Note: GCA published an updated draft specification in August 2026 ahead of the ITT. This article reflects those updates. All information remains subject to final confirmation in the ITT, due 21st August 2026.
One of the most common questions we hear from suppliers looking at frameworks like Network Services is a simple one: which lot should I apply for?
It sounds like it should have an obvious answer. But with 11 lots covering a broad range of network and telecoms services, and with the temptation to apply for everything that vaguely applies, getting lot selection right is one of the most important decisions you’ll make before the ITT opens on 21st August.
| Event | Planned date |
|---|---|
| ITT issued | 21st August 2026 |
| Clarification period opens | 11th September 2026 |
| Clarification response deadline | 25th September 2026 |
| Bid submission deadline | 2nd October 2026 |
| Intention to Award letters issued | 8th March 2027 |
| Confirmation of Award | 17th March 2027 |
| NS4 go-live | 15th April 2027 |
| NS3 expiry (Lots 1c & 1d) | 22nd May 2027 |
| NS3 expiry (all other lots) | 17th July 2027 |
This article walks through all 11 lots, what they cover, and the questions to ask yourself to work out where your business genuinely fits.
A quick note on Lot selection before we start
NS4 is not a framework where more is better. You apply only for the lots that match what your business actually delivers — and your application for each lot will be assessed on evidence specific to that lot’s services.
A focused application with strong, directly relevant evidence for three lots will consistently outperform a sprawling attempt to cover seven with evidence that’s been stretched to fit. Assessors can tell when a WAN reference has been repurposed to answer a contact centre question. It doesn’t score well.
With that in mind, here’s the full lot structure.
Lot 1 – Internet Connectivity Services (WAN)
What it covers: Wide area network connectivity, including site-to-site and site-to-cloud connections, SD-WAN, SASE, satellite connectivity, Zero Trust architecture, Secure by Design, network security, and ISP services including home working solutions.
Who it’s for: Suppliers delivering managed WAN services, SD-WAN, or connectivity infrastructure to enterprise and public sector organisations.
Worth knowing: GCA has expanded the scope compared to NS3 to include a greater emphasis on network security and zero trust. If your WAN offering has a strong security component, make sure your evidence reflects that.
Lot 2 – Local Connectivity Services (LAN)
What it covers: Local area network infrastructure and services including wired and wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, 5G, wired/wireless/hybrid connectivity, network security, Zero Trust, and environmental access control.
Who it’s for: Suppliers providing LAN infrastructure, managed Wi-Fi, or on-site network services to public sector buildings and campuses.
Worth knowing: Many suppliers apply for both Lots 1 and 2 where their portfolio spans WAN and LAN — but make sure your Technical Ability Certificate (TAC) evidence is distinct for each. You cannot use the same contract as your TAC across multiple lots.
Lot 3 – Voice and Unified Communications
What it covers: IP telephony, unified communications platforms, CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service), audio/video conferencing, inbound telephony, analogue-to-digital transition, and on-premises, cloud or hybrid delivery.
Who it’s for: Suppliers delivering VoIP, hosted telephony, UCaaS platforms, or collaboration solutions. If you were on the NS3 Digital Communication Services, CPaaS or Inbound Telephony lots, this is where you’ll be applying in NS4.
Worth knowing: This lot consolidates several NS3 categories, which means a wider competitive field. Strong evidence of enterprise-scale voice deployments — particularly in public sector — will be important.
Lot 4 – Contact Centre Services
What it covers: Hardware and software for inbound and outbound contact centre management, omnichannel platforms, IVR, ACD, call transcription, sentiment tools, and associated managed services. Note: this lot does not cover outsourced staffing.
Who it’s for: Suppliers of contact centre technology and services — whether that’s a CCaaS platform, managed contact centre service, or contact centre infrastructure. NHS, local authority and central government contact centres are significant buyers.
Worth knowing: This lot carried through from NS3 largely intact. If you have strong public sector contact centre references — particularly in health or local government — they’ll carry real weight here.
Lot 5 – IoT and Connected Places (inc. Security and CCTV)
What it covers: Smart spaces, IoT sensors, CCTV, access control, Digital Twins, data analytics, predictive maintenance, and all forms of connectivity between sensors and cloud-based or on-premise data platforms. Covers 5G, LPWAN and other WAN connectivity technologies in a field device context.
Who it’s for: Suppliers delivering IoT platforms, smart building solutions, CCTV infrastructure, environmental sensors, or connected place technology.
Worth knowing: GCA have acknowledged that the qualification threshold for this lot is currently set very high, and they are actively seeking feedback before the ITT drops. If you’re in the IoT space and concerned about the threshold, email networkservices@gca.gov.uk directly — they have said they’re open to reconsidering it before the ITT publishes.
