Spark online marketplace will connect tech firms with public sector
A new online marketplace has been set up to help tech companies connect with potential buyers in the public sector.
Crown Commercial Services, which is tasked with improving the Government’s commercial and procurement activity, says the new portal will provide a smarter way for public sector customers to access the very latest technologies.
Spark: The Technology Innovation Marketplace has been designed to support cutting edge products and markets that aren’t catered for in traditional commercial agreements.
Seven suppliers are already signed up to offer their goods and services, including innovative solutions in AI, the Internet of Things and wearable technology.
"Spark has been developed to support SMEs through government buying power while stimulating growth in the UK technology sector." - Niall Quinn, Crown Commercial Services
Spark will enable customers to use new but proven technologies which can drive public service innovation and cost-savings across the public sector. It is a dynamic purchasing system (DPS), enabling new suppliers to join and add new service offers at any point during the lifetime of the marketplace.
Niall Quinn, technology pillar director at CCS, said: “Spark is the result of a wide-ranging review into how the public sector adopts new technologies. It has been developed to support SMEs through government buying power while stimulating growth in the UK technology sector.
“Because it is a DPS it will be continually open to new suppliers and will have functions built into the system that will help customers and suppliers to match capabilities to their needs.”
