Mississippi’s CSPV Pilot Program: Streamlining Cloud Procurement for State Agencies 

The CSPV Pilot Program is a strategic initiative designed to revolutionize how state agencies acquire cloud technologies and services. Operating as an express procurement vehicle, it eliminates traditional barriers to cloud adoption while maintaining strict compliance standards. 

Three primary purposes: 

• Reduce procurement delays that stall modernization efforts 

• Enable faster technology implementation across state agencies 

• Ensure vendor accountability while maintaining compliance 

The program operates under the NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing framework, providing Mississippi agencies with access to pre-qualified cloud solutions providers. 

Available Cloud Services

Service Models

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Virtual machines, storage, and networking capabilities 

• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Complete development and deployment environment 

• Software as a Service (SaaS): Fully functional applications delivered over the internet 

Deployment Options

• Private Cloud: Dedicated resources for maximum control and security 

• Public Cloud: Shared infrastructure for cost-effective scalability 

• Hybrid Cloud: Combined private and public elements for optimized workload placement 

• Government Cloud: Specialized environments meeting stringent government security standards 

Expedited Procurement Process 

Traditional procurement creates months-long delays. CSPV eliminates bottlenecks by providing expedited procurement under state thresholds, reducing time-to-contract and cutting administrative red tape. 

Pre-Qualified Vendors 

Access vetted vendors who meet stringent security requirements including CSA STAR certification, ISO/IEC 27017 compliance, NIST SP 800-53 adherence, and SOC 2 validation. 

Competitive Pricing and Volume Discounts 

Maximize budget impact through aggregated purchasing power. Consolidating spend across agencies unlocks enterprise-level pricing and pre-negotiated discounts that individual agencies cannot achieve independently. 

Full Compliance

The program ensures full compliance with Mississippi state laws and regulations while aligning with cloud-first strategies and policy guidance. This compliance assurance reduces legal risks and ensures that all cloud acquisitions meet established governmental standards. 

Resource Efficiency  

The program’s emphasis on aggregated purchasing power creates opportunities for significant cost savings across participating agencies. By consolidating demand and leveraging collective buying power, agencies access enterprise-level pricing typically available only to large private sector organizations. 

This approach proves particularly valuable for software licensing, where fragmented purchases across departments often result in higher per-unit costs and administrative complexity. The CSPV program addresses these inefficiencies by enabling coordinated procurement strategies that maximize budget impact. 

Technology Modernization Acceleration 

Cloud adoption barriers frequently include complex procurement processes, vendor evaluation requirements, and compliance concerns. The CSPV Pilot Program eliminates these barriers by providing pre-qualified vendors, streamlined processes, and guaranteed compliance frameworks. 

This acceleration enables agencies to focus resources on implementation and adoption rather than procurement administration. The result is faster technology deployment and quicker realization of cloud computing benefits. 

Risk Mitigation  

Government technology procurement involves significant risk considerations including security, compliance, and vendor reliability. The CSPV program addresses these concerns through comprehensive vendor pre-qualification processes and established compliance frameworks. 

All participating vendors undergo rigorous security assessments and maintain required certifications. This pre-qualification reduces agency risk exposure while ensuring access to qualified, reliable technology partners.