Skyscape launches Partner Programme

Skyscape Cloud Services Limited has announced its continued expansion with the launch of a Channel Partner Programme. The new Programme has been established to recruit channel partners to work together with Skyscape under the latest G-Cloud Framework. Suppliers are invited to respond to the G-Cloud 4 tender by 23rd September, with services expected to be made available on the latest iteration by the end of October 2013.
As a supplier to G-Cloud since the launch of the Framework’s first iteration in February 2012, Skyscape has already demonstrated its credentials establishing itself as a British SME success story. Solely focused on the UK public sector and with significant market share under G-Cloud Lot 1, Skyscape’s customers include organisations such as GOV.UK, HMRC, Home Office and MOD. Skyscape is one of a few G-Cloud providers that is Pan Government Accredited (PGA) up to Impact Level (IL) 3.

Prior to the launch of this new Partner Programme, Skyscape had already signed agreements with 25 sales channel partners. These partners include:
· Tier-1 System Integrators (SIs) such as Capita, Capgemini, Lockheed Martin and Steria
· Managed Service Providers (MSPs) including ControlCircle, MDS and Zantra Technology
· Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) such as CACI, Fivium and SCISYS

The company aims to further expand this list with a Programme that will enable partners to base their solutions on Skyscape’s assured cloud infrastructure, enabling them to focus on their core business and value proposition. The Programme offers:
· Business planning tools and online resources with repeatable and re-usable content
· Comprehensive on-boarding, training and education programmes to include an autumn schedule of seminars tailored to each specific partner group
· Established commercial terms and pricing transparency to make contracting simple and easy
· Pre- and post-technical resources and sales support and a single point of contact at Skyscape for all enquiries

“While the G-Cloud Framework offers substantial opportunities to a wide range of ICT companies, merely being listed as a G-Cloud supplier doesn’t provide any guarantee of success,” said Phil Dawson, CEO of Skyscape Cloud Services. “All services offered via the Framework above data IL0 must be accredited, and this can present a huge challenge to many service providers. By working with Skyscape Cloud Services, partners can benefit from an already accredited platform. Without the need for considerable expenditure on infrastructure or the cost and complexity of gaining accreditation, partners can enter the UK public sector market quickly and significantly accelerate sales.”

Skyscape has already achieved significant success via G-Cloud, helping partners to benefit from the experience it has gained, as well as its established infrastructure, brand and reputation.

“The UK public cloud market is at an extremely exciting stage in its development,” added Dan Broomham, Head of IMSL Pre-Sales at Steria. “With the fourth iteration of the Framework now announced, it’s a great time for Skyscape and its partners to work together to deliver solutions that will help the UK public sector benefit from lower costs, reduced procurement times and a simplified tendering process, without compromising either performance or security. These ICT solutions will ultimately help the UK public sector to deliver better services to citizens and save tax payers’ money.”

Skyscape is keen to recruit partners as it recognises its assured cloud platform offered in collaboration with the value-added services offered by SIs, MSPs or ISVs is a compelling proposition for the UK Public Sector as it rapidly adopts the cloud.

“The Skyscape platform offers quality and scale that few other providers can deliver,” commented Inde Uppal, Director of Digital Solutions at CACI. “The quality of the platform means that Skyscape can provide services to partners with an extremely transparent and simple cost model where spending can be easily predicted. Since partnering with Skyscape, we’ve seen the benefits of no start-up costs, no minimum contract and usage-based billing. Leveraging the Skyscape platform enables us to provide value infrastructure as a service that underpins our delivery of pan government digital services.”