In light of the hotly anticipated Government G-Cloud 13 tender framework – which opened for applications Wednesday 9th March – we look at how to maximise the consequent opportunities for SMEs.
What is G-Cloud 13?
G-Cloud 13 is the Government’s flagship framework for the purchase of tech and software-based solutions. There is huge anticipation for this opening, since the G-Cloud has been closed for the last 18 months.
G-Cloud 13 has four Lots:
- Lot 1 Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Lot 2 Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Lot 3 Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Lot 4 Specialists Cloud Services (SCS)
The range and scope of work provides significant opportunities for innovative software providers across the UK.
Businesses already on the framework will need to re-apply to join, even if they are currently on G-Cloud 12. The benefit of being on this framework, is that organisations don’t have to go through a lengthy procurement or tender process every time they want to apply to carry out services for the Government.
What Does G-Cloud 13 Mean for SMEs?
In an era where technology solutions have progressed faster than ever, the desire from innovative companies to get their products and services in front of public sector buyers, has never been greater.
Tim Ward, CEO of OPPORTUNI, a SaaS solution for matching businesses with government contracts said, “G-Cloud is essentially a way of being pre-approved as a potential supplier to public sector bodies. Launched in 2012 to support public sector digital transformation, the framework has supported the effective spending of over £10billion pounds of public money, with £4billion of this going directly to small to medium businesses.”
“In my opinion, the G-Cloud framework is one of the greatest innovations in public sector procurement, making contracts much more accessible. If you are a tech business or have a SaaS business, you should give serious consideration to this opportunity.”
How Can SMEs Best Apply to be Accepted onto this Frame?
OPPORTUNI has recently launched BidNow – a service to help companies benefit from the long-term stability of winning public sector contracts tapping in to the £290 billion of annual government spend across all sectors.
BidNow aims to find the most aspirational businesses in the UK and, through an annual membership, provide them with unlimited no win, no fee bid support.
Tim Ward explains, “We are on a mission to revolutionise the way public sector contracts are won and redirect over £14 billion a year to SMEs. With our tools such as BidNow, businesses can access unlimited bid alerts and bid writing – taking all the hassle and time issues away and leaving the results they need”.
For further information https://www.gov.uk/guidance/g-cloud-suppliers-guide
