We’re really pleased to be able to announce the first major sale of Infrastructure As A Service. Government Digital Service have signed a contract with Skyscape for:
1) Compute as a service
2) Compute as a service (test & development)
3) Storage as a service
This is all intended to support the exciting work they’re doing on .gov.uk to revolutionise the way citizens access information and services online. This is a large project with some complex infrastructure requirements, so the decision to buy through G-Cloud shows how flexible the framework is and proves that it works for larger purchases as well as some of the smaller tools we’ve seen bought. The purchase also shows that government is ready to embrace low cost utility cloud services and is buying from SME’s (rather than the larger SI’s which it has traditionally relied on for these services).
To read more about why they’ve bought these services and the projects they’re being used for have a look at the GDS Blog.
This business about Skyscape, the Cloudstore and GDS is fascinating, Eleanor, thank you. And I note that HMRC also have contracted for cloud services with Skyscape. Just a few questions.
Skyscape is too young to have filed any accounts yet with Companies House, so we have no idea about its P&L and its balance sheet. On the other hand, we do know from Companies House that Skyscape’s registered office is at Hartham Park, Hartham, Corsham, Wilts SN13 0RP.
Q1: just how small does a company have to be to fall below the exacting standards for inclusion in the Cloudstore?
Q2: GDS and HMRC seem to have contracted not so much with one company as with one man. Do you think that’s wise?
Q3:
Q4:
Obviously you’re busy and this might be too much of an imposition in the case of a traditional data centre. But I understand that with cloud computing you just press a button and the application disappears from one virtual server and effortlessly spins up immediately on another one.
Q5: Is that correct?
NB THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED BY THE MODERATOR AS SOME OF THE CONTENT BREACHED THE TERMS OF USE.
As ever Mr Moss thank you for your comments and I will answer your questions which were in line with our terms of use :
Q1: just how small does a company have to be to fall below the exacting standards for inclusion in the Cloudstore?
To ensure the financial stability and repute of a company applying to be part of the Cloudstore the Government Procurement Service use a range a tests. The main one is the Experian Score for the company. This is an independent assessment of the financial risk of the company rated from 0-100 and recognised across all sectors. The normal benchmark set by HMG for a supplier is to have a score of 51 however as you have implied this penalises small or young companies and G-Cloud programme as set a requirement to have a score of 25 on the basis that we have a range of services, are broadening the marketplace and are not just for big companies with high scores. To gain a score of 25 you must be a stable company however, as with everything on the G-Cloud framework the customer can determine whether they are happy with any associated risk at the point of selection
Q2: GDS and HMRC seem to have contracted not so much with one company as with one man. Do you think that’s wise?
To purchase from G-Cloud GDS and HMRC have gone through a detailed selection process looking their requirements and the options available to them and have concluded that the Skyscape services will best met their needs and that of UK citizens.
Obviously you’re busy and this might be too much of an imposition in the case of a traditional data centre. But I understand that with cloud computing you just press a button and the application disappears from one virtual server and effortlessly spins up immediately on another one.
Q5: Is that correct?
Your description is a very reduced version of how some quite complex technology works – akin to saying an internal combustion engine works by sucking, squeezing, banging and blowing – technically correct but missing out any subtlety about the processes involved in each action. Cloud Services do indeed allow the movement of data between servers more easily than other technologies. It would be better to liken the data in a cloud to the electricity flowing through a grid – it can be diverted and moved anywhere within the grid (or cloud), safely and securely as long as the integrity of the data, it’s security and the processes involved are maintained.
Dear Eleanor
Thank you for your answers. Good on Experian, the internal combustion engine and the design of the national grid it leaves something to be desired when it comes to Skyscape.
Your readers are none the wiser how a £1,000 company with one director who is also the only shareholder has been chosen to host GOV.UK and HMRC’s local office data. The choice of Skyscape is baffling and breaks all the normal rules of procurement.
While GDS and HMRC try to explain to their parishioners what they’re up to, the G-Cloud team must now explain to theirs that inclusion on CloudStore is no recommendation and that the sales talk about the flexibility of cloud computing must be taken with a pinch of salt.
Yours sincerely
David Moss
Thank you Mr Moss.
The presence of Skyscape on the CloudStore and its subsequent purchase by GDS and HMRC break none of the rules of procurement and are entirely in line with the OJEU processes. For more information on procurement rules please see here. If you require more information about Skyscape please contact them directly.
It’s more the rules of common sense I had in mind.