£150m cybersecurity framework to go live next month

Cyber Security Services 3 replaces current framework

A £150m public sector cybersecurity framework is set to go live next month, replacing Cyber Security Services 2.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) published the contract notice for Cyber Security Services 3 earlier this month, with the framework available for buyers to purchase from on 14 February.

A dynamic purchasing agreement will be used for the agreement, meaning that suppliers can be added at any point of the duration of the framework. There is also no cap on the potential number of successful suppliers.

Cyber Security Services 3, which will run for an initial three-year period, will cater for the sale of certified cyber consultancy, risk assessment, risk management, security architecture, audit and review, penetration testing, cyber incident response, and data destruction and services.

It will also be the recommended procurement vehicle for National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Assured Cyber Security Services required by UK central government departments.

Unlike its predecessor, suppliers do not necessarily have to hold NCSC accreditation.

The previous framework was awarded in April 2017, with dozens of IT suppliers winning a spot, and will expire on 28 February.

At the time it was valued at £110m, but figures published by CCS indicate the total spend to be £8.3m.