UK Procurement Frameworks: G-Cloud, DOS & CCS Guide

When a buyer needs something covered by a framework, they either run a mini-competition among framework suppliers or make a direct award to a specific supplier — without a full public procurement process. This reduces procurement timelines from months to weeks for buyers and creates a recurring pipeline of call-off opportunities for listed suppliers.

The Procurement Act 2023 (live since 24 February 2025) introduced three distinct procurement vehicles for frameworks:

Open frameworks are new under the Act and operate as schemes of successive frameworks on substantially the same terms. G-Cloud 15 will be the first major CCS framework to use this model. Dynamic markets replace the older Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS), with broader scope and no restrictions on term or supplier numbers.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the UK government's central purchasing body. In FY 2024/25, CCS managed £33 billion in procurement spend — 26% of all UK public procurement — and delivered £5.3 billion in commercial benefits to buyers. CCS frameworks are available to central government departments, local authorities, NHS trusts, police, fire services, education bodies, devolved administrations, and charities.

CCS organises its frameworks across nine categories. For technology suppliers, the key agreements are:

Beyond technology, CCS runs frameworks for professional services, facilities management, construction, energy, fleet, and corporate solutions. For each framework, CCS publishes the agreement on its website with supplier lists, call-off guidance, and order forms that buyers use to procure.

G-Cloud is CCS's flagship technology framework for cloud computing services. Currently in its 14th iteration (RM1557.14), G-Cloud lets over 4,000 suppliers list more than 46,000 cloud services with pre-agreed pricing. Public sector buyers browse the catalogue via the Public Procurement Gateway (which replaced the Digital Marketplace in 2024), compare services, and make call-off purchases — either by direct award or mini-competition.

Cumulative spending across all G-Cloud iterations since 2012 exceeds £15 billion, with annual spend reaching £2.9 billion in FY 2024/25. Ninety percent of G-Cloud suppliers are SMEs, and SMEs captured 44% of spend (£1.32 billion) in FY 2023/24.

Call-off contracts under G-Cloud 14 run up to 36 months with one optional 12-month extension (48 months maximum). The top buyers include the Home Office, HMRC, DWP, Ministry of Justice, Barts Health NHS Trust, and Transport for London.

G-Cloud 15 (RM1557.15) is in procurement with applications closed on 30 January 2026 and an expected go-live of September 2026. With a maximum value of £14 billion over four years — nearly triple the earlier estimate — it represents the largest G-Cloud iteration yet. G-Cloud 15 will be the first framework to operate as an open framework under the Procurement Act 2023, with periodic reopening windows for new suppliers.

Key structural changes include the merger of the separate Cloud Compute framework into G-Cloud, the introduction of modular Public Sector Contract (PSC) terms, and the ability for buyers to procure both with and without competition — departing from G-Cloud 14's direct-award-only model.

Digital Outcomes and Specialists is CCS's framework for buying digital teams, individual specialists, and user research services. DOS 7 (RM1043.9) launched in January 2026 with a total value of £14.4 billion over six years — combining the previously separate Digital Outcomes and Digital Specialists and Programmes frameworks.

Unlike G-Cloud's catalogue model, DOS operates on a brief-and-response basis. Buyers post requirements, and framework suppliers submit proposals within tight timeframes (typically 1–2 weeks). DOS 7 has four lots:

For digital consultancies, agile delivery teams, and specialist contractors, being listed on both G-Cloud and DOS provides comprehensive coverage of UK public sector technology procurement. The two frameworks are complementary — G-Cloud for products and services, DOS for people and project delivery.

Beyond G-Cloud and DOS, three CCS frameworks are essential for technology suppliers targeting the UK public sector. Technology Services 4 (RM6190), live since December 2025, is worth £16 billion and covers managed IT services, digital consultancy, and transformation programmes across 87 suppliers and 9 lots. Technology Products and Associated Services 2 (TePAS 2, RM6098) covers hardware and commercial off-the-shelf software through 157 suppliers until October 2027.

