Advice Cloud

G-Cloud experts and government procurement consultants

0330 124 4224

  • About
  • For Suppliers
    • For Suppliers
    • Our Framework Services
      • G-Cloud
      • Digital Outcomes & Specialists
      • Technology Services
      • Transport Technology & Associated Services
      • Medical IT
      • Network Services
      • Technology Products
      • Data and Application Solutions
      • Other Frameworks
    • Our Support Services
      • Buyability™ Review Service
      • Win with G-Cloud
      • Win with DOS
      • Win Public Sector Business
      • Win Central Government Business
    • Our DPS Services
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Cyber Security Services
      • Automation Marketplace
      • Spark Technology Innovation Marketplace
      • IoT Technologies Services
      • Digital Technology Services
      • Quality Assurance and Testing for IT Systems
      • Gigabit Capable Connectivity
      • YPO Care Technology
      • HSCN Access Services
    • Why Choose Us?
      • Case Studies
      • Our Experience
      • Our Process
  • For Buyers
    • For Buyers
    • Our Services
      • G-Cloud Support Desk
      • G-Cloud Procurement Services
      • Digital Outcomes and Specialists
      • General Support Services
      • UKCloud Health services
    • Why choose us
      • Our Experience
  • Training
  • Spend data
    • Spend data
    • Spend Data
      • G-Cloud Sales
      • Digital Outcomes and Specialists and Digital Services Sales
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Procurement Essentials
      • Procurement 101
      • What is a Framework?
      • What is a Dynamic Purchasing System?
    • Ultimate Guides
      • Ultimate Guide to G-Cloud
      • Ultimate Guide to Digital Outcomes and Specialists
    • Tools
      • G-Cloud Sales
      • DOS and Digital Services Sales
      • Procurement Pipeline
      • Framework Alert
    • Resources
      • Blogs
      • G-Cloud
      • DOS
      • Business Guides
      • Expert Insights
      • Research
      • Events
      • Press
      • Videos
      • Announcements
  • Contact Us
G-CloudDigital Outcomes & SpecialistsTechnology ServicesTransport Technology & Associated ServicesMedical ITNetwork ServicesTechnology ProductsData and Application SolutionsOther Frameworks

Making the most of Digital Outcomes & Specialists 5

Join our upcoming webinar, on Thursday 11th February, 11am until 12noon, to learn how to use DOS5 to win more public sector business.

REGISTER

Buyability™ Review ServiceWin with G-CloudWin with DOSWin Public Sector BusinessWin Central Government Business

Making the most of Digital Outcomes & Specialists 5

Join our upcoming webinar, on Thursday 11th February, 11am until 12noon, to learn how to use DOS5 to win more public sector business.

REGISTER

Artificial IntelligenceCyber Security ServicesAutomation MarketplaceSpark Technology Innovation MarketplaceIoT Technologies ServicesDigital Technology ServicesQuality Assurance and Testing for IT SystemsGigabit Capable ConnectivityYPO Care TechnologyHSCN Access Services

Making the most of Digital Outcomes & Specialists 5

Join our upcoming webinar, on Thursday 11th February, 11am until 12noon, to learn how to use DOS5 to win more public sector business.

REGISTER

Case StudiesOur ExperienceOur Process

Making the most of Digital Outcomes & Specialists 5

Join our upcoming webinar, on Thursday 11th February, 11am until 12noon, to learn how to use DOS5 to win more public sector business.

REGISTER

G-Cloud Support DeskG-Cloud Procurement ServicesDigital Outcomes and SpecialistsGeneral Support ServicesUKCloud Health services

Read our 'Social Value in IT procurement' White Paper!

Social Value seems to be the hot procurement topic at the moment. But, what is it and does it have a place within IT and Digital procurement? Download our free White Paper.

READ NOW

Our Experience

Read our 'Social Value in IT procurement' White Paper!

Social Value seems to be the hot procurement topic at the moment. But, what is it and does it have a place within IT and Digital procurement? Download our free White Paper.

READ NOW

G-Cloud SalesDigital Outcomes and Specialists and Digital Services Sales

Grab a copy of our Public Sector Sales & Marketing Guide!

Our expert advisers and staff have put together this in-depth report to help you get to grips with navigating the Public Sector market. Grab your FREE copy here.

DOWNLOAD

Procurement 101What is a Framework?What is a Dynamic Purchasing System?

Download our free Guide to DOS Tenders!

Get expert advice and tips on how to write winning bids for opportunities on the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework.

DOWNLOAD

Ultimate Guide to G-CloudUltimate Guide to Digital Outcomes and Specialists

Download our free Guide to DOS Tenders!

Get expert advice and tips on how to write winning bids for opportunities on the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework.

DOWNLOAD

G-Cloud SalesDOS and Digital Services SalesProcurement PipelineFramework Alert

Download our free Guide to DOS Tenders!

Get expert advice and tips on how to write winning bids for opportunities on the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework.

DOWNLOAD

BlogsG-CloudDOSBusiness GuidesExpert InsightsResearchEventsPressVideosAnnouncements

Download our free Guide to DOS Tenders!

Get expert advice and tips on how to write winning bids for opportunities on the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework.

DOWNLOAD

Announcements, G-CloudPublished: 31 March 2016

G-Cloud 8 Tender Start Date

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Here at Advice Cloud Towers we have been having some debate as to the start date of the next round of G-Cloud. Cleverly called G-Cloud 8 or GC8 to the initiated. 

 

Here at Advice Cloud Towers we have been having some debate as to the start date of the next round of G-Cloud. Cleverly called G-Cloud 8 or GC8 to the initiated. 

