Suppliers hail 'sensible' decision to extend G-Cloud 11

Current iteration of framework will now run until 1 April 2021 amid concerns over supplier staffing levels

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has extended the current iteration of G-Cloud for nine months amid concerns that suppliers are too short staffed to prepare for G-Cloud 12.

G-Cloud 11 will now run until 1 April 2021, nine months later than its original end date of 1 July 2020.

"This will relieve pressure on the supply chain while short staffed, to help businesses to continue to deliver services and goods to customers," CCS stated.

G-Cloud 11 is one of eight frameworks that has been extended by the government purchasing agency. A further six frameworks - including one covering multi-fuctional devices and managed print - have been paused.

The application process for G-Cloud 12 is continuing to run as normal, although the response date for entries has now been pushed back from 22 April to 20 July.

G-Cloud 12 now has an advertised award date of 15 September, and CCS said it "intends to deliver replacement agreements as quickly as possible after the initial COVID-19 impact".

Alun Rogers, founder of Microsoft partner Risual - which has racked up nearly £5m in sales through G-Cloud - welcomed the news.

"While for organisations like us the G-Cloud extension wasn't needed (we are good to go and hit the original timelines for G-Cloud 12), I think this is common sense," he said.

"Due to the unprecedented strain and demands put on suppliers and procurement teams this is a sensible approach."

Paul Saer, head of public sector at Microsoft partner and G-Cloud supplier Core Technology Systems, also viewed the extension as a positive move.

"Customers can implement short to mid-term measures using G-Cloud 11 without having to worry about the previous impending end date, which is especially useful when we don't have a clear directive on when we will end the current lockdown and return to normal," he said.

Richard Blanford, CEO of Fordway - whose all-time G-Cloud sales are close to £20m - greeted the news as "not a huge surprise given the current circumstances".

"It looks like they will be running 11 and 12 in parallel for a while, which won't be a major issue for us," he said.