Custom solutions overview
The commercial marketplace offers tailored solutions beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Through custom deal making, you can purchase with custom terms, negotiated pricing, and specialized configurations for proof of concepts on solutions available in the commercial marketplace. There are two routes for procuring custom solutions in the marketplace:
- Private offers (including multiparty private offers) in Azure Marketplace
- Private plans in Azure Marketplace and Microsoft AppSource
This article explains the properties and benefits of private offers and private plans. To obtain a private offer or a private plan, you need to engage with the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or Microsoft selling partner of your choice.
Private offers
Private offers empower custom deal making and provide benefits like negotiated pricing, private terms and conditions, and specialized configurations. There are two types of private offers:
- Private offer: created by the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) for a customer. The purchase counts towards your cloud consumption commitment when the offer includes an Azure benefit eligible solution.
- Multiparty private offer: a private offer created by a Microsoft selling partner where the partner procures a solution from an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) on your behalf and packages the solution as a private offer. The purchase counts toward your cloud consumption commitment when it includes an Azure benefit eligible solution.
Watch the video below to learn more about multiparty private offers:
Private offer benefits
Benefits of a private offer include:
- Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC): purchases made through private offers can contribute to your cloud consumption commitment.
- Time-bound discounts: enjoy time-sensitive discounts with clearly defined start and end dates.
- Customized terms: receive tailor-made terms that are privately attached to the offer as a PDF.
- Direct delivery: a direct link to the private offer is sent directly to you via email by the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or the Microsoft selling partner.
- Rapid access: you can accept and make purchases within 15 minutes after the private offer has been created by the partner.
- Multiple product selection: choose from a range of products and plans to receive bundled discounts, allowing you to streamline procurement and save time.
- Trusted relationships: your preferred Microsoft selling partner can collaborate with the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) and create a multiparty private offer, maintaining the trusted relationships you have built with the Microsoft selling partner while transacting seamlessly through the marketplace.
Preparing for a private offer
See Private offers in Azure Marketplace for detailed guidance on the required steps when engaging with an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) for a private offer or a Microsoft selling partner for a multiparty private offer. These steps include:
Verify account and subscription settings: conduct a check of your account settings within the Azure portal to ensure settings do not block the purchase.
Validate permissions: confirm that the person within your organization accepting the offer and the person purchasing the offer have the necessary permissions to perform these actions.
Provide billing account ID: provide the correct billing account ID to the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or Microsoft selling partner to facilitate the creation of the private offer.
Private plans
A private plan is a custom plan of a marketplace offer created for a specific customer. It includes custom pricing at the subscription or Azure tenant level. Private plans don't support time-bound discounts or bundling. Private plans are created for specific Azure subscriptions or tenant IDs. Private plans involve a new SKU, can be deployed only on eligible solutions, and custom terms and conditions are available only if the ISV is creating a new product for the customer. Additionally, plans require new build outs and individual publication processes. Learn more about Private plans in Azure Marketplace or Private plans in Microsoft AppSource.
Private offers vs. private plans
Private offers and private plans provide different customer benefits. Here's a summary of the benefits of each:
| Benefit | Private plan | Private offer |
|---|---|---|
| Custom price for a specific subscription or tenant or billing account | Tenant or subscription | Billing account |
| Custom terms and conditions for a customer for specific products | Only if the ISV is creating a new product for a customer | Yes - custom terms and conditions are available at the offer (bundle) level |
| Bundled price on multiple offers and plans | No | Yes |
| Receive a special price for a limited time (for example, a 15% discount for the year 2023) | No | Yes |
| Obtaining the discount requires a recorded customer sign-off and offer acceptance | No | Yes |
| Includes an expiration date, after which it becomes invalid | No | Yes |
| Customers can deploy the plan on any subscription | No - the plan can be deployed only on eligible subscriptions | Yes - but only eligible subscriptions qualify for the special price; all other subscriptions pay the public offer price |
| Resources purchased before the custom solution went into effect (such as virtual machines [VMs]) qualify for the discounted price | No - private plan is a new SKU; you must redeploy the new SKU | Yes - existing resources are billed at a discounted price after the offer is effective |