G-Cloud is THE place to be for technology providers looking to sell their cloud-based solutions to the UK government. Since its first iteration in 2012, almost £19 billion worth of sales has been made through the framework. 40% of this spend has been through SME providers, a stat that looks much greater when honing in on the last couple of years – 43% in 2023 and 44% so far in 2024!
Currently in its 14th iteration, the G-Cloud 15 framework is due to open for applications in 2025 – here’s everything you need to know.
Who is G-Cloud 15 for?
Anyone who wishes to supply cloud hosting, support or software to the public sector can apply to be on the framework. There are the usual checks during the application stage, such as meeting liability insurance and adhering to the Code of Conduct and Practices. It’s more about being able to provide the right information for your listing to make it compliant.
In terms of scope though, it’s for more off-the-shelf solutions rather than outcomes-based work.
When are applications for G-Cloud 15?
We’re expecting applications for the G-Cloud 15 framework to open in July 2025.
What is the G-Cloud 15 framework structure?
The current Lot structure for G-Cloud 14 looks like this:
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting (IaaS and PaaS) Designed for procuring infrastructure and platform services. It includes solutions for deploying, managing, and running software or using processing, storage, and networking resources.
Lot 2: Cloud Software (SaaS) Focuses on software applications hosted in the cloud, typically accessed via the internet or private networks. Examples include CRM tools, productivity software, and other SaaS offerings.
Lot 3: Cloud Support Provides services to help buyers implement and maintain their cloud solutions. This includes migration planning, setup, testing, training, and ongoing support.
Lot 4: Further Competition for Cloud Support Services This was introduced for larger and more complex cloud support needs. This lot requires a further competition process to procure tailored services like comprehensive migrations or security implementations. It doesn’t allow Direct Award like Lots 1-3!
Although this is the current layout, we’re fully expecting it to change a bit for G-Cloud 15. Supplier Engagement sessions are currently ongoing, so there’s nothing confirmed yet, but we do know that we will see changes – and the Lots will become much more competitive. An example of one potential change is seeing Lot 4 brought back into the Lot 3 pot, that does seem likely.
What’s the application process like?
The process usually goes as follows:
- Suppliers are asked a series of pass/fail questions regarding background and compliance.
- Online questions are asked about the individual solution or service offering. These make up the body of the listing and are what is called the ‘front-end listing’. This includes a brief description of a supplier’s services, as well as a list of key features and benefits.
- Suppliers have to upload a mandatory Service Definition. Which includes a much more in-depth breakdown of a supplier’s offering.
- Supplementary documents also need to be provided. Suppliers are required to upload a copy of their pricing and terms and conditions.
However, we’re predicting a much more competitive application for G-Cloud 15, with it being less open and straight forward. A process that will deviate from the previous applications of the last few iterations is expected this time around as Crown Commercial Service look to revamp the framework. Although we can’t say for certain what that application looks like, there may be more limited spaces on some of the Lots – and a fair bit more required to get successfully listed, similar to other more competitive frameworks. It’s part of UK Gov’s effort to make the framework a bit more competitive and reflect the new Procurement Act 2023 changes that come into play in 2025.
What’s the benefit of being listed on the G-Cloud framework?
G-Cloud is a compliant route to market for above-threshold procurements and is the biggest framework on the market! Almost everyone in the public sector has heard of G-Cloud, and you will be asked by prospective buyers whether you’re on it – if you turn around and say ‘no’, it’s not going to reflect well on you as a public sector supplier.
The framework is known for being SME-friendly, due to the catalogue format and very low barriers to entry. 90% of the current 5,200+ G-Cloud suppliers are SMEs and 39% of sales across all iterations of G-Cloud have been made by SMEs.
Where can I get G-Cloud 15 support?
Advice Cloud offer framework application services for G-Cloud, and have worked on every iteration for the past 10 years(!). If you’d like to know more about how we can help you navigate the tricker process this time around, get in touch as soon as possible by clicking the image below. July isn’t that far away!
