ST. CLOUD, MN., MAY 20, 2024 - Marco has signed a competitively awarded print services and devices contract with E&I Cooperative Services, a procurement cooperative serving members in K-12 and higher education. This cooperative purchasing contract includes Sharp printers and copiers, plus Marco’s managed print services beginning immediately and continuing through January 2029.
Additionally, Marco’s new E&I contract features the initial installation of Sharp products and accessories, end-user training, a dedicated account team and technical support desk, and access to Marco’s secure online Client Center — which features real-time analytics, device management information, custom recommendations, simplified support ticketing and tracking, and more.
Marco’s Chief Revenue Officer, Clay Ostlund, states:
"As higher education continues to experience declining enrollment levels and budget challenges, this contract allows colleges and universities throughout the US to save money throughout their print environment while improving sustainability and safeguarding the data of their students and staff.”
How Marco’s Unique MPS Program Benefits Education
Managed print is commonly known for its ability to reduce workplace frustration and relieve the burden on internal IT teams while saving organizations up to 30% on print costs. However, Marco’s offering includes a number of benefits that are especially appealing to colleges and universities hoping to attract and retain top-performing students.
- A school’s sustainability is increasingly important to prospective students. While Marco’s MPS offering helps schools reduce paper and cartridge waste, the company has taken the additional step of partnering with PrintReleaf — an organization that effectively neutralizes an organization’s paper footprint by planting new trees to offset consumption in a certified global reforestation project.
- As a national provider, Marco offers frequent internship and employment opportunities for students. In fact, Marco’s former CEO and current chairman, Jeff Gau, was originally recruited as a sales rep right out of college.
- At time of publication, Marco is the only national managed print services provider that offers print security services at no additional charge, which can help schools safeguard against cybersecurity incidents like the recent data breach that contained sensitive information of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Minnesota.
Adding Marco to E&I’s portfolio of contracts is certainly a win for the technology company, but it also helps make print security, sustainability, and recruitment simpler for member institutions.
“We are excited to welcome Marco to our growing portfolio of contracts,” stated Eric Frank, CEO of E&I. “Their commitment to enhancing print security, promoting sustainability, and fostering recruitment aligns with our mission to support member institutions. This collaboration streamlines the procurement process and ensures our members have access to exceptional print services tailored to their evolving needs."
How Are Networked Printing Devices Vulnerable To Attack?
Much like a laptop, networked printers and copiers retain data and run software, which means that unless they’re properly secured, they are vulnerable to a number of attacks, including ransomware.
Unfortunately, print security basics — including updating default admin passwords on every device — are a common blindspot, even for organizations with an internal IT team.
Common print security risks include:
- Abandoned documents containing sensitive data
- Manipulation of printer settings
- Network sniffing
- Unpatched firmware
- Compromised infrastructure security
Jay Brown, Marco’s Cybersecurity Manager, has taken an active role in helping Marco articulate the importance of proper print security and its unique managed print offering to enterprise-scale organizations and collective purchasing groups. He sums up why the company includes print security services for all MPS clients:
“When Marco provides any managed service to a client, our role is that of a partner — not a vendor. To us, that means that we need to work in our clients’ best interests at all times. We understand the critical importance of print security for colleges and universities in today's landscape of increasing cyber threats. That's why we are committed to providing print security solutions as an integral part of our managed print services offering. At the core of our approach is the belief that print security should never be an optional extra or an afterthought.”
About E&I
E&I Cooperative Services (E&I) is the only member-owned, non-profit procurement cooperative exclusively focused on serving higher education and K-12 institutions. E&I delivers unsurpassed value and an exceptional experience to its members through a broad portfolio of competitively solicited contracts with industry-leading suppliers and innovative sourcing solutions. The Cooperative empowers its members to make informed, analytics-driven decisions to capture more spending and optimize their education dollars. In addition, E&I offers strategic spend assessments, eProcurement solutions, supplier diversity programs, virtual and in-person education, and webinars and podcasts that advance the industry. For more information, please visit www.eandi.org.
ABOUT MARCO
Marco is one of the top business technology providers in the country, with offices in 15 states and serving customers nationally. Marco specializes in helping organizations with their IT, voice, print, and security needs from assessment to implementation to ongoing managed services. Their technology experts break down complex solutions into simple terms to position your business for success. Learn more at marconet.com.
