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IT & Digital Procurement

Plain-language definitions of every IT & Digital Procurement term that shows up in government tender work.


IT & Digital Procurement

Cloud Hosting Procurement

Cloud hosting procurement covers the purchase of infrastructure-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service resources from commercial cloud providers, requiring public sector buyers to assess data sovereignty, security accreditation, exit costs, and compliance with national and EU cloud policy before contracting.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Cyber Essentials (Procurement Requirement)

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme that demonstrates a supplier meets baseline cybersecurity controls, and is increasingly mandated as a minimum selection requirement in public sector ICT procurement, particularly for contracts involving handling of government or personal data.

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IT & Digital ProcurementDPIA

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) in Procurement

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) in procurement is a structured process required under GDPR before deploying any technology that processes personal data at significant scale or risk, identifying privacy risks and mitigation measures before a contract is signed and a system goes live.

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IT & Digital ProcurementDOS

Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS)

Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) is a UK Crown Commercial Service framework that enables public sector buyers to find and engage teams or individuals to deliver digital outcomes, provide specialist roles, or supply user research services, using an open competition among framework-listed suppliers.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Digital Services Procurement

Digital services procurement covers the sourcing of technology-enabled services for public sector organisations, including UX design, software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital transformation consultancy, typically delivered through specialist framework agreements or competitive procedures under EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

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IT & Digital Procurement

G-Cloud Framework

G-Cloud is a UK Crown Commercial Service framework agreement that enables public sector buyers to purchase pre-approved cloud-based software, hosting, and support services from a catalogue of suppliers without running a full tender, reducing procurement lead times from months to days.

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IT & Digital Procurement

GDPR Compliance in Procurement

GDPR compliance in procurement requires contracting authorities across EU member states and the UK to embed data protection obligations into technology contracts, including data processing agreements, controller/processor role definitions, sub-processor controls, and breach notification requirements, before any personal data is processed.

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IT & Digital Procurement

GovAssure (Cyber Assessment) in Procurement

GovAssure is a UK government cyber resilience programme that requires central government departments and their critical suppliers to complete structured assessments against the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework, providing a more rigorous evaluation of cyber risk than Cyber Essentials for high-assurance procurement contexts.

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IT & Digital ProcurementICT

ICT Procurement

ICT procurement covers the purchase of information and communications technology goods and services by public sector organisations, encompassing hardware, software, cloud services, telecommunications, and associated support, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU and national implementing legislation across European member states.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Interoperability Requirements

Interoperability requirements in procurement specify that technology systems must be capable of exchanging data with, and working alongside, other systems using defined standards and protocols, preventing lock-in, enabling cross-agency data sharing, and supporting the European Interoperability Framework across EU member states.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Open Standards in Procurement

Open standards in procurement refers to the requirement for public sector buyers to specify and accept technology products and services that conform to non-proprietary, publicly available technical standards, ensuring interoperability, avoiding vendor lock-in, and enabling future competition across European digital infrastructure.

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IT & Digital ProcurementSaaS

Software as a Service (SaaS) Procurement

Software as a Service (SaaS) procurement covers the purchase of cloud-delivered software applications accessed over the internet on a subscription basis, where the supplier manages infrastructure, updates, and security, requiring public sector buyers to evaluate vendor lock-in, data residency, and GDPR compliance alongside functionality.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Technology Code of Practice (Procurement)

The Technology Code of Practice is a UK government policy framework setting out the criteria that all central government technology projects must meet, covering open standards, interoperability, security, accessibility, sustainability, and value for money, and is used as a procurement evaluation standard for ICT contracts.

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IT & Digital Procurement

Technology Products and Services Framework

The Technology Products and Services Framework is a UK Crown Commercial Service agreement that enables public sector buyers to procure hardware, software licences, and associated services from pre-evaluated suppliers, covering end-user computing, data centre equipment, and technology support services.

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