Google Cloud and the UK government sign MoU to boost cloud innovation

Google Cloud today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK Crown Commercial Service (CCS). The intent of the MoU is to make it easier and more affordable for UK public sector agencies to leverage the full range of Google Cloud's services to increase innovation and deliver digital transformation.

CCS, the UK Cabinet Office executive agency and trading fund, engaged Google Cloud in 2019 to discuss requirements for cloud services under the One Government Cloud Strategy, a joint initiative between Cabinet Office, CCS and Government Digital Service. CCS aims to open up the cloud services market to more suppliers to provide the best value and terms for public sector agencies investing in cloud technology. Working collaboratively with CCS, Google Cloud has confirmed a discount for qualifying public sector bodies based on aggregated cloud service demand and expected spend.

Together, CCS and Google Cloud are breaking down the barriers to cloud adoption for all eligible UK public sector organizations, such as government departments, local councils, arm's length bodies, NHS bodies, public funded broadcasters, and charities. This will allow organizations to take full advantage of a range of technologies across Google Cloud, including infrastructure, analytics, artificial intelligence, application modernization and development, and collaboration solutions.

The MoU also contemplates access by UK public sector agencies to Google Cloud's managed and serverless offerings, including its comprehensive hybrid and multi-cloud solution, Anthos, to easily manage workflows across multiple clouds and on-premise. Anthos will not only equip these organizations with world-class security tools to protect data and meet government compliance standards, but also drive operational benefits such as avoiding costly vendor lock-in. 

Google Cloud and CCS will also focus on providing support for UK SMEs who partner with public sector agencies, no matter where they are in their cloud adoption journeys.

"CCS provides commercial agreements which help organisations across the entire public sector save time and money on buying everyday goods and services," said Simon Tse, Chief Executive, CCS. "This MoU with Google Cloud unlocks large-scale business benefits for our customers, and demonstrates CCS's role in helping the public sector serve UK citizens in more innovative ways."

"This is a significant milestone for us, as we see the results of our focused investment in cloud services and solutions primed and tailored for the public sector," said Mark Palmer, Head of Public Sector EMEA, Google Cloud. "The UK public sector is a major focus for Google Cloud, and this is an opportunity to further support Her Majesty's government in their digital transformation."

This MoU marks the beginning of an expanded relationship between CCS and Google Cloud. CCS and Google Cloud will maintain regular dialogue and strategy sessions to ensure the UK public sector has access to Google Cloud's latest innovations.