Cabinet Office issues tender for second Digital Services Framework

Updated system will enable public-sector organisations to buy expertise. Cabinet Office also reveals it is looking to appoint a chief data officer

The Cabinet Office has issued a £40m tender for the second incarnation of its Digital Services Framework (DSF).

Initially launched in November 2013, the DSF is designed to help public-sector organisations to harness the power of digital technology to provide better services. The latest iteration of the service will allow public-sector bodies to buy digital project expertise and will replace the existing framework.

The £40m tender has been opened by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and will give bidders until 22 January to express an interest in being part of the scheme. Like the current version of the system, it's expected those who successfully bid will receive contracts lasting nine months.

According to the terms of the tender, those wishing to bid will be allowed to provide as many services through DSF as they want. That may not be good news for smaller firms, who recieve under a third of government contacts.

The tender document also states that central government departments and related bodies, NHS organisations and local government authorities will be able to take advantage of the service, which will enable them to obtain access to expertise in areas including software engineering and support, product manager skills and quality assurance

The DSF tender comes shortly after the Cabinet Office revealed it's looking to appoint a government chief data officer. The role of the chief data officer will be to reform public sector standards surrounding the use and sharing of information. The plans were initially revealed in a reform document timed for release alongside the Autumn Statement.

Earlier this year, the Cabinet Office claimed that the government has saved more than £14bn on IT procurement and services over the past year compared to the cost of IT services in 2010.

"The problem that we have, and the inheritance we have had of 25 years of outsourcing IT, is that people felt it was acceptable to go and buy IT at very high cost and at very high margin without any reference, peer review, understanding or spending control," said government chief technology officer Liam Maxwell.

"This [new measure on IT contract size] is part of that spending control process, and it is part of the reason why we have saved more than £14bn over the last year, based on 2010 baselines," he added.