G-Cloud 15
G-Cloud 15: get listed, get found, get bought.
The UK public sector's framework for cloud hosting, cloud software and cloud support. What G-Cloud 15 is, how the application works, what changed from G-Cloud 14, and how to turn a listing into contracts.
What G-Cloud 15 is
One catalogue for public sector cloud.
G-Cloud 15 is the Government Commercial Agency's framework agreement through which UK public sector organisations buy cloud hosting, cloud software and cloud support. Suppliers apply to be listed. Buyers search the catalogue and either award directly from a listing or run a further competition among listed suppliers.
G-Cloud 15 replaced G-Cloud 14 and absorbed the separate Cloud Compute agreements, so cloud hosting, software and support for government are bought through a single framework. It was the first G-Cloud iteration let under the Procurement Act 2023, and it operates as an open framework: rather than closing for its whole term, it can reopen to admit new suppliers, which is why preparation now matters even if you missed the first window.
Sources: G-Cloud 15 tender notice and framework documents; Procurement Act 2023. The Government Commercial Agency succeeded Crown Commercial Service on 1 April 2026.
Timeline
The first G-Cloud 15 window, and the next one.
Source: G-Cloud 15 tender notice, October 2025, as reported in our articles at the time.
- 23 October 2025Tender published
G-Cloud 15 went live for supplier applications with a restructured lot model and new conditions of participation.
- 12 December 2025Clarification deadline
Last date for suppliers to raise questions on the tender documents.
- 30 January 2026Submission deadline
Applications closed at 3:00pm. Every application Nexus submitted was accepted.
- 2026 onwardsFramework live
Buyers search, shortlist, award directly and run further competitions across all lots for a term of up to four years.
- Next openingOpen framework refresh
As an open framework, G-Cloud 15 is designed to reopen for new suppliers during its term. We track the window and prepare applications in advance, so clients submit on the first day it is possible.
The lots
Where your services sit.
| Lot | Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lot 1a: Cloud hosting | Infrastructure and platform services (IaaS and PaaS). | Core hosting for services at OFFICIAL. |
| Lot 1b: Cloud hosting, above OFFICIAL | Hosting for data at higher classifications. | Stricter entry conditions, including Cyber Essentials Plus and higher financial thresholds. |
| Lot 2a: Infrastructure software as a service | Cloud software oriented to infrastructure and development: developer platforms, middleware, database services. | Technical buyers; specification-led listings. |
| Lot 2b: Software as a service | Cloud applications for end users, from productivity suites to sector-specific applications. | Quality-related evaluation; benefits and reliability need evidence. |
| Lot 3: Cloud support | Professional services to plan, implement, migrate and manage cloud: consulting, migration, training and ongoing support. | Direct purchase or further competition for complex needs. |
Source: G-Cloud 15 tender notice and lot definitions. Lots are assigned from the framework authority's own records, never guessed from a service description.
What changed from G-Cloud 14
A more demanding framework, and a longer-lived one.
- Let under the Procurement Act 2023.G-Cloud 14 ran under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. G-Cloud 15 uses the Act's procedures, declarations and transparency requirements, and registration runs through the Central Digital Platform.
- An open framework.Up to four years with periodic refresh opportunities for new suppliers, instead of a fixed term that closes entirely until the next iteration.
- Lots restructured.Three main lots with sub lots, no dedicated Lot 4, and Cloud Compute absorbed, so hosting, software and support sit in one catalogue.
- Competition in every lot.Buyers can award directly from a listing or run a further competition in any lot. A listing has to win on its own and stand up in a competition.
- Conditions of participation.Economic and financial standing thresholds by lot, a Technical Ability Certificate per lot, and Cyber Essentials Plus for hosting above OFFICIAL.
- Sharper search.An updated taxonomy and search filters mean the words in your listing decide whether buyers find you. Listings are written in the buyer's search language.
Sources: G-Cloud 15 tender notice; G-Cloud 14 framework documents; Procurement Act 2023.
The application
How to get listed on G-Cloud 15.
Eligibility and lot mapping
Each service checked against the lot definitions and the conditions of participation for that lot: financial standing, certifications, references and the cloud nature of the service.
Central Digital Platform registration
Legal entity, company number, beneficial owners, parent company, D-U-N-S number and users, in an account registered to your company rather than to an adviser.
Technical Ability Certificates
A signed reference from a public sector customer for a relevant contract worth at least £25,000 excluding VAT and active within the reference window, one per lot. The signature request arrives from the platform and is commonly caught by mail filters, so the customer is briefed and the offline route is ready.
Service descriptions, definitions and pricing
Each service written to its lot in the language buyers search with, a service definition document that answers scope, onboarding and offboarding, service levels, support and security, and a pricing structure that holds up in a call-off.
Policies, certificates and declarations
Data protection, social value, business continuity, security certifications and insurance at the levels required, uploaded once and kept current.
Submission and clarifications
Submitted on your behalf after your sign-off, then every clarification from the framework authority handled through to the listing going live.