Lot 6 – Critical Domain Services
What it covers: Domain registry for nationally critical public sector domains (.gov.uk, .nhs.uk, .police.uk), DNS, DNSSEC, and registrar management.
Who it’s for: Suppliers with experience delivering secure domain and DNS services into government environments.
Worth knowing: This is a specialist lot with a focused buyer base — primarily central government departments. If you don’t have direct experience in government domain services, this is unlikely to be the right lot for your business.
Lot 7 – Messaging, Paging and Alerting Services
What it covers: Tone, numeric or word-based messaging, paging and alerting services, local, national and international coverage, bureau services, and messaging services including Rich Communication Services (RCS).
Who it’s for: Suppliers of paging technology, managed alerting services, and messaging platforms. The primary buyer base is NHS (staff paging, on-call systems) and blue light services.
Worth knowing: GCA updated the lot name in August 2026 to include Messaging, reflecting the emerging nature of RCS and similar messaging solutions within this scope. If you supply paging or critical alerting services to healthcare or emergency services, it’s worth considering alongside the Critical Communications lots below.
Lot 8 – Audio Visual Services (NEW)
What it covers: AV and conferencing services including AV installation and design, conferencing recording, hearings, courtrooms, PA systems, collaboration spaces, and meeting room technology. This is a brand new lot — there was no equivalent in NS3.
Who it’s for: AV integrators, managed AV service providers, and technology suppliers delivering room-based video conferencing and collaboration technology.
Worth knowing: If you currently sell AV solutions to the public sector through the Audio Visual DPS (Dynamic Purchasing System), it’s important to understand that NS4 is a completely different procurement route. Being on the AV DPS does not qualify you for NS4. The DPS is open and rolling — NS4 is a closed framework with a single application window. Once it closes, it closes. Read our article on the difference here.
Lots 9a, 9b and 9c – Critical Communications (NEW)
These three lots are brand new to the NS framework family, introduced specifically to support the transition from the Airwave network to the Emergency Services Network (ESN). There is no NS3 equivalent.
Lot 9a — Critical Communications Devices
Devices to support critical communications including ESN, Airwave, TETRA/ESN dual mode, and commercial radio. Covers handsets, mobile radios, satellite-enabled devices, SIM cards, cellular modules, and data plans — but only where these are specifically for use on Critical Communications Networks (ESN, Airwave, TETRA, commercial radio). General commercial cellular connectivity is not in scope here.
Lot 9b — Critical Communications Services
Services to scope, design, build, run and maintain critical communications technologies including ESN, Airwave, TETRA and commercial radio. Covers connectivity services including data plans specifically for Critical Communications Networks. (August update: General cellular connectivity technologies (5G, LPWAN, commercial data plans) have been removed from this lot to avoid conflicts with Lot 1.)
Lot 9c — Critical Communications Software
Operations software for critical communications including ESN, Airwave, TETRA and commercial radio. Covers planning, network management, cryptographic and logging software.
Who they’re for: Suppliers operating in the blue light and emergency services technology space — handset manufacturers, ESN-ready platform providers, connectivity service providers, or software suppliers supporting the ESMCP programme.
Worth knowing: SIM cards and data plans are in scope here, but only where they’re specifically for Critical Communications Networks — ESN, Airwave, TETRA or commercial radio. GCA explicitly removed general commercial cellular connectivity from Lots 9a and 9b in August 2026 to avoid conflicts with Lot 1. If you supply a general-purpose roaming SIM service, there is no clean single-lot fit in NS4 — we’d recommend emailing networkservices@gca.gov.uk for GCA’s view before the ITT drops.
How to decide which lots to apply for
Once you’ve read through the lot descriptions, ask yourself three questions for each one you’re considering:
1. Do we genuinely deliver these services? Not adjacent services, not services we could deliver — services we actually deliver today and have a relevant contract reference for.
2. Do we have a qualifying TAC? Each lot requires a separate Technical Ability Certificate. The contract must have started or been signed after 21st August 2023. It cannot be reused across multiple lots, even with the same customer. Check this now — before the ITT drops.
3. Does our evidence specifically match this lot’s scope? A WAN reference won’t answer a contact centre question. Make sure the evidence you’re planning to use maps to the lot’s services directly, not to a related area you’ve stretched to fit.
If the answer to all three is yes, it’s a strong candidate. If you’re stretching on any of them, it’s probably not the right lot for this application.
What comes next
The ITT opens 21st August. Applications close 2nd October. That’s six weeks from ITT to deadline — and the preparation you do before the window opens is what determines whether that’s enough time.
If you’d like to talk through which lots are right for your business, whether your contracts qualify as TACs, and what a strong NS4 application looks like, our team can help.
Book a free chat with our team to talk through your NS4 lot selection.
