Singleton Claims G-Cloud is Changing, “Continuously Improving”

In a May Update blog post, G-Cloud and digital commercial programme director Tony Singleton has claimed big changes are coming to the framework.

In his blog, Singleton outlines the differences between G-Cloud and the Digital Services framework (DSf) – stating the former provides access to cloud-based commodities, while the latter gives the public sector access to design and build bespoke digital services.

In February, it was announced that the two networks were to be rebranded and linked together as the Government Digital Marketplace.

Singleton claims this move “makes perfects sense” because cloud hosting and other services are not used by themselves.

The G-Cloud director also noted how internal government processes need to and will be changing in the future.

“The way that the public sector buys things has to change to be Agile,” Singleton claimed.

“We can no longer take months going through the old procurement cycles. Instead of negotiating length contracts for items such as computer storage, servers and software, we need to buy services as and when we need them,” he added.

G-Cloud Is Not “Business As Usual”

Singleton also used the blog post to reiterate comments he made at the Public Sector Show earlier this month, claiming that G-Cloud is always changing for the better.

“I have heard it said that G-Cloud has become business as usual. How I dislike that phrase, business as usual,” he said.

“It suggests to me that it’s job done, sit back, put your feet up. No it is NOT business as usual, there is much to be done in transforming the way IT is not only bought but also consumed across the wider public sector,” Singleton claimed.

To support his argument, he brought attention to the £20m spent via the framework last month and the example of Wiltshire Council successfully completing procurement through the network in six months.

Digital Marketplace Will Make Buying Easier

Singleton claimed that he and his team are doing more to support and improve the tools required by the user, adding that the alpha Digital Marketplace is currently being rolled out.

He said this will make it easier for buyers to use both G-Cloud and DSf, noting a live beta will be available by the end of July.

“The Digital Marketplace is not just a shiny tool, but part of our work to bring about lasting change in the way that government and the wider public sector thinks about, and buys, digital and technology,” Singleton concluded.

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