Microsoft launches Cloud Partner Platform with updates for SMBs, ISVs

Microsoft officially launches the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (MCCP) today, allowing those partners who satisfy the new standards to claim their updated status and benefits.

“Those of you who have already met the requirements for a designation will receive it immediately if you have legacy benefits, or if you’re attaining benefits for the first time once you have paid the fee,” wrote Microsoft chief partner officer Nicole Dezen.

The company introduced the plan for the program  in March 2022 under former channel chief Rodney Clark. In the meantime, Dezen has taken over broader leadership for Microsoft partner programs and the company has evolved MCPP further. The six Solution Partner designations remain, and newer industry designations based on Microsoft Industry Clouds will “demonstrate performance with customers, technical maturity, and customer success,” Dezen wrote.

While the older silver and gold competency badges are no longer valid, partners can retain those benefits. Dezen wrote:

On a partner’s first anniversary date after today (October 3, 2022), those who attain a Solutions Partner designation can choose to move to the updated Solutions Partner benefits or retain their legacy benefits, and pay the corresponding fee. Partners who do not meet the requirements for a Solutions Partner designation, but who renewed a competency by September 30, 2022, will have the option to continue to pay the fee to retain their legacy benefits at the time of their next anniversary date.

A Microsoft spokesperson added that Microsoft does not have a plan to sunset the legacy silver/gold benefit kits, adding: 

[W]e’ll keep working with partners to see how they’re getting value from those benefits as the new Microsoft Cloud Partner Program matures. We’re making this simple by no longer requiring an annual eligibility check, the only requirement will be once per year to repurchase your legacy MPN benefit at the current silver/gold renewal fee. The legacy silver/gold endorsements will fade from use, but in the meantime we will let partners leverage those legacy endorsements if they need to reference them for existing RFP/tenders.

Adjustments for SMB Business Applications partners

Since CPP’s early previews, smaller partners working with Business Apps have raised concerns about the scoring used for solution designations and the difficulty they would have in attaining designations beyond the base level. To attain a solution designation, a partner must get a score of at least 70 points (out of a possible 100) across three categories – performance, skilling, and customer success.

Microsoft announced on September 22 that they have now created two paths for partners to attain their Business Application Solutions Partner designation badge: an SMB track and an Enterprise track.