The UK government will add a host of new categories to its G-Cloud Digital Marketplace when the seventh itineration of the popular cloud procurement service kicks off later this year.
A document compiled by Sage to assist newcomers to the public sector procurement portal revealed that print and print management, and science, technology and research are two of the newcomers to a service that is expected to have generated some £3 billion in sales by 2016.
When G-Cloud 7 opens in June 2015, those two new categories will also be joined by advertising and media; energy and utilities; fire services and equipment; police services and equipment; travel; and welfare to work, as part of the expansion.
Total UK government spending on IT services is estimated at around £11 billion per year and G-Gloud has already generated £350 million through the first five versions with the number expected to increase to £1.5 billion in 2015 and then double to £3 billion in 2016.
Any company looking to join the party must fit in to one of the four categories or "lots" to be listed, which are Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, Software as a Service, or Specialist Cloud Services.
13,000 services listed
Sage also provides a handy seven-step guide to the process that companies must go through to be approved as a G-Cloud provider and gives some hints on how to succeed in the Digital Marketplace such as remembering to include keywords, explaining why your service will be of benefit and providing clear pricing information.
With thousands of services listed on the Digital Marketplace the salient advice from Sage is worth considering as standing out from the pack is just as important as in any other line of business and the rewards at stake for SMEs have the potential to be rather large.
Via: Sage
