Editorial

CCS creates £2 billion procurement framework for big data and analytics across public sector

“Big data and analytics becoming recognised as business critical” across government departments

Posted 7 September 2021 by Christine Horton


The Crown Commercial Service is creating a procurement framework for big data and analytics services with an expected value of £2 billion.

First reported by PublicTechnology.net, the CCS says it intends put in place a pan-government agreement which will be the recommended vehicle for all big data and analytics across the UK’s public sector organisations.

The procurement notice says: “Big data and analytics is an emerging and evolving capability, with its prominence heightened by Covid. It is fast becoming recognised as business critical and a core business function, with many government departments now including chief data officers.”

Additionally, it says its National Data Strategy published last year reinforces the requirement to access and interrogate government data more effectively to improve public services.

“This framework will offer a central route to market for all big data & analytics requirements. By offering a range of buying options and pricing mechanisms, it will enable competitive and agile procurements across a specialist pool of suppliers.”

Scope of framework

The framework will be available to central government departments and all the UK’s other public sector bodies, including local authorities, health, police, fire and rescue, education and devolved administrations.

It will run from April 2022 until April 2026, with the budget spread evenly across the years.

The government says the scope of the framework will support a range of needs, from individual niche work packages to complete data service transformations and new service builds, as well as a comprehensive menu of related COTS software offerings.

“The supplier ecosystem created by the framework is designed to grow internal capabilities and reduce recognised skills gaps, supporting the creation of intelligent BD&A functions across the UK public sector,” it notes.

To participate in this procurement, suppliers will have to demonstrate that they are Cyber Essentials Plus certified.