Digital Outcomes
The CCS framework for digital project capability; buyers publish briefs and suppliers respond with proposals via mini-competition.
Definition
Digital Outcomes (formerly Digital Outcomes and Specialists, then Digital Outcomes 6) is the Crown Commercial Service framework for digital project capability: discovery, alpha, beta, live, and ongoing improvement of digital services. Suppliers join the framework on the basis of capability profiles; buyers publish project briefs describing their requirement; suppliers respond with proposals via mini-competition. The framework supports the wider UK central government Service Standard and digital service-design approach widely adopted across UK public sector.
How it works in practice
Digital Outcomes is structured around the GDS service design phases: discovery (understanding users and need), alpha (rapidly prototyping potential solutions), beta (building and testing the chosen solution), live (operating the solution), and ongoing iteration. Each phase has typical duration and team composition expectations: discovery 4-8 weeks with a multidisciplinary team of 4-8; alpha 6-12 weeks; beta 12-24 weeks; live ongoing. Buyer briefs describe the phase, the digital service context, the project budget, the supplier team capability needed (often expressed as named roles: service designer, user researcher, content designer, technical lead, product manager), and the evaluation criteria. Suppliers respond with a proposal naming the team, evidencing relevant project experience, and pricing the engagement against the published rate card. Response windows are short (1-2 weeks typical), reflecting the rapid-deployment nature of digital project work. Award is by mini-competition: the buyer evaluates the responses against published criteria and awards the call-off. The framework rate card constrains pricing; quality of team and proposal usually decides. Strong Digital Outcomes responses are specific to the brief, evidence-backed by recent similar projects, and propose realistic team sizes proportional to the project budget.
Common questions
How is Digital Outcomes different from G-Cloud?
G-Cloud is catalogue-based: suppliers list services with descriptions and pricing; buyers select directly. Digital Outcomes is opportunity-based: buyers publish project briefs; suppliers respond with proposals via mini-competition. G-Cloud suits commodity cloud services; Digital Outcomes suits digital project work needing specific team capability.
What are GDS service design phases?
Discovery (understanding users and need), Alpha (prototyping solutions), Beta (building and testing the chosen solution), Live (operating), and ongoing iteration. The phases are the framework around the wider UK government Service Standard. Digital Outcomes briefs typically specify which phase the call-off covers.
What is the typical Digital Outcomes call-off value?
Highly variable. Discovery engagements often £50K-£200K; alpha and beta typically £200K-£2M; live operating contracts can be larger. Project budgets are usually stated in the brief; suppliers should ensure their proposals are proportional to budget.