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Guidance: Applying to the G-Cloud framework

Crown Commercial Service

February 19
10:35 2024

You need to apply to sell your services on the G-Cloud framework.

A framework is an agreement between suppliers and government. All suppliers agree to the same terms when they apply.

Who can apply

All suppliers of cloud services can apply to sell on the G-Cloud framework. You do not need to be based in the UK.

Services you can sell

Cloud hosting

For example, content delivery networks or load balancing services. Youll need to supply in at least one of these categories:

  • archiving, backup and disaster recovery
  • compute and application hosting
  • container service
  • content delivery network
  • database
  • NoSQL database
  • relational database
  • data warehousing
  • load balancing
  • logging and analysis
  • message queuing and processing
  • networking (including Network as a Service)
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  • infrastructure and platform security
  • distributed denial of service attack (DDOS) protection
  • firewall
  • intrusion detection
  • protective monitoring
  • search
  • storage
  • block storage
  • object storage

Cloud software

For example, accounting tools or customer service management software. Youll need to supply in at least one of these categories:

  • accounting and finance
  • analytics and business intelligence
  • application security
  • collaborative working
  • creative, design and publishing
  • customer relationship management (CRM)
  • electronic document and records management (EDRM)
  • healthcare
  • human resources and employee management
  • information and communication technology (ICT)
  • legal and enforcement
  • marketing
  • operations management
  • project management and planning
  • sales
  • schools, education and libraries
  • software development tools
  • transport and logistics

Cloud support

For example, migration services or ongoing support. Youll need to supply at least one of these categories:

Cloud Migration Planning

Provides planning services to enable you to move to cloud software and/or hosting services.

Set Up and Migration

Provides setup and migration services which includes the process of consolidating and transferring a collection of workloads. Workloads can include:

  • emails
  • files
  • calendars
  • document types
  • related metadata
  • instant messages
  • applications
  • user permissions
  • compound structure and linked components

Security Services

Protects service against security threats. Also provides services to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of services and information.

Quality Assurance and Performance Testing

Continuously ensures that a service does what its supposed to do and meets your users needs efficiently and reliably.

Training

Provides training to ensure your organisation has the ability to optimise the use of cloud based software and services. Also includes training for cloud security management and other cloud and virtualisation topics.

Ongoing Support

Supports user needs by providing help before, during and after providing the service.

When to apply

The new G-Cloud framework timetable is published a few weeks ahead of the application opening date. Find out what to do and when for G-Cloud 14.

To get notifications about framework updates, sign up for emails.

How to apply to G-Cloud 13 lots 1, 2 or 3

If you already sell on G-Cloud 13 you will still need to apply to sell on G-Cloud 14. All G-Cloud 13 services will be removed when the G-Cloud 13 framework agreement expires.

You are not able to reuse your G-Cloud 13 declaration question responses and will need to respond to each question within the application.

You will be able to reuse G-Cloud 13 service question responses (unless the question has changed) along with service descriptions, features and benefits.

You should check your responses and make any necessary changes for G-Cloud 14. You will need to upload your service documents again.

If youre a new supplier, youll need to create an account on the Digital Marketplace to apply.

Log in or create an account on the Digital Marketplace.

Documents you need to include

To apply for G-Cloud 13 lots 1, 2 or 3 youll need to supply the following documents:

  • pricing document
  • terms and conditions document (specific to that service)
  • service definition document

You can also add:

  • Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) rate card
  • modern slavery statement

Your documents should:

  • meet accessibility standards
  • be in Open Document Format (ODF)
  • have a maximum file size of 5MB

Read the guidance on creating accessible documents.

Pricing document

Your pricing document must include:

  • the service price, including unit prices, volume discounts and data extraction costs
  • prices for extra services

Your pricing must not include Price on Application (POA), price ranges or prices from. For example you must not say prices from X.

Terms and conditions

The service terms and conditions you provide cannot be changed while the framework is live.There can only be one set of terms and conditions.

Service definition document

You are required to provide a service definition document about how your service works. A service definition document may include detailed information about:

  • what the service is
  • the levels of data backup and restore, and disaster recovery youll provide, such as business continuity and disaster recovery plans
  • any onboarding and offboarding support you provide
  • service constraints like maintenance windows or the level of customisation allowed
  • service levels like performance, availability and support hours
  • after sales support
  • any technical requirements
  • outage and maintenance management
  • hosting options and locations
  • access to data (upon exit)
  • security

Your service definition document will be on your service page on the Digital Marketplace but it will not be indexed by search.

Do not include links marketing the service or pricing information. You can refer to your website.

How to submit a tender for G-Cloud 14 Lot 4

The scope for G-Cloud 14 Lot 4 is the same as the scope for lot 3 Cloud Support above. G-Cloud 14 lot 4 is for further competition only.

To find out more about G-Cloud 14 lot 4, visit the G-Cloud 14 lot 4 webpage

If you need help to apply for the G-Cloud 14 framework, contact CCS

Crown Commercial Service
cloud_digital@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Published 24 September 2013
Last updated 19 February 2024 +show all updates
  1. Updated the following sections:- how to apply- when to apply- cloud support- pricing document

  2. Updated with information about which documents you'll

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