The Digital Marketplace: How to Get Listed and Win Government Technology Contracts (2026)
The Digital Marketplace is the UK government’s central platform for buying cloud technology and digital services from pre-approved suppliers. It is operated by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and used by public sector organisations across central government, local authorities, NHS trusts, schools, universities, and devolved administrations. For technology suppliers, getting listed on the Digital Marketplace’s frameworks is one of the most commercially significant routes to sustained public sector revenue.
This guide covers what the Digital Marketplace is, which frameworks are currently active, how to get listed, and what being on the marketplace actually means for your pipeline. For the broader guide to technology tendering, see our guide to bid writing for technology tenders. For how framework agreements work more generally, see our guide to framework agreements.
What Is the Digital Marketplace?
The Digital Marketplace is an online platform where public sector buyers can search for, compare, and purchase technology services from suppliers who have already been approved to supply through one of the CCS’s digital frameworks. It removes the need for a full open tender every time a public sector body needs to buy a cloud service or digital capability — instead, buyers browse pre-approved suppliers and award contracts directly.
For suppliers, the Digital Marketplace functions as a permanent shop window in front of every public sector buyer in the UK. Once listed, your services are visible to thousands of potential buyers who can call them off directly — without you needing to respond to an individual ITT for each contract. The platform has facilitated over £19 billion of public sector technology procurement since its launch and continues to grow year on year.
The marketplace operates on a “Cloud First” policy — public sector organisations are required to consider cloud solutions before traditional IT systems. This policy drives significant and growing procurement activity through the marketplace’s frameworks.
The Current Frameworks on the Digital Marketplace
G-Cloud 14 (currently live)
G-Cloud 14 is the current iteration of the government’s flagship cloud framework. It began in October 2024 and has been extended to October 2026 to facilitate the procurement of its successor. G-Cloud 14 currently lists over 46,000 services from more than 4,000 suppliers — over 90% of them SMEs. Public sector spend through G-Cloud reached £3.1 billion in 2023/24 alone.
G-Cloud 14 is structured across four lots.
- Lot 1 covers cloud hosting — infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and related hosting services
- Lot 2 covers cloud software — software as a service (SaaS) applications including productivity tools, case management systems, and specialist software
- Lot 3 covers cloud support — implementation, migration, ongoing support, and cloud consultancy
- Lot 4 covers complex cloud support — a specialist lot for high-value cloud compute and migration services.
G-Cloud 14 is extended and no longer accepting new suppliers. Suppliers not already listed must wait for G-Cloud 15 to apply.
G-Cloud 15 (in procurement)
G-Cloud 15 is the next iteration of the cloud framework and the most significant re-procurement of the Digital Marketplace in several years. The ITT was released in October 2025 with a submission deadline of January 2026. Award is expected in September 2026. G-Cloud 15 is valued at £14 billion and is designed to modernise how the public sector buys cloud technology at scale.
G-Cloud 15 introduces several significant changes from its predecessor. Enhanced financial vetting for suppliers on the infrastructure lots. Expanded mandatory ISO accreditation requirements — including ISO 27001 for information security management. Higher insurance thresholds for certain lot applications. And a more structured evaluation approach that gives greater weight to quality and social value alongside price.
If your organisation is not yet listed on the Digital Marketplace, G-Cloud 15 is the immediate opportunity to get listed. Monitor the Crown Commercial Service website and Find a Tender Service for the G-Cloud 15 award notice and any further application windows.
Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS)
The Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework — which covers project-based digital work rather than cloud services — has gone through several iterations. The framework covers digital outcomes (project-based delivery teams), digital specialists (individual contractors), user research studios, and user research participants. Check the Crown Commercial Service website for the current active DOS iteration and any successor frameworks, as CCS periodically re-procures this category.
Crown Hosting Data Centres
The Crown Hosting framework provides physical datacentre space to government departments. This is a specialist category with a limited supplier base. If your organisation provides managed datacentre or co-location services, check the current Crown Hosting framework status and re-procurement timeline on Find a Tender Service.
Why the Digital Marketplace Is Commercially Valuable for SMEs
The Digital Marketplace was specifically designed to open public sector technology procurement beyond the small group of large systems integrators that previously dominated government IT. It has succeeded. Over 90% of current G-Cloud 14 suppliers are SMEs — organisations that would find it difficult to compete against Amazon Web Services or Microsoft in an open tender for a major government IT contract can list specialist cloud services on the marketplace and receive direct call-offs from public sector buyers.
The call-off mechanism is the key commercial advantage. Once listed, buyers can purchase your services directly — without a further competitive process for individual contracts. This means a single framework listing can generate multiple contracts from different buyers over the framework’s lifetime. For technology SMEs with a specific cloud service or digital capability, this sustained pipeline is significantly more valuable than winning individual open tenders.
However, listing alone does not guarantee revenue. The marketplace is competitive — buyers can compare thousands of services from hundreds of suppliers. Your service listing, pricing, and case studies all need to be compelling enough to generate call-offs. Our guide to government contracts for SMEs covers the broader strategy for accessing public sector technology work alongside the Digital Marketplace route.
