If you’re new to selling technology to the public sector, the world of procurement frameworks can feel a bit like turning up to a party where everyone else seems to know the rules except you. There’s jargon, acronyms, and a lot of talk about “lots.” It can be overwhelming.
So let’s break it down, starting with one of the biggest opportunities in the market right now.
So, what actually is Network Services 4?
Network Services 4 (NS4, RM6377) is a procurement framework run by the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) – the body that manages how the UK public sector buys goods and services.
Think of a framework like a pre-approved shortlist. Instead of every NHS trust, council or government department going out to tender every single time they need to buy something, they use frameworks to find vetted, approved suppliers they can buy from directly (or through a simpler competitive process). It saves buyers time, reduces risk, and keeps procurement legally compliant.
NS4 is specifically for telecoms, connectivity and network-related services. When public sector organisations need to buy things like internet connectivity, voice and communication tools, or network infrastructure, NS4 is one of the main places they’ll go to find a supplier.
And it’s a big deal. NS4 is expected to run for eight years and is estimated to be worth around £7bn in public sector spend. That’s a significant amount of government contracts flowing through one framework.
Who buys through NS4?
Pretty much the full sweep of the UK public sector. We’re talking:
- Central government departments
- NHS trusts and integrated care boards
- Local authorities and councils
- Police and emergency services
- Education institutions, including universities
- Housing associations and other public bodies
If your services are relevant to any of these organisations, NS4 is likely to be a route worth exploring.
What services does it cover?
NS4 covers a wide range of network and telecoms services, organised into distinct lots. A lot is essentially a category – suppliers apply for the lots that match what they do, and buyers use the relevant lot when they have a requirement.
The current draft lot structure for NS4 includes:
- Internet connectivity services (WAN)
- Local connectivity services (LAN)
- Voice and unified communications
- Contact centre services
- IoT and connected places (including security and CCTV)
- Critical domain services
- Paging and alerting services
- Audio visual services
- Critical communications devices, services and software (three new lots supporting the Emergency Services Network transition)
The final lot structure is subject to confirmation. GCA is still in the pre-ITT engagement phase, but this gives you a solid picture of the landscape.
What’s changed from NS3?
NS4 replaces the previous version of the framework, Network Services 3 (NS3). You don’t need to know the ins and outs of NS3 to understand NS4, but it’s worth knowing that a few key things have changed.
The lot structure has been simplified. NS3 had a complex web of categories and sublots – NS4 streamlines this into a cleaner, more straightforward set of individual lots. Easier for buyers to navigate, easier for suppliers to know where they sit.
Some services have been removed. Analogue telephony is out, reflecting the UK-wide PSTN switch-off. Tactical Radio has also moved to its own dedicated framework. If you were on NS3 under either of those lots, you’ll want to think about where your services fit in the new structure.
And some genuinely new things have been added. The Audio Visual services lot is brand new, covering meeting room tech, collaboration spaces and digital workplace solutions. There are also three new lots specifically designed to support the transition to the Emergency Services Network – a significant addition for suppliers in that space.
Why should you care about getting listed?
Put simply, being on NS4 puts you in front of public sector buyers who are actively looking for what you do, through a channel they trust and use regularly.
Without a framework listing, selling to the public sector is harder. Most public bodies are legally required to run competitive procurement processes for contracts above certain thresholds, and frameworks are one of the main ways they fulfil that requirement. If you’re not on the framework, you simply can’t be considered for a large proportion of the work.
Being listed also signals credibility. Getting onto NS4 means you’ve been assessed and approved by GCA. For buyers – especially those procuring sensitive network infrastructure – that assurance matters.
What’s the timeline?
There’s no confirmed ITT date yet, but GCA’s own market engagement timeline points to August for the FTS notice, with framework award in February 2027 and the framework running through to February 2035.
The window could open at relatively short notice. If NS4 is relevant to your business, now is a sensible time to start preparing rather than waiting for the ITT to land.
GCA is also running some useful engagement sessions in the run-up to the ITT:
- A virtual market engagement webinar hosted by techUK on 7 July 2026, 3-4pm
- Weekly supplier surgery drop-in sessions throughout July and August — email networkservices@gca.gov.uk with the subject line “Network Services 4 Supplier Surgery” to register
What happens next?
Getting a basic understanding of NS4 is the first step. But knowing the framework exists and actually getting listed — and then winning work through it — are very different things.
If you want to go deeper on what a strong NS4 application looks like, what the qualification requirements involve, and how to turn a framework listing into real pipeline, we’ve written a full guide for exactly that: Network Services 4: How to Get Listed and Win Government Tenders.
Or if you’d rather just have a conversation about whether NS4 is right for your business and what getting ready looks like in practice, our team is happy to help.
Book a free chat with us to talk through your NS4 opportunity.
