to Office Hours: September 11 at 2pm EDT - Zoom Link
  4. Get accounts and IAM roles in place ready for your build
  5. Join Tech Jam to build your Private Marketplace on September 18 at 2pm EDT - Registration Link

The AWS Private Marketplace presents an exciting opportunity for higher education institutions to streamline their procurement processes and ensure compliance. We encourage all NET+ AWS subscribers to take advantage of this series and explore how Private Marketplace can benefit your institution.