Procurement intelligence
G-Cloud 15: what's changing and how to get on it
The biggest G-Cloud redesign in a decade, and the first under the Procurement Act 2023. What is changing, the key dates, and what the spend data shows SMEs.
Skim · Built on Skim's live UK procurement database25 June 202613 min read
Framework details from Crown Commercial Service (RM1557.15) and published legal and trade analysis. Spend figures from Crown Commercial Service Digital Marketplace spend data, 2023/24 and 2024/25. Call-off examples drawn from UK public award notices on Contracts Finder and the Find a Tender Service.
What is G-Cloud, and why it still matters
G-Cloud is a pre-approved catalogue framework run by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). Suppliers list their cloud services once; public sector buyers then browse the catalogue and buy directly, without running a full procurement exercise for every purchase. It has been the main route for buying cloud-based technology in UK government since it launched in 2012.
For a supplier, that is a permanent shopfront in front of more than 30,000 public sector organisations: councils, NHS trusts, central departments, police forces and more. Around nine in ten of the suppliers on it are small and medium-sized businesses.
30,000+
Government Technology, G-Cloud 14
~90%
Crown Commercial Service
The headline numbers explain why it is worth the effort to get on it:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Cumulative spend since 2012 | More than £16bn |
| G-Cloud sales, 2024/25 | £2.91bn |
| Suppliers on G-Cloud 14 | 4,000+ |
| Share that are SMEs | ~90% |
| SME share of G-Cloud spend, 2023/24 | 44% (£1.32bn) |
| Buyers able to use the framework | 30,000+ |
Figures from Crown Commercial Service and Government Technology. G-Cloud 15 (reference RM1557.15) is not a routine refresh. It is the first iteration let under the Procurement Act 2023, it folds in the separate cloud-hosting framework, and it raises the compliance bar in ways that change who can realistically take part.
The spend picture: what the data shows
Across the whole Digital Marketplace, which combines G-Cloud with the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) framework, spend reached £4.56bn in 2023/24, up 4% on the year before.
£4.56bn
CCS Digital Marketplace spend data
| Year | Digital Marketplace spend | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | £4.38bn | +9% |
| 2023/24 | £4.56bn | +4% |
The growth is slowing, and the detail matters more than the total. G-Cloud spend alone was roughly £2.99bn in 2023/24, down about 1% in cash terms and below the rate of inflation, so it fell in real terms even as the wider Digital Marketplace grew. Most of the money is not software at all: professional services (cloud support plus DOS) account for 71% of Digital Marketplace spend, while software is about 10.5%.
71%
CCS Digital Marketplace spend data
The software slice is small but moving in the right direction for smaller suppliers. Cloud software spend grew 6% in 2023/24, and SMEs took 53% of it. If you sell SaaS, the SME opportunity is real and growing.
“Most of the money on this framework buys people, not products. The software market is smaller, but it is the one where SMEs already win the majority of spend.”
Where the money goes: departments and suppliers
Following the budget is the fastest way to decide who to target. These were the biggest-spending departments across the Digital Marketplace in 2023/24.
| Department | Spend, 2023/24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Home Office | £522m | −1% |
| Ministry of Defence | £499m | +14% |
| Health and Social Care | £417m | 0% |
| HMRC | £349m | −13% |
| DWP | £341m | +15% |
| Ministry of Justice | £276m | −7% |
| Cabinet Office | £233m | +29% |
The Cabinet Office grew 29% in a single year and the Ministry of Defence 14%, both driven by digital transformation work. At the other end, large enterprises still dominate the supplier league table.
| Supplier | Spend, 2023/24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | £250m | +5% |
| Capgemini | £182m | +6% |
| IBM | £120m | +26% |
| PA Consulting | £116m | +13% |
| Deloitte | £112m | −8% |
Figures from Crown Commercial Service Digital Marketplace spend data, 2023/24.
What's changing in G-Cloud 15
G-Cloud 15 is the biggest redesign of the framework in a decade. It replaces G-Cloud 14, absorbs the old G-Cloud 14 Lot 4 for bespoke services, and folds in the separate Cloud Compute 2 framework, which had spent only £10.8m against a £1.35bn valuation. That consolidation reshapes the lots.
£10.8m
Computer Weekly
| Lot | Scope | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 1a | Cloud hosting: IaaS and PaaS at OFFICIAL | New split from the old single hosting lot |
| 1b | Cloud hosting above OFFICIAL | New: absorbs the former Cloud Compute 2 framework |
| 2a | Infrastructure software (I-SaaS) | New sub-division of cloud software |
| 2b | All other software (SaaS) | Replaces the previous Cloud Software lot |
| 3 | Cloud support and managed services | Broadly unchanged |
Lot 4, the route for bespoke services through a mini-competition, has been abolished. Those requirements now run through direct award or further competition under the main lots.
