Being in it to win it
G-Cloud is an online directory providing public sector organisations with access to over 40,000 services and 5,000 suppliers. Their front-end catalogue, ‘Digital Marketplace’, is the perfect storefront for companies offering cloud-based computing services such as hosting, software and cloud support to UK public sector organisations.
Opened in 2012, the directory is managed by Crown Commercial Services, an agent for the Cabinet Office. It is accessible to central government, charities, education, health, local authority, blue light (police, fire, ambulance, search and rescue), devolved administrations and British Overseas Territories, which makes it a really influential resource to be part of.
Product highlights
For Asckey, and the many other firms listed, not only does it mean an easier route to market, it is also a great showcase for our credentials. Although you don’t need any formal certification to be listed, the search process allows filters to see whether a company is ISO accredited. This allows potential clients to select from companies who they know are already meeting various measurable quality standards, so they can be confident that the products on offer are reliable and fit for purpose. We pride ourselves on our ISO accreditations, and demonstrating our integrity and capability can only be a good thing.
As well as information on accreditation, the database allows a supplier to input plenty of detail into their listing including a clear description of the service, pricing details and terms and conditions.
Working with the NHS
As the bulk of our work is carried out with NHS trusts around the country, it matters that we are part of G-Cloud 13. Increasingly, trusts will only deal with suppliers who are registered under a relevant government framework and G-Cloud ticks that box for us.
Within G-Cloud 13 the framework is divided into different ‘lots’ depending what solutions each supplier offers. There are currently four lots to choose from, covering everything from cloud hosting and software to support and end-to-end services.
You can find Asckey in Lot 2, Cloud Software. Lot 2 offers applications which can be accessed over the internet or via private network and are hosted in the cloud, and it includes all our fmfirst suite of products. Grouping the suppliers like this speeds up the search process for trusts and ensures that it’s much easier to find the exact product to match their specifications.
The framework also gives trusts the flexibility to purchase services on a scalable basis, paying only for what they use and increasing or reducing the services as they need. This freedom means that many of the services on offer are cheaper solutions for trusts, as opposed to running the same service in-house. It’s a win-win for both the trusts who have limited budgets and the external suppliers providing these services.
Keeping it simple
Once an organisation has found a supplier they would like to hire, the process is simple, they complete the buying process online and can then award the contract directly. It makes it much quicker and easier to onboard new suppliers and get those critical systems in place as soon as they are required. The fact that all systems registered on there are cloud based and must be off-the-shelf products also adds to the speed and simplicity of the process.
The entire G-Cloud framework is regularly reviewed, it’s now at G-Cloud 13 and we’ve been part of the story since G-Cloud 10. G-Cloud 13 went live in early November and we were delighted to have been included once again.
Constantly revising and reviewing the suppliers in this way, gives customers the ability to change a service provider relatively easily and with minimum upheaval. It also gives them access to the latest technology and innovation, as with every refresh of the G-Cloud agreement new suppliers and new products are coming online.
It works for us
Being part of G-Cloud has definitely made things clearer for us as a business in terms of how and where we market our products. With access to a huge network of clients, G-Cloud 13 is the ideal solution for getting our products in front of those teams in large organisations who will really benefit from them. The fact that it makes the process fairer and more straightforward is an added bonus. Why not get in touch and let us talk you through our software solutions and how they could support your organisation?
