Why do you need a G-Cloud 14 strategy?

According to Advice Cloud, G-Cloud, the Crown Commercial Service's most successful framework since 2012, has facilitated over £16 billion in public sector contracts. In 2022 and 2023 alone, approximately £3 billion was spent annually through the framework.

With the introduction of a fourth lot in G-Cloud 13 for large transition projects, the framework now offers even greater scope for end-to-end cloud services. G-Cloud 14, which opened for supplier applications in February 2024, officially goes live on November 9th, with suppliers now informed of their successful listings.

However, simply being listed doesn’t guarantee success. Many suppliers mistakenly assume opportunities will come to them directly through buyer searches. In reality, G-Cloud is a route-to-market that reduces friction but still requires a proactive, strategic approach to leverage its full potential. The key to success lies in data—analysing trends, understanding buyer behaviour, and using these insights to shape your strategy.

Therefore, a well-defined G-Cloud strategy is essential to stand out and drive results in this competitive space.

Data-driven strategies for succeeding on G-Cloud 14

Think about target accounts

Success on G-Cloud 14 starts with identifying which buyers actively use the framework for procurement. Use data from your target account list to pinpoint buyers who have a history of procuring through G-Cloud. This insight indicates their openness to using the framework and can help you prioritise your outreach.

Ask critical questions, such as:

• When was the last time they procured through G-Cloud?
• How frequently do they use it?
• What types of contracts do they typically procure via G-Cloud?

This analysis will highlight buyers with a faster route-to-purchase, as G-Cloud offers a more streamlined procurement process. These buyers often prefer G-Cloud for its efficiency, meaning less friction for you as a pre-approved supplier and a shorter sales cycle.

By focusing on buyers with a proven track record of using G-Cloud, you strengthen your position as a preferred supplier and increase the likelihood of success.

Data from G-Cloud 13 highlights that Central Government entities dominate procurement on the framework, accounting for 77% of all contracts awarded. Within Cloud Services, key buyers in this sector have consistently shown a preference for G-Cloud as their procurement route.

However, this doesn’t mean the framework is limited to Central Government. Other public sector organisations also leverage G-Cloud, though their use is less concentrated.

You can access our full G-Cloud 14 suppliers guide here.

Think About Timing

Once you’ve identified your target buyers on G-Cloud 14, timing becomes critical. Sales activities should align with the framework's busiest and most lucrative periods, which mirror broader public sector spending patterns.

• Q4: The highest spending occurs as departments rush to utilise remaining budgets before the financial year ends.
• Q1: Another peak period follows when budgets are reset, creating fresh opportunities for procurement.

Understanding these cycles helps you focus your efforts effectively—working behind the scenes to build relationships and position your offering ahead of Q4 and Q1 ensures you’re ready to capitalise on these high-activity periods.

Pay Attention to Early Buying Signals

Monitor indicators that suggest a buyer might soon procure services aligned with your offerings via G-Cloud. These signals can be found in:

• Internal communications: Meeting minutes or updates.
• Strategy documents: Procurement priorities and future plans.
• Guidance and regulations: Updates that hint at upcoming needs.
• Public sector reports: Insights like those from the UK Autumn Budget, which outline potential opportunities.

Once you identify potential opportunities, connect with the relevant decision-makers. Even if they’re not ready to buy immediately, fostering relationships during the off-season helps you understand their needs and positions you as a trusted supplier when the peak periods arrive.

Think About Your Competition

After identifying your target accounts, it's equally important to analyse your competitors' activities on G-Cloud. 

Start by monitoring how frequently your competitors win contracts on the framework and which buyers they’re working with. This insight helps you identify trends and potential opportunities to position yourself more effectively.

Key areas to research include:

• Contract wins: Identify which contracts competitors are securing and how often.
• Buyer relationships: Understand which buyers your competitors are working with.
• Partnerships and tech stacks: Determine if they’re leveraging partnerships or specific technologies to win contracts.

By gathering this intelligence, you can refine your approach and differentiate yourself when building relationships with key buyers, ensuring you remain competitive and visible on the framework.

The biggest winners on G-Cloud 13 were unsurprisingly major players, many of whom cater predominantly to the Central Government. However, the presence of value-added resellers like Softcat offers interesting opportunities for smaller suppliers. By paying attention to who is succeeding and how they’re doing it, you can identify potential partners or strategies to enhance your competitive edge on G-Cloud 14.

Final thoughts: Think strategically

Understanding your competitors' activities on G-Cloud provides a significant advantage, especially when targeting renewals of contracts awarded through G-Cloud 13.

These renewal opportunities are highly qualified because:

• The buyer is already familiar with G-Cloud.
• You can identify the decision-makers to build relationships with.
• You gain early insights into the buyer’s challenges and requirements.
• You know the timeline for when decisions need to be made.

Most importantly, these contracts are likely to be renewed via G-Cloud 14, giving you a clear path to strategically position yourself.

By focusing on these insights and adding renewal opportunities to your pipeline, you can maximise G-Cloud 14’s potential to drive growth and secure new contracts.

You can access our full G-Cloud 14 suppliers guide here.