The compliance bar is rising
The bigger change is in what it now takes to qualify, especially for the cloud-hosting lots.
| Requirement | G-Cloud 14 | G-Cloud 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Essentials | Not mandatory | Mandatory for all lots |
| Cyber Essentials Plus | Not required | Mandatory for Lots 1a and 1b |
| ISO 9001, 20000-1, 27001, 27017, 27018 | Optional | Mandatory for the hosting lots (1a and 1b) |
| Financial vetting | Credit check | Gold Standard assessment for Lots 1a and 1b |
| Lot 1b insurance | About £7m | £75m minimum |
| Call-off term | Up to 36 months | Up to 5 years (1a/1b) or 4 years (others), extendable |
| Framework type | Closed | Open: reopens about 18 months after go-live |
| Evaluation | Pass or fail, plus price | Quality, price and social value, all scored |
£75m
Computer Weekly
The accreditation requirements drew real pushback. CCS softened its position: suppliers who do not yet hold the certifications can evidence that they have begun the process by the application deadline, with full certification needed before services go live. Even so, one trade report ran under the headline that CCS was under fire over "anti-SME" requirements for the hosting lots, where the £75m insurance floor and the ISO bundle put Lots 1a and 1b out of reach for most smaller providers. The direction of travel is clear: the bar is rising.
Key dates and the open-framework window
Applications for the first round have already closed. The value now is in understanding the timetable and the open-framework model, which is new to G-Cloud.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Find a Tender notice and ITT published | 23 October 2025 |
| Applications closed | 30 January 2026 |
| Framework award | 6 August 2026 |
| Expected go-live | Autumn 2026 |
| First re-opening window | About 18 months after go-live |
The award date is on the CCS framework page as 6 August 2026, although some advisers cite an anticipated award decision of 17 September 2026; treat the CCS date as authoritative and watch for confirmation. The important part for anyone who missed the deadline is the open framework: unlike past G-Cloud iterations, it reopens to new suppliers about 18 months after go-live, roughly early 2028, and that window is also the first time existing suppliers can update their pricing and service descriptions mid-framework.
~18 months
Crown Commercial Service
The application essentials
A submission is a series of pass-or-fail and scored components. The detail sits in the official tender pack, but the shape is consistent.
- Company declaration — legal status, modern slavery statement and social value commitments. This is pass or fail; any gap disqualifies.
- Service listings — each service needs a clear, mandatory service definition document. Vague marketing copy gets rejected; buyers want service levels, onboarding and offboarding, and measurable outcomes.
- Pricing — fixed, transparent pricing with clear volume breakpoints.
- Supplier terms — your terms are submitted once and apply for the framework term, so get them legally reviewed before you submit.
- Financial viability — a credit check for Lots 2a, 2b and 3, and a more detailed Gold Standard assessment for the hosting lots, 1a and 1b.
- Security and quality standards — Cyber Essentials for every lot, plus Cyber Essentials Plus and the full ISO bundle for the hosting lots.
- Social value — now actively scored, not simply collected.
Suppliers on Lots 2a, 2b and 3 have up to 12 months after award to obtain Cyber Essentials, but it has to be in place before then.
Direct award versus further competition
Once you are on the framework, buyers can reach you two ways, and it helps to know which.
- Direct award. The buyer searches the catalogue, identifies a supplier that clearly meets the requirement, and awards without competition. Used for off-the-shelf or lower-value services.
- Further competition. The buyer shortlists suppliers from the framework, issues a scope document, and evaluates against quality, price and social value. Used for more complex or higher-value requirements.
Both routes leave a public trail, which is the basis for the examples below.
Real call-offs won through the framework
Membership is not theoretical. Every completed call-off above the transparency threshold is published as an individual award notice on Contracts Finder or the Find a Tender Service, so the activity is visible if you know where to look. Here is a sample of recent awards, most of them to SME suppliers.
| Buyer | Service | Supplier | Value | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Industry Training Board | Enterprise-architecture software, G-Cloud 14 Lot 2 | Bizzdesign UK (SME) | £120,000 | View |
| Gedling Borough Council | Cloud leisure-management system | Gladstone Leisure MRM (SME) | £251,425 | View |
| Regulator of Social Housing | Secure HR software-as-a-service, G-Cloud 14 | Ciphr (SME) | £167,767 | View |
| Office for National Statistics | WordPress hosting for the Analysis Function site | dxw (SME) | £23,760 | View |
| Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council | AI caseworker assessment tool, direct award | Beam Up | £300,000 | View |
One caveat worth keeping in mind: the value recorded on a call-off notice is often an underestimate of eventual spend, because extensions and usage are not always captured at award.
