Providing Assured Cloud Services to the UK Public Sector.

London - September 20th 2012 - Skyscape Cloud Services Limited, the easy to adopt, easy to use and easy to leave Assured Cloud Services Company, today announced that it had signed a contract with the Government Digital Service (GDS) as primary contractor for hosting GOV.UK, the new Government website currently in beta release. The Infrastructure as a Service contract was awarded via the G-Cloud Framework, which enables the rapid sourcing and deployment of secure, low cost utility services to the UK public sector.

The Government Digital Service was established within Cabinet Office, to transform government digital services following Martha Lane Fox’s report, ‘Directgov 2010 and beyond: revolution not evolution’.

Phil Dawson, Skyscape’s Chief  Executive Officer said: “We are delighted to have been selected for this important and high profile role that will underpin world leading and secure digital public services, providing the foundation for delivering high quality citizen experience at best value to the tax payer. Our agility and flexibility, coupled with robust and secure but simple deployment models allows Skyscape to respond to demanding requirements swiftly and with excellent value for money”.

Mike Bracken, Executive Director, Digital Efficiency and Reform Group, Cabinet Office, said: “The impending launch of GOV.UK. is a major deliverable in changing the model of government online publishing. Putting users at the centre will change the whole experience of digital services and further demonstrate the speed and cost reductions which can be achieved when services are relentlessly user-focused. Moving departmental websites on to GOV.UK will also realise significant savings for the taxpayer”.

Denise McDonagh, Director of the G-Cloud Programme said “This is an important contract for G-Cloud, showing that the UK public sector is ready to embrace low cost utility cloud services”.

Dawson added “Skyscape Cloud Services Limited is a UK sovereign SME, delivering a range of cloud services specifically designed for the UK Public Sector, using world class technologies from EMC, VMware, VCE, QinetiQ and Ark Continuity. We are especially delighted that the Government Digital Service has the confidence to place this important contract with an SME; the first of many that we will be announcing across high profile government departments. This shows that there are real opportunities for SMEs to play key roles in the delivery of critical national infrastructure for UK public services”.

More information about the Government Digital Service can be found at http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

More information about the G-Cloud Programme can be found at http://gcloud.civilservice.gov.uk/