Google Cloud sets up new public sector business

In a challenge to fellow hyperscale rivals Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud is launching a separate subsidiary to serve US government clients which will have its own separate board of directors to be named later. The Google Cloud Public Sector arm will sell the full suite of Google services including cybersecurity solutions to federal, state, and local government entities. Will Grannis, Google Managing Director and CTO office chief, will oversee the new business at launch until a permanent CEO is named. Lynn Martin, a Google vice president, will head the U.S. Public Sector sales organization.

With this new entity, Google Cloud is targeting one of the world’s largest consumers of IT. In 2021, the US federal government alone budgeted more than $90 billion for technology procurement. Google Cloud, which was late to courting enterprise clients in general, has made significant headway in both the private and public sectors in recent years.

Google Cloud contract wins

The provider has won contracts with US Air Force providing collaboration support and platforms for airline maintenance and flight simulation and training. The provider also counts the US Navy, the US Department of Veteran Affairs, US Department of Energy, and the US Postal Service among others as customers. Google Cloud also supports a number of state and local clients.

Google Public Sector is putting a big emphasis on its security capabilities as foundational for a zero trust architecture. The federal government is in the midst of a multi-year move toward a zero trust architecture. Like its parent, Google Public Sector will function as a “partner-first” entity, leaning heavily on its ecosystem partners to provide consulting and professional services support. Key public sector integrator partners include Accenture Federal, Deloittes, and Mantech.