Suppliers invited to apply to participate in new government IT framework

The Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework is scheduled to become operational on 29 February 2016, but the UK government has called on businesses able to supply at least one of four categories of service to apply to join the framework now.

Companies that can "provide teams to build and support a digital service" are among those encouraged to apply for work under the framework, according to a post on the government's Digital Marketplace blog.

An October entry to the blog explained in more detail what criteria prospective "digital outcomes suppliers" must fulfil to be eligible to apply for work under the framework.

"Digital outcomes suppliers must provide at least one of the following in relation to building digital services: user experience and design; performance analysis and data; security; service delivery; service development; support and operations; testing and auditing; user research," the blog said.

Digital specialists and businesses that can help deliver either participants for or facilities for use in research projects on new digital services in the public sector are also being invited to apply to the new framework.

Digital specialists are "suppliers who can provide individual specialists to deliver a specific outcome with defined deliverables on a service, programme or project", according to the Digital Marketplace blog. Suppliers must be able to provide experts skilled in at least one of a list of specialisms that range from cyber security specialists to designers, developers and technical architects to be eligible for work under that strand of the new framework.

"Under the new framework, most of the supplier evaluation will be done by buyers when suppliers respond to a brief for a specific piece of work," according to the Digital Marketplace blog entry on 27 October. "However, buyers may use the information that suppliers provide on their services in their application to help them evaluate. There will not be a cap on the number of suppliers on the framework."

In his Autumn Statement and Spending Review announcement, UK chancellor George Osborne outlined plans to harness digital technology to transform public services and deliver efficiencies.

"Increased outsourcing and offshoring, greater use of shared services, and alternative commercial and contract models are likely to be means by which spending can be streamlined, but it’s going to require flexibility and a willingness to adapt by both government and its suppliers," expert in IT contracts Simon Colvin of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said at the time.