After the listing
Being on G-Cloud 15 is eligibility. It is not demand.
- Get found.Buyers search the catalogue by keyword and filter. Listing titles, descriptions and tags written in the buyer's language decide whether you appear at all.
- Win the direct award.Where a buyer awards directly, the listing is the bid. Service definitions, pricing documents and a single-service brochure aligned line by line with the listing carry the decision.
- Win the further competition.Where a buyer competes the requirement among listed suppliers, the bid is written to the criteria, priced to the weightings and supported by the evidence built during the application.
- Create the demand.Buyers who already know you search for you. Market activation, preliminary market engagement and account plans for priority buyers turn a listing into a pipeline.
International suppliers
G-Cloud 15 is open to companies outside the UK.
Suppliers registered overseas can apply, provided the service is available to UK public sector buyers and the company can contract lawfully in the UK. In practice the international applications that succeed are the ones that treat registration, beneficial ownership, references, insurance and UK data protection as first-order work rather than paperwork. We took international technology suppliers through the first G-Cloud 15 window with every application accepted.
G-Cloud insights
Our G-Cloud analysis, as the framework developed.
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Private companies→
Inside a 100 per cent successful G-Cloud 15 campaign: what international suppliers had to overcome
Every G-Cloud 15 application Nexus submitted in the first window was accepted, most of them for technology companies headquartered outside the UK. The framework did not make that easy. These are the eight obstacles that decided the outcome, and how each was cleared.
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Private companies→
G-Cloud 15 Submission In? (Or Not): Now What?
G-Cloud 15 submissions are in. But listing on the framework is only the starting point. This article explores what happens next, why many suppliers fail to convert eligibility into revenue, and how UK and international providers can turn G-Cloud 15 into a structured public sector growth strategy.
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Getting on G-Cloud Isn't Enough: Strategically Turn Listings into Contracts
Many suppliers get listed on G-Cloud but never win a contract. This article shares strategic and practical ways to stand out, build buyer relationships, and turn your listing into meaningful public sector sales.
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How to Apply for G-Cloud 15: A Complete Guide for UK Tech Suppliers
Applying for G-Cloud 15 can seem complex if you have never done it before. This guide breaks down exactly how to apply for G-Cloud 15, what documentation you need, and how to meet the new Procurement Act 2023 requirements, with tips from experts who have helped dozens of tech companies succeed.
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Private companies→
G-Cloud 15 Launch: Key Changes and Actionable Steps for Suppliers
A practical overview of how cloud and technology suppliers can prepare for G-Cloud 15. Covers key deadlines, lot structure changes, and strategic actions for a compliant and competitive submission.
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Private companies→
G-Cloud 15 vs G-Cloud 14: What's Changed and How to Prepare
G-Cloud 15 replaces G-Cloud 14 under the Procurement Act 2023. Learn what's changed, from social value scoring to new compliance, FVRA Gold and CDP, and how SMEs can prepare.
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Private companies→
The G-Cloud 15 Framework: Opportunities for International Suppliers
G-Cloud 15 presents a pivotal opportunity for technology suppliers aiming to enter the UK public sector market. An overview of the framework, recent spending trends and what international firms need to get right.
Questions we are asked
About G-Cloud 15.
What is G-Cloud 15?
G-Cloud 15 is the UK public sector's framework agreement for buying cloud hosting, cloud software and cloud support, run by the Government Commercial Agency. Suppliers are listed in a catalogue; public sector buyers award directly from listings or run further competitions among listed suppliers.
Who can apply to G-Cloud 15?
Any legally registered business, in the UK or overseas, offering a genuinely cloud-based hosting, software or support service that meets the conditions of participation for its lot, including financial standing thresholds, a signed public sector reference and the relevant certifications.
When does G-Cloud 15 open again for new suppliers?
G-Cloud 15 is an open framework, designed to reopen during its term of up to four years so new suppliers can join. The framework authority sets the dates. We track them and prepare clients' applications in advance, so they are ready on the first day of the next window.
Is there a cost to be listed?
There is no fee to apply. The framework terms set out a management charge on sales made through the framework, which is standard across Government Commercial Agency agreements.
What is a Technical Ability Certificate?
A signed customer reference confirming that you delivered a relevant contract for a public sector customer, worth at least £25,000 excluding VAT and active within the framework's reference window. One is needed per lot, and a supplier cannot contract through the framework until it is signed.
How do buyers choose between suppliers on G-Cloud 15?
They search the catalogue, shortlist on the listing content and pricing, then either award directly with a documented justification or run a further competition. In both cases the quality of the listing and the evidence behind it decide the outcome.
Can you help if we missed the first window?
Yes. The application is prepared now, references and evidence are put in place, and the submission goes in as soon as the framework reopens. In the meantime the growth programme builds the buyer relationships and, where a buyer wants to contract sooner, other routes such as further frameworks, dynamic markets and open tenders.