UK launches £14 billion G-Cloud 15 framework aiming to boost SME participation

The United Kingdom’s new G-Cloud 15 framework, overseen by the Government Commercial Agency, aggregates three earlier cloud agreements into one contract vehicle for public-sector buyers, with an estimated value of £14 billion over four years. About £3 billion of cloud spending is projected to flow through the scheme each year, and contracts may run for up to 60 months, offering longer-term stability for suppliers. The government aims for roughly 90 % of the awarded slots to be filled by small and medium-sized enterprises, hoping to broaden competition beyond the current dominance of Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, which together command around 80 % of the market.

Officials claim the updated classification system will help smaller firms showcase their services more effectively, but industry observers warn that without real capacity and clearer processes, the SME-focused ambition may fall short. Past failures such as the liquidation of UKCloud have highlighted the risks of relying on large hyperscalers, while some SME participants have described the application process as chaotic and lacking transparent feedback. G-Cloud 15 is set to open for purchases on 17 September, with the older G-Cloud 14 remaining until its expiry on 28 October.