Summary
The Swiss federal government has launched a new tender for "Professional Services Public Cloud" and extended existing framework agreements for "Public Clouds Bund" with five providers until 2031. The tender encompasses 130 million francs in optional services, divided into eight lots. The Federal Office of Information Technology and Telecommunications (BIT) is conducting the central tender to provide the federal administration with access to specialized services in cloud digitalization. The extension closes a supply gap and supports the transition to the new Swiss Government Cloud (SGC).
Persons
- Federal Office of Information Technology and Telecommunications (BIT) (federal authority; coordinator)
Topics
- Cloud infrastructure Switzerland
- Digitalization of federal administration
- Public tenders
- Swiss Government Cloud (SGC)
Clarus Lead
The tender marks a strategic step in the federal government's digitalization strategy. It enables the federal administration to migrate its cloud infrastructure by 2032 to the new Swiss Government Cloud (SGC) – a hybrid multi-cloud solution that combines public cloud services from multiple providers with private infrastructure in federal data centers. The optional nature of the tender gives departments and offices flexibility in utilization, while the BIT functions as a central cloud service broker.
Detailed Summary
The new tender for "Professional Services Public Cloud" (WTO 24018) was published by the BIT on the Simap publication platform. It complements the framework agreements for "Public Clouds Bund" extended in September 2025 and offers specialized services specifically for cloud migration and digitalization. The 130 million francs represent an upper limit; actual expenditure depends on the federal administration's actual needs. No department is obligated to use these services – each authority decides autonomously on its participation.
The tender is strategically aligned with the preparation of the Swiss Government Cloud (SGC), which will be built by 2032. The SGC combines public cloud services from multiple external providers with a private cloud operated in federal data centers. This enables a "seamless temporal transition" of existing applications. The BIT acts as a central cloud service broker and supports offices in selecting and implementing cloud services. The tender for SGC's own cloud services will follow at a later date.
Key Statements
- The federal government is allocating up to 130 million francs for cloud specialized services by 2031, divided into eight optional lots.
- The extension of framework agreements closes a supply gap and prepares migration to the Swiss Government Cloud.
- The BIT functions as a central cloud service broker and provides departments with flexibility in using public cloud services.
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: What needs analysis is the 130 million franc upper limit based on, and how was this amount determined?
Conflicts of Interest: How is it ensured that the selection of the five public cloud providers was conducted transparently and without discrimination?
Causality/Alternatives: Why was a hybrid multi-cloud solution (SGC) preferred over full migration to a single public cloud? Which alternatives were evaluated?
Feasibility/Risks: What security and data protection standards apply to the hybrid infrastructure, particularly during the transition of legacy systems to the SGC?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent is the BIT independent as a cloud service broker when it simultaneously conducts the tender and operates the private cloud infrastructure?
Feasibility: What timeline is planned for migrating existing specialized applications, and what resources are allocated for this?
Source Directory
Primary Source: Federal Government Extends Cloud Framework Agreements and Launches New Tender for Professional Services – news.admin.ch, 23.04.2026
Supplementary Sources:
- Press Release: Extension WTO 20007 Public Clouds Bund
- Publication Tender Professional Services Public Cloud
- Federal Chancellery Information on Cloud Usage
- BIT Website on Swiss Government Cloud
Verification Status: ✓ 23.04.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 23.04.2026