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(ALL CONTENT IN THIS DOCUMENT REPRESENTS AMI-PARTNERS’ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AMI-PARTNERS)
United States Economic Stimulus
Channel Partners Playbook:
Contents
1. Opportunity Created by the Stimulus
•
United States Economic Stimulus Overview: funding, incentives, timing
•
Vertical targets overview: vertical defined
•
Channel partners call to action: vertical calls to action
2. Product & Solution Opportunity
•
Winning Sales with Healthcare Facilities
•
Winning Sales with Educational Institutions
•
Winning Sales with Government Contractors
•
Winning Sales with Utilities Companies
3. Solutions & Messaging
•
General solutions & messaging
1. United States - SMB Economic Stimulus Opportunity:
Opportunity Overview
Funding/Incentives
Timing
•
Temporary SBA Fee Relief for the 7(a)
and 504 programs
•
Business Stabilization Program / SBAs
America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) Loan
Program
•
Microloans (typically provided to
business with less than 10 employees)
•
Surety Bond Stimulus
•
Tax incentives & write-offs are already in place
•
Financial SBA support has staggered deadlines of
12/31/09, 9/30/10 or until funds are exhausted
Total Economic Stimulus:
$787B under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Stimulus Available to SMBs:
$54B allocated to help small businesses through a variety of tax incentives and write-offs
with
$730M designated for SMBs through various SBA programs
1. United States - SMB Economic Stimulus Opportunity:
Vertical Targets
Healthcare
Education
Government
Utilities
Vertical
Targets
• Medical professionals, hospitals, testing facilities, clinics and other healthcare providers that participate in Medicare & Medicaid programs.
• State Education Agencies (SEAs) may apply to the Ed-Tech program.
• States distribute some of the Ed-Tech money to districts based on their number of Tier 1 schools or % of low-income students.
• Government is investing in infrastructure, housing, transportation and federal building modernization in each state.
• Renewable energy, wind & solar energies, and other green initiatives are eligible to receive multiple grants and tax incentives.
Vertical
Timing
• Eligible physicians and hospitals that qualify as “meaningful EHR users” are eligible for incentive
payments starting in 2011 and ending in 2015.
• 50% of the money will go directly to Title I schools; and 50% will be awarded through competitive grants in July 2009 and July 2010.
• The money has been allocated already as each state had 120 days to assign the funds to specific
projects.
• Grants for development of renewable energy facilities: 2009 and 2010.
• Production tax credit
extension: through 2012 (for wind) and other tax credits through 2013.
• Investment tax credit in lieu of production tax credit: 2009 through 2013 (2009 through 2012 for wind).
1. United States - SMB Economic Stimulus Opportunity:
Channel Partners’ Call to Action at the Vertical Level
Healthcare
Education
Government
Utilities
• Target healthcare facilities that service Medicare and Medicaid patients –the need to comply with the HITECH act will be a high priority for these
establishments.
• The stimulus money will spark growth in Healthcare—along with other related industries— with new IT requirements.
• Educate yourself on the new requirement of the HITECH Act -including penalties associated with noncompliance. Now is the time to consult with your healthcare clients, or reach out to establish relationships with new ones.
• Target schools in lower-income areas -districts with a higher % of Tier I schools will receive higher funding.
• Gear-up marketing to target the September allocation. Learn about all possible sources of funding available for
procurement. Approaching the school district or state’s
department of education in a consultative manner will give you a "leg-up" in the vendor selection phase.
• Relationship-building and knowledge of technology integration in education will be valuable. Directors and
teachers will also require facts on how new technologies will increase learning in the
classroom and job efficiencies -be prepared to demonstrate your expertise in this area.
• Govt. contracts and "shovel ready" projects are accessible online. Learn about the various modernization projects as they present great opportunity for energy efficient IT.
• Target states where the highest dollars are being allocated; low-income and rural communities are a primary focus for funding.
• The expansion of broadband to these rural areas will spur growth for IT.
• Begin building a rapport with local cities & states. Responding to RFPs is a good way to build relationships with both
government agencies and larger enterprises that sub-contract out opportunities.
• As funding & incentives are available for businesses spearheading renewable energy projects, spending on ICT in this sector will increase.
• Smaller firms will be building up their businesses and looking outward for IT expertise that they lack in-house.
