The Softcat News Team
Softcat will be listed as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s new Technology Online Purchasing Content. This standalone framework catalogue replaces Lot 6 on the Technology Products 2 framework which expires at the end of October 2021.
The new catalogue is worth an estimated £500 million and is thought to be the largest of its kind in Europe. It enables Public Sector customers to purchase commoditised IT products (off-the-shelf hardware and software) from private vendors without having to go through a lengthy procurement process. Patrick Nolan, Crown Commercial Service director, technology pillar, said: “This catalogue allows for a quick and easy route for the market with ‘search, click and buy’ functionality for products and software”.
As well as making it easier for public sector clients to procure technology products, it offers quick access to a wide range of suppliers to automatically obtain the best price. It enables public sector organisations to demonstrate transparency and fairness in their procurement process.
Softcat’s Contract Manager, Andy Bruen, commented, “This framework win will enable us to continue our successful engagement with customers in the UK public sector. In the last four years Softcat and our customers saw real value from the Technology Products catalogue. With this new Technology Online Purchasing Catalogue we intend to do better still. Our new dedicated catalogue manager, will be working to ensure that Softcat proactively continues to add the products and value that customers require; by reacting to market opportunity.”
Softcat has a strong track record in supplying IT products and services to the public sector. It was recently declared Public Sector VAR of the Year 2020 for the second year in a row at the prestigious CRN Channel awards, and also picked up the CRN Channel award for Reseller of the Year for businesses with excess of £101 million turnover. Softcat CEO Graeme Watt commented: “2020 has been a real challenge but Softcat, and in fact the whole industry, have risen to it remarkably well. I am so proud of all our team have achieved this year.”