G-Cloud 15: What Suppliers Need to Know Now It's Live

G-Cloud 15 is live. What changed from G-Cloud 14, how the lots work, how buyers award call-offs and when suppliers who missed the first window can join.

G-Cloud 15 went live on 6 August 2026. If you sell cloud hosting, software or support to the public sector, this is now the main framework most buyers will use. GCA values it at around £14 billion over four years, and it works quite differently from earlier versions. Here's what changed, how buyers use it and what to do if you missed the first window.

What is G-Cloud 15?

It's the government's framework for buying cloud services (agreement RM1557.15), run by the Government Commercial Agency. GCA took over from Crown Commercial Service on 1 April 2026, so older documents still say CCS. Central government, local authorities, health and education bodies, charities and blue light services can all buy from it.

GCA says around 90% of G-Cloud suppliers are SMEs, and it expects about £3 billion of public sector cloud spend to flow through the framework each year. For a smaller technology company, that makes it one of the more realistic routes into government work, because buyers can award contracts without running a full tender of their own.

What changed from G-Cloud 14?

The biggest change is the legal basis. This is the first G-Cloud let under the Procurement Act 2023, and it's an open framework, so it reopens to new suppliers after 18 months (February 2028) and again after 36 months. Under earlier versions, missing the window usually meant waiting for the next iteration.

Three frameworks have also been merged into one. Cloud Compute 2 and the old G-Cloud 14 lots now sit in a single agreement, and call-off contracts can run for up to 60 months. GCA says every supplier was assessed on quality, technical capability and price, which it calls its most thorough assessment yet. That gives buyers more assurance at call-off, and it means your framework submission does more of the selling than it used to.

The G-Cloud 15 lots

There are five lots:

• Lot 1a: infrastructure and platform as a service (IaaS and PaaS)
• Lot 1b: IaaS and PaaS above OFFICIAL security classification
• Lot 2a: infrastructure software as a service (I-SaaS)
• Lot 2b: other software as a service (SaaS)
• Lot 3: cloud support services

Read Lot 3 closely before you apply. It covers support to set up and maintain cloud software or hosting, and excludes general IT consultancy, recruitment and bespoke development. GCA points buyers to other frameworks for those, such as Digital Outcomes 7 for bespoke design and build.

Selling beyond G-Cloud? BidSearch monitors more than 900 sources every day, so you can track cloud and digital tenders that never touch the framework. See how BidSearch works.

How buyers award contracts

Buyers have two routes. With award without competition, the buyer writes a statement of requirements, filters the catalogue into a shortlist, checks no supplier is excluded under the Procurement Act and awards on lowest price. It's meant for simple, lower-value needs that an existing listing already meets.

The second route is a competitive selection process in two or more stages. The buyer issues an invitation to tender to every eligible supplier on its shortlist and awards to the most advantageous tender, so your answers are scored against published criteria like any other public tender. Our guide to tender evaluation criteria explains how that scoring usually works.

Both routes start with filters, and GCA lists taxonomy, social value and standardised technical type among them. A vague service description, or one filed under the wrong category, may never reach a shortlist. We'd give the listing as much care as any written answer.

Missed the first window? What to do now

The first bid window opened on 23 October 2025 and closed on 30 January 2026, so you can’t apply during that window. The current lots carry an expiry date of 5 February 2028, which aligns with the anticipated 18-month reopening, although GCA hasn’t published exact dates. Keep an eye on its agreement page and Find a Tender for the next notice.

Use the time to prepare. Register on the central digital platform, which GCA required suppliers to use before bidding for G-Cloud 15. Gather public sector case studies, and get your pricing, security accreditations and service definitions ready to submit at short notice. Teams that start preparing when the window opens tend to rush, and evaluators can tell.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, though. G-Cloud isn’t the only route into public sector work. Explore other frameworks and routes to market, including Spark, Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS), the GCA Innovation Marketplace and GCA Vertical Application Solutions. Each has its own eligibility criteria, application process and opportunities, so check which are open to suppliers and which best match your services or products.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on upcoming tenders and opportunities in the early stages of public market engagement (PME). Tools such as BidSearch can help you identify live opportunities, track forthcoming procurements and spot potential contracts before they reach the formal tender stage. Getting involved early can give you time to understand buyer requirements, build relationships and shape your approach before a competition launches.

Another option is to subcontract through an existing approved supplier. If you’re not yet on the relevant framework, approach suppliers already appointed to suitable lots and explore whether they need specialist partners to deliver particular services, goods or work packages. Check the scope of the relevant lots, the framework terms and the contract’s subcontracting requirements before pursuing this route. It can be a practical way to build public sector experience, develop case studies and establish relationships while preparing for your own direct application.

The key is to start preparing now for February 2028, while pursuing opportunities that could generate public sector business in the meantime. Don’t wait for the next G-Cloud window to open before getting involved.

FAQs

When does G-Cloud 15 reopen to new suppliers?

GCA says the framework will reopen after 18 months and again after 36 months of its four-year term. It started on 6 August 2026 and the current lots expire on 5 February 2028, so the first reopening is likely to fall around then. GCA hasn't confirmed exact dates, so check its agreement page before you plan around them.

Is G-Cloud 15 only for SMEs?

No. Any supplier that meets the requirements can apply, whatever its size. GCA does say around 90% of G-Cloud suppliers are small and medium-sized businesses, and the reopening windows were partly designed so that new and growing companies don't have to wait years for the next iteration.

What fee do suppliers pay?

The tender notice sets the supplier fee at 0.75% (excluding VAT) of everything you invoice buyers under call-off contracts, and suppliers submit regular management information returns. Build the fee into your pricing from the start rather than discovering it after your first win. The full terms are in the framework schedules on GCA's agreement page.

Can buyers still use G-Cloud 14?

Not for new contracts. GCA set 28 October 2026 as G-Cloud 14's expiry date, and every call-off under it had to be signed by then. After that, buyers making a new cloud purchase through a framework need G-Cloud 15 or another suitable agreement, so suppliers who were only on G-Cloud 14 should check where they stand.

Get ready for the next G-Cloud window

The suppliers who do well on G-Cloud pair clear listings with written answers that score when a buyer runs a competition. BidScript keeps your case studies, policies and past answers in one place and helps you draft against the question in front of you. Book a demo to see how it could help with your next framework bid.