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 in the 6 weeks before applications close on 2nd October.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| ITT issued | 21st August 2026 |
| Clarification period opens | 21st August 2026 |
| Deadline for submission of clarification questions | 15:00 11th September 2026 |
| GCA responses to clarification questions | 25th September 2026 |
| Tender submission deadline | 15:00 2nd October 2026 |
| Assessment summaries issued | 22nd February 2027 |
| Contract award notice published and commencement of 8 working day standstill period | 22nd February 2027 |
| End of standstill period | Midnight end of 3rd March 2027 |
| Award of framework contracts | 4th March 2027 |
| Framework contract start date | 4th March 2027 |
| Contract details notice and copy of the framework contract published | Published on Find a Tender within 30 days of the contract award notice publication date |
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: Lot 5 requires one qualifying TAC with a TCV of at least £50k, one of the lower thresholds across the framework, so this lot is genuinely accessible if you have relevant delivery experience.
Lot 6 – Critical Domain Services
What it covers: Domain registry for nationally critical public sector domains (.gov.uk, .nhs.uk, .police.uk). The confirmed spec sets a high bar here: registry services for at least 3,000 domains, 99.999% availability (no more than 5 minutes 15 seconds downtime a year), and geographically resilient data centres with defined separation across regions. Named Critical Registry Functions include DNS resolution, SRS, WHOIS/RDAP, registry data escrow, DNSSEC-signed zones, registrar billing, IDN tables and registry lock.
Who it’s for: Suppliers with experience delivering secure domain and DNS services into government environments.
Worth knowing: This is the most demanding lot in the framework, requiring 3 TACs (more than any other lot) with a TCV threshold of £150k each, and FVRA Gold financial standing. Only pursue this lot if you can genuinely evidence delivery at this scale.
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 works differently; applications are open now, but only for this one window, closing 2nd October. Once it closes, there’s no rolling admission for the rest of the framework’s term. 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.
(12th August update: General cellular connectivity technologies (5G, LPWAN, commercial data plans) have been removed from this lot to avoid conflicts with Lot 1.)
(21st August ITT update: Lot 9b now explicitly covers de-installation and re-installation, not just installation, including in vehicles, control rooms and other mission-critical environments.)
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.
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? The contract must have started or been signed after 21st August 2023, and cannot be reused across multiple lots. The number required and minimum contract value (TCV) varies by lot:
Lots 1 and 2: 2 TACs each (£80k TCV for Lot 1, £100k for Lot 2) Lot 3: 1 TAC, £90k TCV Lot 4: 1 TAC, £70k TCV Lots 5 and 8: 1 TAC, £50k TCV Lot 6: 3 TACs, £150k TCV each Lot 7: 1 TAC, £10k TCV Lot 9a: 1 TAC, £150k TCV Lots 9b and 9c: 1 TAC, £100k TCV
Check this now, before you commit time to drafting your response.
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
Applications are open now and close 2nd October at 15:00. That’s a 6-week window, and how you use it from here determines whether you get a strong application in on 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.
