What Straightforward does

Straightforward is a Minneapolis-headquartered Technology Orchestration Firm that positions itself as a Third-Party Owner's Representative and Technology Services General Contractor. Rather than building its own technology stack, the company curates a network of 200+ technology suppliers and brokers pre-negotiated, contract-vehicle-based procurement for mid-to-large enterprise clients. Its core intellectual asset is the 5-Star Cloud Services Methodology, which organizes 17 service offerings across five pillars: Connectivity (SD-WAN, Infrastructure, Disaster Recovery), Computing (Colocation, Data Security, Desktop/DaaS), Flexibility and Scalability (Collaboration, UCaaS), Operations (Contact Centers, CRM, IoT, Staff Augmentation, Analytics & Reports, RFP Avoidance), and Cash Flow (TEM, Lead Network, Websites).

The firm serves 16 named verticals including Government, Airlines, Banking, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, IT, Energy, and Waste Management, with a notable tilt toward government buyers who benefit from Straightforward's certified minority-business status (MNUCP DBE, SBA SDB, SBA HubZone, HUD Section 3, and several state/municipal designations). Revenue mechanics combine managed-services orchestration fees, professional-services billing for staff augmentation and analytics, and supplier-driven contract pass-through, with all enterprise pricing conducted via quote-based, multi-year engagements rather than transparent published rates.

Go-to-market is consultative and field-sales driven, anchored on the sfwd.co website (WooCommerce-based service catalog with consultation booking at book.sfwd.co) and an Affiliate Partnership Program. Physical distribution is unusually broad for a 1-10 person firm: a Global Delivery Network of 40+ offices and warehouses across the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, and Brazil — categorized as Systems Design, Design Support, and Distribution sites — enables hyperlocal execution. The company has no disclosed revenue, no funding history, and no named customers in the source data, and it shows no proprietary AI capability; AI references in its materials are limited to partner offerings (Level AI, Zoom AI Companion) that it helps resell.

Name

Straightforward

Legal name

Straightforward

Website

https://sfwd.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Straightforward is a Minneapolis-based Technology Orchestration Firm that acts as a Third-Party Owner's Representative, brokering pre-negotiated technology solutions from a network of 200+ suppliers to mid-to-large enterprises across 16 verticals including Government, Airlines, Banking, Healthcare, and Manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Consulting and Managed IT Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Systems Integration & Implementation Services (BPAEAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cloud-Native Enablement (Containers, Kubernetes, Service Mesh) (BPAEAKAE), Cloud & Infrastructure Support (Servers, Storage, Virtualization) (BPAAACAE)

Keywords

• Technology orchestration services
• Cloud services consulting
• IT infrastructure sourcing
• Managed technology services
• Enterprise digital transformation

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices45 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technology Orchestration Services: As a Third Party Owner's Representative and Technology Services General Contractor, Straightforward earns revenue by orchestrating technology solutions from their network of 200+ suppliers. They act as a single point of contact for diverse solutions, enabling clients to focus on core competencies while Straightforward manages supplier relationships and implementation.
2. Staff Augmentation: IT Staff Augmentation Program providing skilled IT professionals on a temporary basis to supplement clients' existing workforce. Revenue is generated through consultant/contractor billing rates.
3. Analytics and Reporting Services: Telecom Data Set Reporting, Natural Hazards Reporting, Serviceability Reporting, and Supplier Reporting services. Includes competitive project bidding for solutions like Cloud Disaster Recovery, CCaaS, Colocation, DaaS, IoT, and Cybersecurity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Straightforward operates as a Technology Orchestration Firm acting as a Third-Party Owner's Representative and Technology Services General Contractor. It sources, integrates, and manages technology solutions from a network of 200+ strategic supplier partners for enterprise and government clients using its proprietary 5-Star Cloud Services Methodology spanning Connectivity, Computing, Flexibility and Scalability, Operations, and Cash Flow pillars. The company delivers cloud, networking, security, collaboration, contact center, IoT, disaster recovery, and IT staffing services tailored to each client's digital transformation needs.

