Suppliers can now apply to sell their services through the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework on the Digital Marketplace.
Before you start the application process, find out if you’re a suitable supplier and whether you can offer services that fit with the new framework. You can then start the application process.
You can submit services to one or more of the following 4 categories or ‘lots’. These 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 post Digital Outcomes and Specialists: An overview gives a more detailed breakdown of the outcomes, roles and user research services.
How to apply
All applications will go through a single system on the Digital Marketplace. You’ll need to follow the process below and be successful in your application before your services will be available to public sector buyers on the Digital Marketplace.
To apply:
- Create a supplier account or log into a supplier account on the Digital Marketplace.
- Click ‘Start’ to begin your application.
- Read the tender documents. These have changed since we published them in draft on 4 November 2015.
- Make the supplier declaration on the Digital Marketplace.
- Submit service information on the Digital Marketplace.
- Wait for eligibility checks to be made on your information.
If accepted, your services will be published on the Digital Marketplace when Digital Outcomes and Specialists goes live. The expected go live date is 29 February 2016.
For more information on how to apply read our Digital Outcomes and Specialists suppliers guide.
Provisional timetable
| Date | Activity |
| 04.12.15 | Issue the OJEU contract notice |
| 07.12.15 | Digital Outcomes and Specialists opens for applications on the Digital Marketplace |
| 07.12.15 | Clarification period starts |
| 06.01.16 | Clarification period closes at 5pm GMT |
| 13.01.16 | GDS and CCS publish the responses to clarification questions by 5pm GMT |
| 19.01.16 | Application for Digital Outcomes and Specialists closes at 3pm GMT |
| 18.02.16 | Intention to Award notification issued to successful and unsuccessful applicants |
| 18.02.16 to 28.02.16 | 10 day standstill period |
| 29.02.16 | Expected start date for framework agreement(s) |
How it works
If your application to Digital Outcomes and Specialists is successful, the basic terms of your service will have already been agreed with government following a formal Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) procurement process. Public sector organisations can then buy services more quickly because they don’t have to run a full tender.
Clarification questions and guidance
As this is a live procurement you must submit any questions about the framework to the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) through the updates page in your Digital Marketplace account. Read our post Asking questions when Digital Outcomes and Specialists is open for more information.
If you have any technical issues with logging in to or creating a Digital Marketplace account, email us at enquiries@digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk
We’ll continue to update the blog with additional information over the application period.