n 2024, the Government of Switzerland faced a growing challenge: how to procure digital consultancy services faster, more transparently, and in a way that supports both innovation and SME participation.

Legacy frameworks and procurement processes were often seen as slow, complex, and difficult to navigate—leaving many public sector organisations frustrated and smaller suppliers struggling to compete on a level playing field.

To overcome this, Switzerland turned to Horizon, Stark Systems’ SaaS platform for public sector technology consultancy frameworks.

Why Switzerland Needed Change

Switzerland’s public administration operates across 26 cantons and hundreds of agencies. While decentralisation brings local accountability, it also makes consistent procurement of technology services challenging.

Key issues identified in 2023 included:

• Lengthy procurement cycles that slowed innovation.
• Barriers for SMEs, which provide much of Switzerland’s innovation capacity.
• Fragmented frameworks with little visibility across cantonal and federal levels.
• A need to align procurement with sustainability and digital inclusion goals.

The government wanted a solution that was flexible, transparent, and future-ready.

Enter Horizon: A Platform Built for Public Sector Transformation

Horizon was deployed nationally in early 2024 as the central platform for managing digital consultancy procurement and delivery.

With Horizon, Switzerland gained:

1. A Unified Buyer Portal

Federal and cantonal agencies could browse pre-qualified suppliers, filter by expertise (e.g., cloud migration, cybersecurity, AI, service design), and launch call-offs with standardised templates.

2. A Supplier-Friendly Marketplace

SMEs and large consultancies alike could showcase capabilities, accreditations, case studies, and social value commitments. With AI-assisted bidding tools, suppliers reduced time spent on admin and focused on value.

3. AI-Powered Matching

Horizon’s AI engine matched buyers with the most relevant suppliers, considering skills, past performance, geography, cost, and innovation potential. This made selection faster and more transparent.

4. Built-In Governance and Reporting

Every procurement action was logged in Horizon’s audit trail, ensuring compliance with Swiss federal procurement law and international standards. Dashboards gave leaders real-time visibility into spend, SME participation, and sustainability metrics.

5. Social Value and Sustainability Tracking

Suppliers logged contributions to carbon neutrality, apprenticeships, and digital inclusion—helping Switzerland meet its net zero targets and social commitments.

Results Achieved in 2024

By the end of its first year, Horizon delivered measurable outcomes across Swiss government procurement:

• 45% reduction in procurement cycle times for digital consultancy services.
• 62% increase in SME participation, unlocking access to highly innovative local suppliers.
• £30m equivalent savings across federal and cantonal procurement budgets.
• Enhanced compliance and transparency, with procurement audits automated through Horizon.
• Tangible progress toward Switzerland’s digital inclusion and net zero goals.

Voices from the Field

“Horizon has given us a procurement system that finally works at the speed of digital transformation. What used to take months now takes weeks—sometimes days.”
— Swiss Federal Digital Transformation Office

“As an SME, we finally feel we can compete fairly with larger firms. Horizon has given us visibility and simplified bidding processes.”
— Swiss Consultancy SME

Looking Ahead: A Model for Europe

Following Switzerland’s success, Horizon is now being explored by other European governments seeking to modernise procurement in line with the EU’s digital and green transition goals.

Horizon has proven itself not just as a procurement platform, but as a catalyst for transformation—bridging the gap between public sector needs and the capabilities of innovative technology suppliers.

About Horizon

Horizon, created by Stark Systems, is a SaaS platform that reimagines how the public sector engages with technology consultancy providers. Built to support transformation, innovation, and digital delivery, Horizon empowers governments to:

• Reduce procurement times.
• Increase SME access and participation.
• Improve transparency and compliance.
• Deliver measurable social and sustainability value.