Cloud Procurement Handbook

The guide is designed to help public purchasers in Europe to shape more effective cloud procurement vehicles, facilitate the digital transformation of governments and encourage the public sector to adopt a forward-looking cloud-first public procurement policy.

Download the 2022 version of the CISPE Handbook in English here.

The CISPE Handbook is also available in:

Building on best practices from all the cloud ecosystem

The new edition of the CISPE Handbook was formally presented to the European Commission at an online event held on 16th February, 2022. This second edition, developed by CISPE (Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe) with the support of Cloud Industry Forum, Danish Cloud Community, DHPA, eco/EuroCloud Germany, EuroCloud France, and ISPConnect, updates the popular and influential 2019 version already used by many organisations in Europe and beyond. Among the updates are new sections on Codes of Conduct for Data Protection, fair software licensing principles, sustainability, and enhanced cyber security.

Facilitate the move to the cloud

The handbook is meant to facilitate the digital transformation of governments and the public sector by providing best practice guidance for Europe’s public procurers of cloud services. The CISPE Handbook provides specific advice on:

• Setting up Cloud Services RFPs
• Minimum technical and security requirements
• Vendor comparison
• Contracting
• Pricing & Terms and Conditions
• Best practice examples and templates for technical comparisons and evaluations of vendors.

As concerns around data protection, digital sovereignty, sustainability and fair competition continue to influence critical decisions on digital infrastructure, the CISPE Handbook represents a common guide for procurement processes in these important areas.