Out-Law News 1 min. read

Latest G-Cloud framework goes live


Nearly 20,000 IT products and services offered by more than 1,800 suppliers can now be bought by public sector organisations through the 'G-Cloud' framework, the UK government has announced.

The G-Cloud scheme allows public sector bodies to gain access to cloud-based IT services being offered by a selected list of pre-approved suppliers during a set period. The sixth version of the framework (G-Cloud 6) was launched earlier this week.

Central government departments and other public sector organisations that wish to procure IT products and services through the G-Cloud can select what solutions they want via an online platform called the 'Digital Marketplace'. Central government departments are subject to a 'cloud first' policy that requires them to consider cloud-based IT solutions before other options.

Government Digital Service, which is part of the UK government's Cabinet Office department, said that 1,852 businesses now supply 19,966 services via the Digital Marketplace. Of those companies, 87% are SMEs, it said.

"G-Cloud 6 has been the most effective iteration for attracting new suppliers, with 516 new to the framework," Government Digital Service said.

Since 1 October last year, central government departments have been subject to a new procurement policy that requires them to only contract with suppliers that comply with, and are accredited under, a cyber security framework backed by the Cabinet Office in many instances.

Under the policy, suppliers involved with processing or storing personal data or those supplying IT systems or services to departments handling 'official' government data are, subject to limited exceptions, obliged to comply with the standards set out under the Cyber Essentials scheme.

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