Government looks to set up £4bn hardware framework

The Government Procurement Service (GPS) is putting in place a pan-government framework for use by a wide selection of public-sector bodies to purchase IT hardware.

An online tender says the two-year agreement is estimated to be worth £4bn.

The framework is set to be used by central government departments, the BBC, the Royal Mail Group, the Met Office and NHS bodies.

The wide-ranging framework is divided up into the following lots, each of which will sign between three and eight suppliers:

• laptop device equipment – this may include laptops, notebooks, docking stations and power cables;

• client device hardware – desktop computers, keyboards, mice and computer memory;

• tablet equipment – tablet devices, batteries, power cables;

• monitor device equipment – monitors, wall brackets, desk stands and speakers;

• thin-client device hardware;

• servers – tower, rack and blade servers; power supply units; server hard disks and power cables;

• storage equipment;

• switch device hardware – the supply of network switch device equipment;

• printers;

• peripheral equipment – this may include USB devices, webcams, laptop bags, memory and wireless interface cards.

Parties interested in participating in the tender process have until the 19 March to submit their details or request more information.