 

One of the main reasons we want to know is so that we can advise our clients looking to submit for GC8 when to plan their workloads. Now our services are estimated to take away about 10 working days effort from a new provider to G-Cloud Lot 3 SAAS submission (our speciality alongside Lot 4 SCS) so this is pretty key to them and us.

 

If you need to use Sales, Marketing, Technical & Security specialists plus third parties (esp if you are a Multi-tenant proper Cloud SAAS provider) talent to get through the 35 day allowed tender period then if you are an SME you will either – not be able to do much meaningful client work during this time, or be working long and late evenings. No matter what the good folk at Crown Commercial Services (CCS) & GDS say about how easy the process is, we consistently get flummoxed & frustrated companies coming to us who have found the whole process mind bogglingly complex and impossible to complete.

 

For the record we think it’s very easy to get listed but not so easy to get a useable / buyable submission on. Not to mention all the other below the iceberg stuff around maximising your investment & opportunity with post award marketing and execution.

 

It’s also one of the many questions we get when companies are looking to outsource their application. When is its due and when will I be able to trade. So we have compiled the following to allow you the reader to make an educated guess and plan your staffs absence from work (or not if you wish to join this merry bunch who used us to deliver their submissions on time, on budget to required quality with very little resource hogged).

 

CCS have announced recently on the Pipeline that G-Cloud 8 is being considered for May 2016.

Planned procurements timetable GC8

Now some of you may have looked at horror at the above timetable with very good reason. Many of our clients are resellers / service providers of large vendors such as Avaya, Alcatel Lucent, Cisco & more who have a Cloud business arm alongside traditional “product”. CCS have been actively engaging the market to suggest that TP2 (RM1054s replacement) is going to be opened G-Cloud style to the market thereby punching the usual suspect large resellers firmly in the (ahem) wallet. To misquote Seinfield – “No Pass Through for You!”

 

So it makes sense to take a look at previous iterations of G-Cloud to see the total days it took from OJEU (technical name for the Tender submission period opening) launching to close.

 

Framework

OJEU Date

Live Date

Total Days

G-Cloud 4

06/08/2013

29/10/2013

84

G-Cloud 5

25/02/2014

23/05/2014

87

G-Cloud 6

06/11/2014

02/02/2015

88

G-Cloud 7

01/09/2015

23/11/2015

83

So on average you’re looking at a total tender period of 85 days from open to go live.

The Digital Marketing team usually like to run their engagement days (usually via the ever excellent TechUK) just before or at the start of the tender period and run them nationally. Now to be clear – there is no need to go to them all. You will learn nothing new as under the EU procurement rules all bidders must be treated equally and fairly. Don’t bother- we don’t!

Working on the premise that as G-Cloud 6 expires on 1st August, its replacement G-Cloud 8 must be live on the Digital Marketplace by then. Given that school holidays will be firmly in place as well I would imagine that no-one in Aviation House (unless they’re contractors with a desire for divorce and weekend visitation) will be interested in a mid-August go-live.

Consequently we’ve done the maths so you don’t have to:

OJEU dates GC8

However there are more variables at play here. The much lauded for ease of getting onto Digital Outcomes & Specialists framework has suffered something of a delay. It was due to go-live 29th Feb but is currently aimed at Mid – April. Many Lot 4 G-Cloud suppliers are on DOS so are following this with baited breath given that many more delays on this will hit their pipeline of work and ability to resource G-Cloud 8.

Also at a recent event the ever helpful (and we mean this, we love these guys) Digital Marketplace team suggested Mid May for GC8. Looking at the above timetable that would mean G-Cloud 8’s tender being run in record time. Not unachievable but still to lop up to two weeks off of the standard 83-85 day timetable is still pushing things.

Ok so get to the blinking point I hear you breathe – when do you think it will be out. Ideally it would be on or about 9th May. However that’s not mid-May. According to Sod’s law it will be…

22nd May

Why? Because that’s also Farthing jnr #2’s due date. There, I’ve managed to get that into conversation again. It really does help soothe the nerves you now.  So what do you think? If it is the 22nd is Claud or Claudia a suitable name for a baby?

Footnote. If you really don’t fancy doing the heavy lifting and wish to join our merry band of successful companies not only listed but (in the main) selling on G-Cloud the please contact us now. Save your company 10 working days (as opposed to 2 when using our services).

Share

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Tags: Advice Cloud, Advice Cloud Chris Farthing, G-Cloud, G-Cloud 8

Advice Cloud Latest

  • DOS5 is now Live!
  • Webinar: Making the most of Digital Outcomes and Specialists 5
  • New year, new public sector strategy?
  • Technology Services 3 is now closed
  • What is Find a Tender?
Tweets by @AdviceCloud

Related Posts

  • Introducing our new Operations Assistant, Morgan!

    Morgan has recently joined the Client Delivery Team here at Team AC, during our busy G-Cloud period.

    Read more
  • G-Cloud application roadmap

    [Infographic] G-Cloud Application Roadmap

    We've updated our G-Cloud application roadmap! It features the key steps to getting your application completed in time, and how long each step should take.

    Read more
  • About
  • For Suppliers
  • For Buyers
  • Training
  • Spend data
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie policy
  • © 2021 Advice Cloud
wiredsussexchambermembertechukcrownsupplierSussex Business Awards 29Brighton and Hove living wageCyber Essentials CertifiedInnopsis

Advice Cloud Limited | Registered in England | Company Registration no 05776223
Registered Office: Advice Cloud Ltd, 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1AL

We use cookies to improve your website experience. For example we use cookies to show you relevant webinars, content etc.

We have placed cookies on your device to help make our website better. Some of the cookies we use are essential for our website to work.

We also use some non-essential cookies to collect information to provide you with a better experience and to improve Our Site by better understanding how you use it.

You can use this tool to change your cookie settings.

To control third party cookies, you can also adjust your browser settings.