• Larger firms will need
assistance in revamping older technologies or totally
replacing systems.
• Decision-makers will want to get the most out of funding dollars. Target the utilities by bundling solutions that address their impending needs: cost elimination, mobility/ collaboration, flexibility/
adaptability to change, and new customer data storage
2. Winning Sales with Healthcare
Understanding the product & solution opportunities
Opportunity
Incentives
Product Implications and Opportunities
• The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH Act. • Finance renovations and technology upgrade at community health centers ($2.8 billion). • Doctors' practices are eligible to receive between $44,000 and $64,000 in incentives to computerize medical records, and hospitals get as much as $11 million each.
• Grants for
community health centers are available by state.
• High capacity PCs and servers (networking infrastructure) – Internet access and capabilities
– Advanced storage solutions – Advanced security features
– Collaborative solutions (internally and with external healthcare facilities/partners)
• IT Managed Services – Training and consulting
Bundle support and/or training services with hardware purchases to position offerings as differentiated and to help healthcare providers quickly deploy, use and manage their new IT investments.
Allow customers to take advantage of a referral program, as healthcare
reform is a primary focus in the stimulus package and receiving large amounts of funding there will be many opportunities in this sector.
2. Winning Sales with Education
Understanding the product & solution opportunities
Opportunity
Incentives
Product Implications and Opportunities
• U.S. Department of Education's Enhancing Education through Technology (Ed-Tech) program
• States can use Ed-tech funds to pay for professional development for teachers to learn how technology can improve lessons, software programs to enhance lesson plans and computer labs.
• Desktops/Notebooks/Netbooks/Printers
• Servers (networking infrastructure)
– Internet access and capabilities (wireless networking, remote access, intranet, blackboards, e-commerce, etc.)
• Multi-media (projectors, plasma screens, etc.)
• Collaborative solutions (e-mail, video conferencing, etc.)
• CRM solutions (student database)
• Advance security features
• Advanced storage solutions
• IT Managed Services – Training and consulting
Tools that enhance learning in the classroom is a primary focus. Nonetheless, it is likely that most schools/districts receiving Ed-Tech funds will be building up basic IT infrastructures or upgrading computer labs, and have a greater need for updated computing hardware and increased bandwidth.
2. Winning Sales with Government
Understanding the product & solution opportunities
Opportunity
Incentives
Product Implications and Opportunities
• Within each state: community development/ housing, infrastructure & federal building modernization and science projects funded by federal agencies. • Funding examples: – $27.5 billion for road construction – $5 billion to help weatherize homes for low-and moderate-income homeowners – $7.2 billion for broadband access to underserved areas – $15 billion for scientific research – $30 billion for improving the nation’s electricity grid & other energy improvements
• Energy efficient IT hardware (cost savings capabilities)
• Portable computing hardware (Notebooks/Netbooks/PDAs)
• Mobile communications (VoIP, video conferencing, etc.)
• Remote access/collaborative solutions (VPN, wireless, remote access)
• Advanced security features
• Storage solutions
• Project management tools
• Timing and billing solutions
• -SaaS
• - IT Managed Services
A good majority of these government run projects will take place in remote/rural areas, so seamless mobility and access will be strong value proposition. In addition, energy efficiency will be a key topic in the decision-making, so have numbers in place to demonstrate the energy/cost-savings. Case studies and customer testimonials will prove beneficial as well.
2. Winning Sales with Utilities Sector
Understanding the product & solution opportunities
Opportunity
Incentives
Product Implications and Opportunities
• Renewable energy and energy
efficiency tax incentives to spur energy savings and creating green jobs ($20 billion over 10 years)
• 30% tax break for investments in wind & solar energy
• Increased tax credits for gas stations and other businesses that install non-hydrogen, alternative fuel pumps to 50% through 2010 for up to $50,000 • $6 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy projects
• Energy efficient IT hardware (demonstrated cost savings)
• Portable hardware (PCs and PDAs)
• Mobile communications (VPN, VoIP, video conferencing, etc.)
• Advance security features
• Collaborative solutions (wireless and remote access)
• Meter reading technology and solutions
• SCM tools
• CRM tools/Business Intelligence
• SaaS
• IT Managed Services
Companies engaged with these initiatives will need to be made aware of how technology can add value to their work – in terms of increased capabilities, improved productivity, along with time/money savings.
