G-Cloud 13 is now closed to supplier applications!
The biggest framework this year has just met its deadline! Now that G-Cloud applications are in, what should suppliers do next?
As of today, Wednesday 18th May, G-Cloud 13 will no longer be accepting supplier applications. The deadline was 3pm, so anyone who wanted to get on should have finalised their applications long before.
We’re expecting to see G-Cloud 13 go live on 8th September 2022 for Lots 1-3. Suppliers who submitted on time will be notified if they were successful by the 26th August. So keep an eye on your emails!
What can I do now that my G-Cloud 13 application is submitted?
We have a little while now until G-Cloud 13 goes live – below is a refresher of the proposed timeline.
Lots 1-3
| Activity | When? |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | Weds 9th March 2022 |
| Clarification Questions Close | 14th April 2022 |
| Applications Close | Weds 18th May |
| Award | Weds 7th September |
| go-Live | Thurs 8th September 2022 |
Lot 4
| Activity | When? |
|---|---|
| Applications (ITT) opens | Weds 9th March 2022 |
| Clarification questions close | Tues 14th April |
| Application deadline | Weds 18th May |
| Award | Fri 21st October |
| go-Live | Mon 24th October 2022 |
There are a few things suppliers can do in anticipation of being awarded a contract. Most importantly, we recommend making sure you know the framework inside-out! It’s crucial there’s a good understanding of the framework across your organisation. For example, if your sales team don’t understand how it works, how can they let buyers know you can be procured through it? Once you show public sector bodies how they can save time and effort when buying your services, they’ll be more inclined to work with you.
There’s a lot of work that goes into a public sector strategy. Getting on to a framework, even one as big as G-Cloud, should never be an end goal. Instead, it should be a major step in your overall journey. It is an enabler for sales and success, not a guarantee.
We’ve said it time and time again, getting listed does not ensure business. You still need to incorporate G-Cloud into your Sales and Marketing Strategy. Getting to this point may require attending events, working on your social media strategy, seeking training for your teams, sharing knowledge throughout your organisation and perhaps involving members of various teams in planning your G-Cloud strategy.
But my application might not be successful?
Spending all this time on G-Cloud 13 might seem excessive when you don’t yet know if your application was successful. Doing your preparation for the framework going Live will benefit your wider public sector strategy. What you learn about this framework will be very similar to other frameworks from Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and other organisations, too. Making sure your sales and marketing teams are ready and know how your routes to market work properly can help with your wider public strategy and other frameworks you might use.
We’ve spoken a lot about how to construct a great strategy, and also about public sector sales and marketing strategies, so we won’t go too much into depth here. However, it’s important to get this right so we really recommend checking out those linked resources. If you’re successful, G-Cloud 13 will play a part in this overall strategy!
Don’t stop there!
If there are other frameworks or Dynamic Purchasing Systems relevant to you, get listed on them. Despite it being the biggest framework, not all buyers will use G-Cloud. There may be a crossover with other frameworks in CCS’s pipeline and they may look there too. You’ll miss out if you’re not listed on the frameworks – it’s as easy as that! Suppliers should always be looking at all the best routes to market, especially during this free time before G-Cloud 13 results are announced.
If you want to stay on top of key technology frameworks that come out in future, then you can sign up for our Framework Alert service here.
So there you go. The main takeaway is don’t sit around waiting for the results of your application. Get preparing and get ready to start winning public sector business!
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