Suppliers will be able to apply to Digital Outcomes and Specialists when it opens during the week beginning 7 December. We expect services to go live in February 2016 and at this point we’ll turn off Digital Services 2 (DS2) in the Digital Marketplace. Any remaining DS2 call-off contracts and orders will need to be awarded and signed by both parties before then.
If you currently supply services through DS2 and want to continue to supply to government you’ll need to apply to Digital Outcomes and Specialists.
Digital Services 2 suppliers
We designed Digital Outcomes and Specialists by listening to the market. You told us about the types of services you have to offer and we’ve split the new framework into 4 categories of service, or ‘lots’, to reflect the supplier market and buyer needs. If you’re a DS2 supplier, see which category your services fit into and submit them. You may find that you can add more of your services than you did for DS2.
The 4 categories are:
- Digital outcomes
Suppliers who can provide teams to build and support a digital service. - Digital specialists
Suppliers who can provide individual specialists to deliver a specific outcome with defined deliverables on a service, programme or project. - User research studios
Suppliers who can provide space and facilities to carry out interviews, usability tests and focus groups; where it’s possible to watch and record people as they engage with designs, prototypes and live public sector services. - User research participants
Suppliers who can provide access to a diverse range of user research participants including people who are digitally excluded, as well as those who have low literacy or digital skills, and those who need assisted digital support.
Our recent post Digital Outcomes and Specialists: An overview gives a more detailed breakdown of the outcomes, roles and user research services.
First-time suppliers
If you’re interested in supplying government through the new framework, please check if you and your services are suitable for Digital Outcomes and Specialists.
All suitable suppliers
You might find it helpful to read about the application process and look at the draft tender documents before Digital Outcomes and Specialists opens.
Help and guidance
When Digital Outcomes and Specialists opens, applicants will only be able to ask clarification questions about the framework through their account on the Digital Marketplace.
If you have any technical issues with the Digital Marketplace, please email us at enquiries@digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk State the email address you’d like to use, your company name and your company DUNS number (if you know it).