Marketplace will offer a suite of tools to help educators make informed buying decisions
Noodle Markets, a new provider of purchasing solutions to K-12 schools and districts, has launched a free online marketplace for education products and services, which is now open for vendors to register.
The marketplace at noodlemarkets.com [1] will address one of the industry’s most difficult problems: In an inundated education market, how can vendors make their products known to educators and how can educators access ample information to make smarter buying choices?
Noodle Markets will provide a one-stop source of comprehensive information about the vast array of paid and free educational tools, making the discovery and selection process easier for educators while also leveling the playing field for vendors.
In early 2016, Noodle Markets will open its marketplace to K-12 educators, allowing education buyers to connect with sellers. Noodle Markets will also provide district purchasers with tools to streamline procurement processes such as RFPs. These tools will support educators with all forms of K-12 purchasing: from discretionary spending to selections made through competitive bidding.
Noodle Markets is the latest venture of The Noodle Companies, led by education entrepreneur John Katzman, who previously founded The Princeton Review and 2U.
The Noodle Markets purchasing platform will launch in early 2016, but education suppliers can now register to join the marketplace so that they are prepared to connect with education purchasers at districts and schools across the nation.
Once the full platform is live, district and school officials will be able to search for and research new tools more easily. With up-to-date information at their fingertips (e.g., pricing and unbiased third-party information), school districts will be able to discover the best options for each unique school and situation.
Ken Eastwood, Superintendent of Middletown City School District in Middletown, NY, said: “The Noodle Markets online marketplace will be a real catalyst for districts seeking innovative TechEd solutions. Our district knows from experience that finding excellent products and digital resources is far too challenging today! We look forward to using these tools.”
In addition, procurement professionals may save time and increase competition for RFPs and other public bidding processes by utilizing Noodle Markets’ innovative bid creation and communication platform, which has been tailor-built for K-12. Vendors will be able to respond to bids using a clear, consistent schema, allowing them to focus on meeting bid requirements rather than navigating bid structure, while also connecting more efficiently with schools and districts whose needs match their products and services.