Product overview

Straightforward is a Technology Orchestration Firm that operates as a Third-Party Owner's Representative and Technology Services General Contractor, offering a unified platform of technology services through its 5-Star Cloud Services Methodology. The portfolio comprises 17 distinct products organized across five methodology pillars: Connectivity (SD-WAN, Infrastructure, Disaster Recovery), Computing (Colocation, Data Security, Desktop), Flexibility and Scalability (Collaboration, UCaaS), Operations (Contact Centers, CRM, IoT, RFP Avoidance, Staff Augmentation, Analytics), and Cash Flow (Lead Network, TEM, Websites). With access to a network of 200+ technology suppliers, Straightforward tailors digital ecosystems for clients across multiple verticals including Airlines, Government, Banking, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Retail. The company positions itself as a single point of contact for diverse technology solutions, enabling organizations to avoid RFP complexity while achieving digital transformation through pre-negotiated vendor relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) Application-aware, over-the-top WAN connectivity service that uses policies to direct application flows over multiple underlay networks, providing simplified network management and improved connectivity for enterprises.
• Colocation Data center facility services where businesses rent space for servers and computing hardware, providing building, cooling, power, bandwidth, and physical security while customers retain control over their equipment.
• Data Security / Cybersecurity Defense-in-depth cybersecurity services employing physical, technical, and administrative controls to protect computers, mobile devices, networks, and data from malicious attacks.
• Desktop (DaaS - Desktop as a Service) Cloud desktop solutions allowing access to desktop, files, and business apps from anywhere via internet connectivity, including Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), and Published Applications.
• Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity (BCDR) Restoration of systems to a given point in time when functioning within acceptable loss, including business processes and technology recovery for applications, systems, and data.
• Infrastructure (IaaS) Instant computing infrastructure provisioned and managed over the internet, offering virtual servers, scalable resources including VM, vCPU, RAM, storage, and OS, helping avoid capital expense of physical servers.
• Internet of Things (IoT) Network of interconnected devices capable of collecting and exchanging data using sensors, transport mediums, cloud orchestrators, and notifications for automation and monitoring.
• Contact Centers (CCaaS) Cloud-based customer experience solution providing contact center capabilities including ACD, AI, CTI, IVR, dialer, omni-channel, reporting and analytics, without requiring extensive internal IT support.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System that centralizes customer data, streamlines processes, enhances communication, and drives growth by managing leads, contacts, opportunities, pipelines, deals, accounts, and automating workflows.
• Collaboration and Meeting Services Virtual communication tools including chat/instant messaging, video conferencing, screen sharing, virtual whiteboarding, audio conferencing, file sharing, and SMS for internal and external collaboration.
• Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Integration of communication services including instant messaging, presence, voice, mobility, audio/web/video conferencing, desktop sharing, email, voicemail, fax, and call control for consistent user experience across devices.
• Analytics & Reports Comprehensive reporting services including telecom data sets (data centers, lit buildings, 5G cities, power plants), natural hazards reporting, serviceability reporting, supplier reporting, and competitive project bidding.
• RFP Avoidance Streamlined procurement process using established contract vehicles to initiate RFQ processes, providing multiple pre-negotiated bids for customers to select best value options without traditional RFP complexity.
• Staff Augmentation IT staffing solution allowing organizations to integrate external IT experts on a temporary basis, providing flexibility to scale teams, access specialized skills, and address project-based needs.
• Telecom Expense Management (TEM) Services for managing and optimizing telecom expenses for organizations.
• Websites Website development and management services as part of the company's digital offering portfolio.
• Lead Network Lead generation and networking services as part of the company's revenue offerings.
• Partner Ecosystem Curated network of 200+ technology suppliers and partners including Lumen, Zoom, Zayo, Zenlayer, Level AI, Lightpath, Lingo, Liquid Web, Logicworks, LOGIX Fiber Networks, ZeroOutages, and Ziply, enabling diverse solution delivery across connectivity, computing, and operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Online ticket sales constitute 75% of passenger revenue for airlines - a key pain point Straightforward addresses
• +1 more outcomes

Segments16 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• LumencoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Lumen, a leader in digital business transformation, bringing cutting-edge solutions for Adaptive Networking, IT Agility, and Connected Security. Lumen is the 2nd largest U.S. communications provider to global enterprise companies with ~450,000 global route miles of fiber, 45,000 employees globally, 150,000+ on-net buildings, and presence in 60+ countries.
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationStraightforward optimizes Zoom experiences by tailoring Zoom to fit unique business landscapes, optimizing entire Zoom experience to work seamlessly with other business applications. Services include unified solution delivery (meetings, chat, phone, webinars), custom integration, and optimized operations leveraging Zoom's capabilities including AI Companion, Zoom Rooms, and comprehensive communication features.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Avant Communications:
• ePlus Technology: ePlus is a technology solutions and services company that integrates hardware, software, and services from leading vendors for enterprise and public-sector clients. Comparable systems integration and managed services model with similar multi-vendor orchestration approach.
• Connection (Connection, Inc.): Connection is an enterprise IT solutions provider offering hardware, software, and services through partnerships with thousands of technology vendors. Comparable mid-market tech aggregator with similar focus on consultative solution design and government/enterprise sales.

Broad incumbents

• SHI International: SHI is one of the largest IT solutions providers in North America, aggregating software, hardware, and services from thousands of vendors for enterprise and public-sector clients. Closely comparable aggregator model with similar supplier-diversity and government procurement capabilities.
• Computacenter: Computacenter is a European-headquartered independent technology integrator helping enterprise clients source, deploy, and manage IT across cloud, security, and workplace. Similar multi-vendor orchestration model serving large enterprise and public-sector organizations.
• World Wide Technology (WWT): WWT is a large privately held technology solutions provider offering digital transformation, supply chain, and integration services across cloud, security, networking, and data center. Comparable aggregator/integrator model with similar enterprise and government vertical focus.
• CDW: CDW is a large multi-billion-dollar technology solutions and services provider that aggregates hardware, software, and services from thousands of vendors to deliver integrated solutions to enterprise and government clients. Directly comparable business model to Straightforward as a tech solutions aggregator, but at vastly larger scale.
• Presidio: Presidio is a global digital systems integrator focused on cloud, security, networking, and collaboration solutions for enterprise and government clients. Comparable IT services and systems integration business with similar vendor-orchestration model.
• Insight Enterprises: Insight Enterprises is a Fortune 500 global technology solutions integrator providing hardware, software, and services across cloud, data center, networking, and collaboration. Similar orchestration and integration business model targeting enterprise and government clients, with deeper scale and broader partner ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/straightforward-llc-sfwd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Straightforward