The companies were part of the government's Innovation Launch Pad Product Surgery, which is aimed at helping more small IT suppliers to sell products and servicves into Whitehall. Some 350 SMEs submitted their ideas into a forum, voted on by 2,000 civil servants.

The nine SMEs selected for the Innovation Launch Pad Product Surgery include Adinfa, which aims to cut emissions from government data centres, and Becrypt, which can provide secure and low cost mobile access from any device.

There is also Cat N Hosting, that aims to migrate government websites to open source frameworks, and Health Analytics which has a platform for clinicians and patients to access integrated NHS and social care records.

Also, HotDocs is a software tool to standardise and automate the production of routine documentation and forms, and Software Europe is a service that automates clerical systems for claiming and processing travel and related expenses within the public sector, delivering savings of around 15 percent.

On announcing the SMEs able to pitch to government departments, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude renewed the government's call on large firms to pay SME contractors on time, before 30 days.