The government is setting new rules for public sector tech procurement through the creation of a new digital marketplace, The National Digital Exchange, designed to open the market to smaller operators.
The new platform will enable teams across the public sector to access pre-approved tech deals at nationally negotiated prices, with an AI-powered engine that matches them with suppliers based on needs.
It hopes to boost small business involvement in government contracts by 40% within three years whilst unlocking £1.2bn in annual savings.
Users will be able to rate and review what they’ve bought to show which tools have delivered, and where promises haven’t matched performance.
Minister for AI and Digital Government, Feryal Clark said: “We’ve all heard the stories - months of red tape, tech that doesn’t deliver, and money wasted.
“The National Digital Exchange aims to change that. It will make it faster, fairer, and focused on what works.”