3. General Solutions & Messaging
Unresponsive to sale calls Lack sufficient IT budget Lack sense of urgency Don’t see a need to make the IT investment
“$54 billion dollars has been allocated to provide small businesses financial resources and relief - more specifically, $730 million is available through the SBA for special programs for businesses like yours.”
“There are specific financing and tax incentives available to you today that will dry-up once they are exhausted:”
Demonstrate how IT can resolve their current pain points: (1) cost cutting, (2) improving
revenue, (3) increasing employee productivity, (4) automating business processes, (5) achieving customer loyalty, (6) acquiring new customers and (7) better marketing/response time.
(A) Temporary Relief of Loan Fees in the SBA 7(a) and 504 programs
Ends at the end of 2009 Example of Key Messaging:
"With a new technology system you can more effectively track your business, and get better at eliminating waste and identifying opportunities.“ "For example, with a hosted CRM solution you can automate tracking of your customers' buying habits and market to them more effectively."
(B) Business stabilization program in which the borrower does not have to begin paying back the loan until 12 months later
Ends in September 30, 2010 or until funds have been exhausted
(C) Microloans provide small loans (up to $35k) to start-ups, newly established, or growing small businesses
End September 30, 2010 or until funds have been exhausted
3. Vertical Specific Solutions & Messaging
SMBs are: Unresponsive to sale calls Lack sufficient IT budget Lack sense of urgency Don’t see a need to make
the IT investment Vertical specific Healthcare (HITECH Act):
$17 billion has been allocated for incentive payments to physicians and hospitals to implement electronic medical records.
Doctors' practices will receive between $44,000 and $64,000 in incentives (per physician) to
computerize medical records, and hospitals get as much as $11 million each.
Incentive payments gradually decrease from 2011 to 2015. The longer you wait, the less incentive money you are eligible to receive.
Physicians and hospitals that fail to meet the criteria of a “meaningful EHR user” by 2016 will receive no incentive.
The HITECH Act network standards is “voluntary” for private entities. However, a provision of the act allows government agencies that contract with private health care providers, health plans, and health insurance issuers to require them to meet the HITECH standards.
Call to Action: “How to Capture the Incentives”
Visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website at www.hhs.gov for information and new standards regarding the HITECH Act.
Vertical specific Education: $650 million has been provided for the Educational Technology (Ed Tech) Program.
States can use this
technology money to pay for professional development to help teachers learn how technology can improve their lessons, software programs to enhance lesson plans, and computer labs.
Money has already been allocated and will be
distributed in July 2009 and the half will go to states in July 2010.
This level of investment in education is a onetime deal and presents a unique opportunity to invest in your teachers and classrooms.
Call to Action: “How to Capture the Incentives”
School boards should visit www.ed.gov and local schools should visit the state's Department of Education web site to look for eligibility and information on the latest Educational Technology state grants.
3. Vertical Specific Solutions & Messaging (continued)
SMB’s are: Unresponsive to sale calls Lack sufficient IT budget Lack sense of urgency Don’t see a need to make
the IT investment Vertical specific Government: Over $80B has
been allocated to government-funded infrastructure and
transportation initiatives in each state.
There are specific criteria and compliance rules in place for government vendors requiring procedures for data handling and record keeping -IT can allow you to comply with these terms and win business.
The stimulus plan is offering up many new government-funded opportunities and the money is being distributed now to various "shovel-ready" projects in each state.
The government has strict guidelines for its
contractors—IT can be a competitive advantage in the selection process for a vendor or sub-contractor.
Call to Action: “How to Capture the Incentives”
To find contracting opportunities specifically geared toward small businesses visit www.sba.gov or www.fbo.gov and for to find "shovel ready" projects and RFPs by state, visit your state's web site.
Vertical specific Utilities: Over $64B has been allocated to science, research and energy initiatives, specific to energy sources, energy efficiencies and the environment.
Funding exists now for initiatives like yours.
Funding for these special projects is not long term and most grants are only
available through 2010, while tax incentives will last through 2013.
There is tremendous funding available to your sector, but it is short-term. The
opportunity is now to make investments in IT.
