In January 2025, the government published its ‘Blueprint for modern digital government’. This announced the creation of a new Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence with an objective to “identify opportunities for further reform and improvements needed to enable tech startups, scaleups and [small–and medium–sized enterprises] to access government contracts.” 16 The new Digital Centre of Excellence will be staffed by experts in digital procurement. We asked the Cabinet Office how it would ens...

In January 2025, the government published its ‘Blueprint for modern digital government’. This announced the creation of a new Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence with an objective to “identify opportunities for further reform and improvements needed to enable tech startups, scaleups and [small–and medium–sized enterprises] to access government contracts.” 16 The new Digital Centre of Excellence will be staffed by experts in digital procurement. We asked the Cabinet Office how it would ensure that Departments and their commercial teams were able to get a consistently good deal that provides value to the taxpayer. It told us that it wanted Type: conclusion | Number: 11 | Response status: accepted Government response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2025 2.2 The development of the Digital Commercial Strategy will include an agreed approach to supplier and market engagement, with a particular focus on Small and Mediu