Government buys time with three-month CITHS extension

Soon-to-expire framework extended until January after legal challenges delay incoming Technology Products framework

The government has extended the Commodity IT Hardware & Software (CITHS) framework until January, buying itself valuable time before the scheme expires and the incoming Technology Products framework comes into effect.

CITHS was originally due to expire in February, but the Crown Commercial Service managed to obtain an exceptional extension of the contract for eight months in January, bringing its current expiry date to the 31 October.

The Crown Commercial Service today sent CRN a statement which read: "We have taken the decision to extend the Commodity IT Hardware & Software (CITHS) agreement until the end of January to provide continuity of service for the public sector in the interim."

CRN understands that there is a provision for the Crown Commercial Service to obtain an extraordinary extension on CITHS from the Cabinet Office if it is unable to get the replacement framework to go live before it expires.

The incoming Technology Products framework received two legal challenges in the past five weeks which have hindered its progress.

As CRN reported earlier this week, CCS Media and Misco brought legal proceedings against the Crown Commercial Service and Cabinet Office, respectively, during this time, inviting speculation that they were the firms that brought the legal challenges forward over the Technology Products framework.