Cyber Security Services 3 (RM3764-3) operates as a dynamic market — meaning new suppliers can join at any time — running until February 2029 with an average call-off value of £1.15 million and a 41% SME award rate. Network Services 3 (RM6116) covers telecommunications and has been extended by 24 months from March 2025.

Framework competitions are advertised on Find a Tender (above threshold) and Contracts Finder (below threshold). The application process follows a structured sequence that varies by framework but shares common elements.

Being on a framework is necessary but not sufficient — you still need to win individual call-offs. Call-offs are published on Contracts Finder (below threshold) and Find a Tender (above threshold). Call-off processes vary by framework and buyer preference:

The key advantage of framework membership is reduced competition: you bid against 5–15 framework suppliers rather than the open market. Call-off response windows are typically shorter than full procurements (10–20 days vs 30–45 days), so early awareness through automated monitoring gives you more preparation time. Winning call-offs still requires strong bid-writing, competitive pricing, and credible social value commitments.

UK procurement thresholds determine when the full Procurement Act 2023 procedures apply. From 1 January 2026, most thresholds decreased — meaning more procurements are now caught by the Act. These thresholds are set via PPN 023: 2026 Threshold Amounts and aligned with the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).

Below these thresholds, contracting authorities follow their own procurement rules but must still advertise contracts above £30,000 on Contracts Finder (England). Local authority tenders between £30,000 and £207,720 represent a high-volume, accessible market for SMEs.

The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing four EU-derived regulations with a single unified procurement regime for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. For framework suppliers, the key changes are:

The Act also mandates 30-day payment terms cascading through supply chains, pipeline notices giving 12-month procurement forecasts for contracts above £2 million, and a central debarment register. Scotland continues under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 — suppliers bidding across the UK must understand both regimes.

CCS is not the only source of procurement frameworks in the UK. Several sector-specific bodies manage their own framework programmes, all advertised through Find a Tender and Contracts Finder.

Getting onto a regional collaborative framework (e.g. ESPO) gives access to hundreds of member organisations through a single application. For NHS procurement, targeting both NHS Supply Chain frameworks and direct trust tenders provides comprehensive coverage. A complete monitoring strategy covers all of these framework operators alongside CCS.

Framework applications fail for predictable reasons. Avoiding these common mistakes significantly improves your success rate across G-Cloud, DOS, and other CCS frameworks.

• UK procurement frameworks channel £33 billion annually through CCS alone — frameworks are the primary buying route, not an alternative to open tenders.
• G-Cloud 14 runs until October 2026; G-Cloud 15 (£14 billion, open framework model) goes live September 2026 with 5 lots and stricter certification requirements.
• The Procurement Act 2023 introduced open frameworks (periodic reopening), dynamic markets (join any time), and pipeline notices (12-month procurement forecasts).
• DOS 7 (£14.4 billion) covers digital teams and specialists — complementary to G-Cloud's product catalogue.
• Technology Services 4 (£16 billion) is the largest CCS tech framework for managed services and transformation.
• Framework stacking — listing on multiple complementary frameworks — maximises your addressable public sector market.
• Monitor Find a Tender and Contracts Finder for both framework applications and individual call-offs.

Framework re-competitions, dynamic market establishment notices, and individual call-off opportunities are all published on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder alongside standard procurement notices. Jorpex monitors both portals and delivers matching framework opportunities to your Slack channel, email, or Microsoft Teams.

Include framework-specific keywords in your notification profile — framework names (G-Cloud, DOS, TePAS), reference numbers (RM1557, RM1043, RM6190), CCS category terms, and "dynamic market" or "open framework" — to surface both new frameworks you should join and call-offs within frameworks you are already on. Pipeline notices under the Procurement Act 2023 give you 12 months of advance visibility into upcoming framework re-competitions.

This is particularly valuable for high-volume frameworks like G-Cloud and Technology Services, where new call-offs appear daily. Early awareness of framework re-competitions maximises your preparation time for applications.