How to Get Listed on the Digital Marketplace
Step 1: Confirm eligibility
Any organisation offering cloud services or digital capabilities can apply to the Digital Marketplace — you do not need to be based in the UK. However, you must meet the framework’s minimum standards. For G-Cloud 15 these include financial standing thresholds, mandatory ISO certifications (ISO 27001 is expected to be mandatory for infrastructure lots), Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification, and legal compliance declarations. Our guide to ISO certification and tendering covers what each required certification involves.
Step 2: Register on the Digital Marketplace
Create a supplier account on the Digital Marketplace at digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk. Your account stores your organisation information, service listings, and pricing — and is visible to all public sector buyers on the platform. Keep your account information current. An outdated account profile undermines the credibility of even a well-priced, well-described service.
Step 3: Complete the supplier declaration
All Digital Marketplace suppliers must complete a supplier declaration — a series of confirmations about your organisation’s history, legal compliance, and the standards you will work to. The declaration confirms that you accept the framework terms and conditions, will take full responsibility for the work you deliver, have not committed relevant offences in the past five years, and — for digital services lots — will work in accordance with the Government Service Standard and the Technology Code of Practice.
Step 4: Define and list your services
Your service listings are your shop window. Each service must be clearly described — what it does, which buyers it is suitable for, how it is priced, where data is stored, what security standards it meets, and what open standards it is built on. Vague service descriptions generate few call-offs. Specific, clearly priced, well-described services with strong security and compliance credentials generate more.
Pricing on the Digital Marketplace must be the best price you offer to any public sector customer. You cannot list a higher price on the marketplace than you charge through other channels to public sector buyers. Set your pricing carefully — it is visible to every buyer browsing the platform and directly affects your competitive position against other listed suppliers. Our guide to tender pricing strategy covers how to think about pricing in a framework context.
Step 5: Promote your listing actively
Getting listed is the beginning — not the end. Buyers browsing the Digital Marketplace are comparing hundreds of similar services. Actively promoting your marketplace listing through your marketing channels, your existing public sector relationships, and your pre-market engagement activity with target buyers drives awareness and call-off volumes. A listed service that no buyer knows about generates no revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Marketplace
Can I still join G-Cloud 14?
No. G-Cloud 14 is extended and closed to new applicants. Suppliers not already listed must wait for G-Cloud 15, which is expected to go live in September 2026. Monitor the Crown Commercial Service website and Find a Tender Service for the award notice and any further application guidance. Prepare your service listings, pricing documentation, terms and conditions, and ISO certifications now so you are ready to apply as soon as G-Cloud 15 opens.
What is the difference between G-Cloud and DOS?
G-Cloud covers cloud services — hosting, software, and support that can be purchased as off-the-shelf or configurable services. DOS (Digital Outcomes and Specialists) covers project-based digital work — bespoke development, design, research, and specialist contractor provision. If your organisation delivers cloud services, G-Cloud is the relevant framework. If you deliver project-based digital outcomes or provide individual digital specialists on a time and materials basis, DOS is the relevant route.
Do I need ISO 27001 to be listed on the Digital Marketplace?
For G-Cloud 15, ISO 27001 is expected to be mandatory for suppliers on the infrastructure lots (Lot 1). For software and support lots, requirements are still being confirmed — check the G-Cloud 15 ITT documentation for the specific mandatory accreditations for each lot. Our guide to ISO certification and tendering covers what ISO 27001 requires and how long certification typically takes to achieve.
How do buyers purchase from the Digital Marketplace?
Buyers search the marketplace for services that meet their requirements, compare listed suppliers, and award a call-off contract directly to their chosen supplier. For most G-Cloud services, this is a direct award — no further competitive process is required. For DOS work above certain values, buyers run a further competition among shortlisted suppliers. Each call-off contract is a separate legal agreement between the buyer and the supplier, based on the framework terms and the supplier’s listed service details.
How do I make my Digital Marketplace listing more competitive?
Clear, specific service descriptions. Transparent, competitive pricing. Strong security and compliance credentials — Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001, UK GDPR compliance, and DSPT compliance for NHS buyers. Compelling case studies demonstrating comparable public sector delivery. And active promotion of your listing to your target buyers through pre-market engagement. The listings that generate the most call-offs are those that make it easy for buyers to understand exactly what they are buying, what it costs, and why they should trust this supplier to deliver it.
Need Support Getting Listed or Winning Digital Marketplace Contracts?
Together: The Hudson Collective supports technology organisations through Digital Marketplace applications — from service description development and pricing strategy through to compliance documentation and G-Cloud submission preparation. Our team holds an 87% win rate across all sectors, working with 3,500+ organisations across 52 countries including technology SMEs at every stage of their public sector growth journey.
Our tender writing consultants understand what public sector technology buyers look for — and how to position your services to generate consistent call-off volumes from your Digital Marketplace listing.
About the author: Written by Joshua Smith, a seasoned bid-writing expert with experience across the UK, Middle East and US, helping organisations secure the contracts they deserve through high-quality, competitive tender responses.