If you’re bidding for G-Cloud 15 under Lot 1A or Lot 1B, you’ll quickly realise the pricing section feels a bit different and a bit heavier than the other lots.
This article breaks everything down so you know exactly what Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is looking for, why it matters, and how to fill in each part without overthinking it.
Why the Pricing Submission Matters
Pricing makes up 10% of your overall score, but scoring points isn’t the whole story.
Your pricing also helps CCS run a framework that works for buyers under the new Procurement Act.
Buyers now have two ways to buy:
- Without competition (what used to be direct award), or
- A competitive process (where suppliers submit bids).
If a buyer is running a competition, they don’t need fixed prices upfront, they’ll compare bids later.
But if they want to award without competition, they do need to see a clear price they can rely on straight away.
That’s why CCS introduced something called the mechanism for establishing price. It gives buyers a simple way to understand how your pricing is built.
The Mechanism for Establishing Price (In Plain English)
The best way to think about this mechanism is like a recipe.
Each part adds something to your final price.
The formula looks like this:
Total Price = Baseline Pricing + Fixed Onboarding – Framework Discount ± Other Supplier Schemes
Let’s break it down:
Baseline Pricing (this can change over time)
This is just your normal pricing. Your catalogue, rate card, standard price list. It can be a public webpage or a PDF you upload.
This can be updated later, which is handy if your catalogue evolves.
Fixed Onboarding (this stays fixed)
This is the one-off cost of getting a buyer up and running, things like account setup, configuration, migration, etc.
You’ll answer nine onboarding scenario questions, CCS will average them out, and that becomes your fixed onboarding price.
You can’t change this until the framework reopens.
Framework Discount (also fixed)
This is the standard discount you offer to any buyer using G-Cloud 15.
It’s one percentage number.
It stays the same for the whole framework.
And it applies no matter which service the buyer picks.
Anything conditional, like a “10% discount for NHS buyers”, is covered in the Further Supplier-Specific Schemes.
Further Supplier-Specific Schemes (this can change anytime)
This is where you can explain any pricing extras or variations you offer, such as:
- volume discounts
- long-term commitment deals
- NHS or sector-specific pricing
- currency options
- occasional promotions
You don’t need to write an essay, just summarise the options and point buyers to the details.
Fixed vs Variable
| Pricing Part | Fixed or Variable? | When It Can Change |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline Pricing | Variable | Anytime (as your catalogue updates) |
| Fixed Onboarding | Fixed | Only when G-Cloud reopens |
| Framework Discount | Fixed | Only when G-Cloud reopens |
| Supplier Schemes | Variable | Anytime |
This mix gives buyers confidence and gives you flexibility.
A Quick Note on “Price Certainty”
CCS talks a lot about price certainty, and what they mean by this is:
Buyers need to feel confident that the price they see is clear, fair, and not likely to jump unexpectedly.
The fixed parts (onboarding and discount) keep things stable.
The variable parts (catalogue and schemes) give you breathing room to adapt as your services evolve.
It’s a balance that works for both sides.
Inflation and Indexation
This comes up a lot, especially in questions about multi-year contracts.
Here’s the super simple version:
- Inflation = things cost more over time (salaries, energy, licences, etc.).
- Indexation = a fair, predictable way of adjusting prices when inflation happens.
Buyers, understandably, don’t want random price hikes. So CCS encourages suppliers to link price changes to a public index, like:
- CPI (Consumer Prices Index), or
- SPPI (Services Producer Price Index)
An example you might give:
“Our prices remain fixed for the first year, then may increase annually in line with CPI, capped at 3%.”
This shows buyers that your pricing is stable and predictable for multi-year budgeting, which is exactly what the government wants, and exactly what the Sourcing Playbook talks about.
And if you’re wondering:
The Sourcing Playbook is basically the government’s guide to doing commercial stuff properly. It’s mainly for central government teams, so you don’t need to know every detail, just the parts on fairness, transparency, and how prices should handle inflation.
How Buyers See Your Pricing
Everything you submit ends up on your Digital Marketplace service listing, including your:
- baseline price description
- onboarding cost
- framework discount
- extra pricing schemes
Buyers can then use this information to:
- compare suppliers
- plan budgets
- decide whether to run a competition or award without one
So clarity really does matter.
Examples to Bring It to Life
Here’s what a public-cloud example might look like:
- “Our full price list is available on our website at: ourcompany/pricelist.com.”
- “Onboarding costs are based on nine CCS scenarios, and an averaged price is calculated automatically.”
- “We offer a framework discount of 5% across all services.”
- “Further pricing options include volume discounts, long-term commitment discounts, NHS pricing, and currency choices.”
For private cloud, your wording will look similar. You may just point buyers to your service listings instead of a public catalogue link.
Tips When Preparing Your Pricing Submission
A few simple things to keep in mind:
Baseline Pricing
If you don’t have a public catalogue, upload a PDF.
Keep it clear, keep it current, and make sure buyers can calculate the total cost.
Fixed Onboarding
Use a realistic average.
Think of a typical buyer who needs a normal level of setup, not the easiest case, not the hardest.
Framework Discount
Make it simple and apply it to everyone.
Don’t put conditional offers here. Move those into the Supplier-Specific Schemes section.
Supplier-Specific Schemes
This is where you can mention:
- volume discounts
- commitment discounts
- sector pricing
- promotions
- currency options
Keep it brief and to the point. You don’t need to go into deep detail.