The SME reality check
G-Cloud's original promise was to break the dominance of a handful of large IT suppliers. Twelve years on, the picture is mixed.
Where SMEs are winning:
- Cloud software. SMEs took 53% of cloud software spend in 2023/24, a clear majority.
- Cloud support. On a like-for-like basis, SME daily rates run about 27% below the average for large enterprises.
- Local and NHS call-offs. Smaller, faster decisions that favour agile suppliers.
53%
CCS Digital Marketplace spend data
Where large enterprises dominate:
- Cloud hosting. Only about 10% of hosting spend went to SMEs in 2023/24, and G-Cloud 15's £75m insurance floor and ISO bundle on Lots 1a and 1b move the goalposts further.
- The top of the table. The biggest suppliers by spend remain the global integrators and consultancies.
10%
CCS Digital Marketplace spend data
The honest read: if you are an SME in SaaS or cloud support, G-Cloud remains one of the best routes to market in UK public procurement. If you are an SME in cloud hosting or IaaS, G-Cloud 15 has moved the goalposts significantly.
What to do now
Whether you are already on G-Cloud 14 or planning for the re-opening window, the actions are the same.
- Audit your compliance gaps. Cyber Essentials is now non-negotiable; the ISO bundle is mandatory if you want the hosting lots.
- Build your reference pipeline. Strong, recent client references take time to line up. Start those conversations now.
- Sharpen your service definitions. Generic marketing copy fails. Buyers need service levels, onboarding and measurable outcomes.
- Prepare your social value narrative. G-Cloud 15 scores it, so it needs to be specific and evidenced, not a statement of intent.
- Track your renewal pipeline. Contracts awarded under G-Cloud 13 and 14 are expiring. Each expiry is a re-bid opportunity, and the earliest signal of one.
- Watch the re-opening window. If you missed January 2026, the framework reopens roughly 18 months after go-live. Set a reminder for early 2028.
FAQ
What is G-Cloud 15?
G-Cloud 15 (reference RM1557.15) is the latest iteration of the Crown Commercial Service framework for buying cloud hosting, cloud software and cloud support. It is the first G-Cloud let under the Procurement Act 2023, and it absorbs the separate Cloud Compute 2 framework. Crown Commercial Service
When does G-Cloud 15 go live?
Applications closed on 30 January 2026, the framework award is dated 6 August 2026 on the CCS page, and go-live is expected in autumn 2026. Crown Commercial Service
What are the new G-Cloud 15 lots?
Five lots: 1a and 1b for cloud hosting (1b covers data above the OFFICIAL classification and absorbs Cloud Compute 2), 2a and 2b for cloud software, and 3 for cloud support. The old Lot 4 for bespoke services has been removed. Burges Salmon
Do I need Cyber Essentials to sell on G-Cloud 15?
Yes. Cyber Essentials is now mandatory for every lot. The hosting lots also require Cyber Essentials Plus and a bundle of ISO standards. Suppliers on the software and support lots have up to 12 months after award to obtain Cyber Essentials. Burges Salmon
I missed the January 2026 deadline. When can I apply?
G-Cloud 15 is an open framework, so it reopens to new suppliers about 18 months after go-live, roughly early 2028. That window is also when existing suppliers can refresh their pricing and service descriptions. Crown Commercial Service
Is G-Cloud 15 still worth it for an SME?
For SaaS and cloud support, yes: SMEs already take the majority of cloud software spend and compete strongly on day rate. For cloud hosting, the new insurance and accreditation requirements on Lots 1a and 1b make those lots much harder for smaller providers. Computer Weekly
Sources
- Crown Commercial Service, G-Cloud 15 (RM1557.15)
- G-Cloud buyers' guide, GOV.UK
- Computer Weekly, everything you need to know about G-Cloud 15
- Computer Weekly, CCS under fire over "anti-SME" requirements
- Burges Salmon, G-Cloud 15 analysis
- Government Technology, G-Cloud 14
- Spend figures from Crown Commercial Service Digital Marketplace spend data, 2023/24 and 2024/25
- Call-off examples from UK Contracts Finder and the Find a Tender Service
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