The Government Digital Service (GDS) is set to extend the second iteration of its Digital Services Framework (DS2) until November this year, having originally intended to phase it out in May.
The Digital Services Framework (DS2) is a website through which SMEs can offer products and services to public organisations, but its services are being rolled into the new Digital Marketplace platform, designed as a one-stop shop for public sector organisations to source people and technology for digital projects.
According to the digital team, the move is intended to allow buyers to complete their existing procurements even after Digital Outcomes and Specialists services are available on Digital Marketplace.
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“We can keep DS2 open until 5 November 2016 but we expect to close it before then," said the Digital Marketplace team in the blog. "We’ll email DS2 buyers and suppliers 30 days before we do this to let them know the new closing date."
Buyers wishing to get hold of DS2 services must award contracts before the framework closes, according to the team, otherwise they will need to begin the procurement process again through Digital Outcomes and Specialists.
It said in the meantime that it was still working on the “earliest usable product” for Digital Outcomes and Specialists. “We expect users to be able to buy and sell services on the Digital Marketplace in April," said the team.
Once Digital Outcomes and Specialists is live, buyers will no longer be able to access the Digital Services Store for DS2 services through the Digital Marketplace. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Managed Service team will continue to help users complete any DS2 procurements, according to GDS.