UPDATE: G-Cloud 15 is now live. View our listing!

It’s time for procurement and GIS teams to celebrate once again with the news that G-Cloud 15 is now close to launch.

What is G-Cloud?

G-Cloud is a procurement framework now managed by Government Commercial Agency (GCA). GCA is the UK’s central commercial and procurement organisation, connecting public and private sectors to achieve the best outcomes for the UK and its citizens. GCA uses its commercial expertise to create a simpler procurement experience that redirects valuable resources into essential public services – creating value for the nation. 

You can think of G-Cloud 15 as a helpful shortcut for public sector teams. It’s a pre-vetted list of suppliers and services that makes finding and choosing the right GIS support much faster and simpler. Organisations purchasing through G-Cloud help ensure that the public sector receives the best possible value for common goods and services. 

What’s the latest version of G-Cloud?

For the last few years, customers have been buying through G-Cloud 14. This is due to expire on 28 October 2026, following its extension from the original April 2026 end date.

At the time of publication, G-Cloud 15 is expected to become available week commencing 7 September (GCA). 

Can we buy services from Astun under G-Cloud 15?

Yes! Astun Technology has been named as a supplier on GCA’s G-Cloud 15 framework, as follows: 

Lot 2b: Software as a Service (SaaS) (RM1557.15.2b)

• iShare in the Cloud: A modular, enterprise-grade Geographic Information System. Organisations can customise their environment by selecting from a library of capabilities.
• Astun Clarity: Enables public sector organisations to deploy a custom cloud-based metadata service.

Lot 3: Cloud support services (RM1557.15.3)

• Astun Consultancy Services: A consultancy service for the full range of Open Source GeoSpatial (OSGeo) technologies in addition to iShare solutions.

What are the benefits of buying GIS services under G-Cloud?

No-one understands the benefits of G-Cloud at Astun more than Andy Smart who’s been living and breathing our G-Cloud application as G-Cloud project lead since October 2025. He comments,

“G-Cloud’s standardised contract terms ensure every customer is treated with the same fairness and care. Customers don’t need to wheel out their most fierce negotiators to get a good deal from suppliers – G-Cloud’s transparent pricing and clear service definitions make it obvious what’s included and at what cost. It frees up procurement and GIS teams to focus on what they do best.”

Three ways G-Cloud 15 differs from G-Cloud 14

Firstly, buyers can now enter into longer call-off contracts (up to six years for SaaS solutions). This means less administrative overhead and more long-term strategy execution for local and central government teams.

Secondly, G-Cloud 15 has simplified procurement under the Procurement Act 2023. As G-Cloud 15 is built under the UK’s updated procurement rules, buyers benefit from standardised contract templates (PSC terms) and flexible direct award or mini-competition routes.

Finally, G-Cloud 15 provides rigorous compliance and cyber security. Customers know that purchasing through G-Cloud 15 means mandatory compliance with UK Cyber Essentials and ESG standards.

What’s new in Astun’s G-Cloud 15 offering?

We’re moving away from traditional “module” terminology toward a Capability Pricing Model for iShare in the Cloud (iSiC). The service is priced using the customers’ chosen capabilities (Spotlight for Maps, iShare GIS, Advanced Edit, iShare Mobile with QField and more!) replacing our previous Enterprise subscription model, which included modules a customer might not need. The new Capability Pricing Model offers greater flexibility and ensures customers only pay for the parts of the solution they plan to use.

In addition to increased flexibility, Astun has introduced a “Customer Success & Partnership (CSP)” Loyalty Discount. These discounts are applied automatically when an existing customer who has chosen to renew their contract reaches specific continuous service milestones.

What iShare ‘Capabilities’ will be available under G-Cloud 15?

Customers can pick and mix from a wide range of capabilities: 

• Spotlight for Maps
• Spotlight for LocalInfo
• iShare GIS
• Advanced Edit
• iShare with Clarity
• Logger
• iShare Mobile with QField (enterprise)
• iShare Mobile with QField (dept)
• iShare Insights with PowerBI
• Vector Data Download Service

We’ll still provide iShare Desktop with QGIS but this is still priced by user, not by the Capability Pricing Model. 

How to find out more about G-Cloud 15

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