Government Commercial Function

The Government Commercial Function (GCF) is the cross-government body that sets standards, capability frameworks and policy for commercial and procurement professionals working across UK central government departments and arm's-length bodies.

What it is

The Government Commercial Function (GCF) is the central professional body for commercial activity across UK central government. Established formally in 2014 under the Cabinet Office, it brings together commercial and procurement professionals from across departments, arm's-length bodies and Crown Commercial Service into a single, coherent function with common standards and leadership.

The GCF is led by the Government Chief Commercial Officer (GCCO), a role created to provide senior commercial leadership across Whitehall. The function sits within the Cabinet Office and works alongside HM Treasury to shape spending and commercial policy.

What it does

The GCF's primary responsibilities include:

• Setting professional standards – the GCF owns the Government Commercial Competency Framework, which defines the skills, behaviours and knowledge expected of commercial professionals at each grade
• Managing talent and capability – it runs the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), which embeds senior commercial specialists into major spending departments
• Oversight of major contracts – the GCF oversees the Government's largest and most complex supplier relationships, including those on the strategic supplier list
• Policy and guidance – it publishes commercial policy, playbooks and tools used by practitioners across government, covering areas such as contract management, sourcing strategy and supplier risk
• Supplier relationship management – the GCF coordinates cross-government engagement with strategic suppliers, particularly those whose failure would cause systemic risk to public services

Who it affects

Any civil servant working in a commercial, procurement or contract management role in a central government department is likely to operate within the GCF's framework. The function also sets expectations for how departments procure, meaning its standards influence supplier interactions, evaluation processes and contract structures across government.

Relevance to suppliers

Suppliers bidding for central government contracts will encounter GCF-influenced processes: standardised evaluation criteria, the Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs) issued by Cabinet Office, and the expectation of robust contract management post-award. Understanding the GCF's role helps suppliers anticipate the professionalism and rigour they will face when engaging with government buyers.