G-Cloud is THE place to be for companies who are selling their cloud-based solutions to the UK government. Since its first iteration in 2012, £15 billion of sales have been made through the framework. 39% of this spend has been through SME providers. Now in its 13th iteration, G-Cloud 14 is due to open for applications in 2024 – here’s everything you need to know.
Who is G-Cloud 14 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.
What’s the G-Cloud 14 framework structure?
G-Cloud 14 will continue with the structure introduced during the 13th iteration. This structure is:
- Lot 1 – Cloud Hosting (IaaS and PaaS): Cloud platform or infrastructure services that help the public sector: deploy, manage and run software, storage, network usage and more.
- Lot 2 – Cloud Software (SaaS): This Lot is for software that is typically accessed over a public or private network e.g. the internet and hosted in the cloud.
- Lot 3 – Cloud Support: This is for the supply of support services regarding cloud hosting or cloud software. It is also suitable for maintaining buyers’ cloud infrastructures, migration services and ongoing support.
- Lot 4 – End-to-end cloud services: This is for larger-scale transition projects, that feature planning, setup, migration, security services, ongoing support and more. Unlike Lots 1-3, Lot 4 does not feature direct award capability. It all sits separately from the other Lots – and includes a bit more in its application.
You can read more about why Lot 4 was introduced here.
Need to know more about how G-Cloud works? Here’s our Ultimate Guide to G-Cloud.
When does G-Cloud 14 open for applications?
Crown Commercial Service confirmed a G-Cloud 13 extension in June 2023. This means the framework will operate for another year until 8th November 2024.
Applications for G-Cloud 14 opened on Monday 19th February and are currently ongoing. Framework award will take place in the summer of 2024.
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
BE AWARE!
We’ve had confirmation that suppliers can’t just resubmit. Due to Procurement Act 2023 changes, the Selection Questionnaire has been readjusted to follow new guidance. This means there are new questions, including financial criteria that you’ll need to meet (which will be confirmed with the ITT).
SO, don’t think you can leave it until the last minute to reapply. You’ll need to do a bit more work than that!
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.
For more in-depth info on how the G-Cloud framework works, you can visit our Ultimate Guide to G-Cloud.
What can I do with this time before G-Cloud 14 opens for applications?
Don’t just sit and wait! First of all, get involved in the crafting of this agreement. CCS typically conduct supplier engagement sessions, which will be promoted closer to the time here.
There’s also plenty else going on in the procurement realm that suppliers can get busy with. 2024 itself is lined up to be a very busy year, with many of the biggest framework openings falling within the same year and plenty of DPSs, too. We recommend preparing for G-Cloud 14 as well as other opportunities now whilst the pipeline is slightly quieter.
