Commission launches a new procurement process for Cloud Services

CLOUD III DPS will be the main acquisition channel for the procurement of multi-tenant IaaS/Paas cloud services by the Commission and the other participating EU institutions, bodies and agencies (EUIs). It will enable the Commission Cloud Broker, together with other participating EUIs, to run mini-competitions that address their needs for cloud services. These competitions will result in multiple contracts.

CLOUD III DPS builds upon the experience acquired through its innovative predecessor CLOUD II DPS1, which was the first procedure of its kind and served as a key enabler for the adoption of cloud services by various EUIs during the last four years.

Like its predecessor, CLOUD III DPS focuses on automated, pay-per-use services depending on public clouds, as opposed to custom-made private clouds. For added flexibility, CLOUD III DPS also includes:

• Hybrid cloud management (fully managed automated IaaS/PaaS services running on top of standardized infrastructure hosted on premises by the EUIs);
• A possibility to obtain products and services that are complementary to the main IaaS/PaaS services in scope or facilitating their adoption.

How will it work?

CLOUD III DPS is a two-step procedure and will last for a total of four years. During the first stage, cloud service providers submit their requests to enter the system itself. The DPS is open to providers who:

• Provide fully automated cloud services operated through both APIs and web graphical user interfaces;
• Allow EUIs to deploy services in separate locations within the European Economic Area (EEA), sufficiently isolated from one-another;
• Allow EUIs to manage users and roles and allow DG DIGIT to operate a Cloud Broker service;
• Offer their services in a pay-per-use model;
• Provide electronic invoices and consumption reports allowing automated retrieval and verification.

There is no limit on the number of participants. New cloud providers of different sizes can register in the DPS at any time throughout its duration. The contracting authority will assess the submitted applications and admit the cloud providers who fulfil all the criteria. The procedure is fully electronic, and all interactions are managed through a web portal.

During the second stage, the DG Digital Services of the European Commission will, for the benefit of all participating EUIs, conduct mini-competitions among the providers admitted at the first stage.  The mini-competitions are planned to have a total value of EUR 550 million. The precise scope, services requirements, rules, estimated value and contract award criteria of each competition will be set out in its respective tender specifications. Providers admitted to the DPS can decide on a case-by-case basis to participate in mini-competitions or not.

The new system is now open for registration. The first mini-competitions are planned to start as of April 2024. Cloud service providers are welcome to apply.

For more information

CLOUD III DPS Contract Notice