Virtual Desktop (AWS and Azure) Managed
CGI’s Virtual Desktop management services enhance business agility, workforce productivity, and cost efficiency by centralizing desktop functions. Users access their personalized virtual desktop from any compatible device, ensuring mobility and security. Supported by CGI’s UK-based 5-star service desk and managed support services, ensuring continual service improvement and user satisfaction.
Features
- CGI's Virtual Desktops service is ITIL-aligned
- Coordinated using the Service Management System
- CGI's Virtual Desktop service covers multiple technology vendors
- Key components integrated with VDI infrastructure
- Access to dedicated support
- Continuously monitored using native monitoring tools
- Backup and restore functionality
Benefits
- Improved employee satisfaction, performance, and productivity
- Enhanced security and reliability
- Streamlined IT through centralised management of your end-user computing environment
- Realise cost savings and added flexibility
- Enable you to accelerate your business
- Increase workforce flexibility and productivity
- Lowering desktop total cost of ownership
- Support BYOD and thin client, seasonal workers, call-centre use-cases
Pricing
Service documents
Request an accessible format
Framework
G-Cloud 15
Service ID
2 7 2 0 4 4 1 5 0 0 3 2 7 3 3
Contact
CGI IT UK LIMITED
GCA Frameworks Team
Telephone: 08450707765
Email: uk.gen.ccsframeworks@cgi.com
About your service
- Service categories
-
Systems Infrastructure Software
Physical and virtual computing
- Virtual client computing
Operating system environments
- Core Operating Systems
- Client Operating Systems
Software defined compute
- Virtual Machine Software
- Cloud System Software
Other computing and storage software
- Remote Desktop Control Software
- Multi cloud support
- Yes
Service scope
- Software add-on or extension
- No
- Cloud deployment model
- Hybrid cloud
- Service constraints
- No constraints. CGI can support clients on-site or remotely, and across a range of security classifications including Above Secret with suitably cleared professionals.
- System requirements
-
- Buyer has appropriate Public Cloud provider support agreement in place
- Or leverage CGI's agreement at a small additional cost
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support response times
- 30 minutes
- User can manage status and priority of support tickets
- Yes
- Online ticketing support accessibility
- None or don’t know
- Phone support
- Yes
- Phone support availability
- 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Web chat support
- Yes
- Web chat support availability
- 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Web chat support accessibility standard
- None or don’t know
- How the web chat support is accessible
- End users can access webchat functionality via our Virtual Agent, which will be available via plugin to MS Teams. Our Virtual Agent will transfer to a live agent if the issue cannot be resolved.
- Web chat accessibility testing
- Not applicable
- Onsite support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support levels
- Full support of CGI services are provided as standard via the CGI Service Desk. The Service Desk is 24x7x365 and is resourced with 1st/2nd line technical support engineers to support Cloud instances and a range of technologies hosted on those cloud instances. The service desk has direct escalation to 3rd line support and onward escalation to product vendors
- Support available to third parties
- No
- AI chatbot
- Yes
Onboarding and offboarding
- Getting started
-
CGI has proven and effective on and off-boarding skills, tools, and methodologies. We have successfully transitioned numerous Public Sector clients onto our managed network service. CGI has a dedicated team of managers who specialise in transition and who apply considerable previous experience in this area. CGI will apply its standard transition methodology which has been used in all service on- and off-boarding's within CGI for many years. The transition process is flexible and can be used for both small and large scale on-boarding requirements.
The approach taken by CGI is to understand the client's requirements and make the transition phase specific to the needs of the client whilst leveraging the experience, lessons learnt and methodology from many years of transition experience. - Service documentation
- Yes
- Documentation formats
-
- HTML
- End-of-contract data extraction
- User data will remain in possession of the client (client will be expected to host using their organisation cloud subscription).
- End-of-contract process
- User data will remain in possession of the client (client will be expected to host using their organisation cloud subscription).
- Documentation accessibility standard
- None or don’t know
- How the documentation is accessible
- As part of the service engagement, CGI will work with the client to agree the scope, format, and delivery method for all relevant documentation. This includes design records, configuration details, operational procedures, and reporting outputs. Documentation will be securely transferred using agreed mechanisms, with version control and safe storage practices applied to ensure integrity and ongoing accessibility.
Using the service
- Web browser interface
- Yes
- Supported browsers
-
- Microsoft Edge
- Chrome
- Application to install
- Yes
- Compatible operating systems
-
- Android
- IOS
- MacOS
- Windows
- Other
- Designed for use on mobile devices
- Yes
- Differences between the mobile and desktop service
-
Please find links below to both Microsoft and Amazon websites for comparison:
AWS :https://docs.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/latest/userguide/amazon-workspaces-clients.html
Microsoft:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/compare-remote-desktop-clients - Service interface
- Yes
- User support accessibility
- None or don’t know
- Description of service interface
- Vendor specific cloud management portal.
- Accessibility standards
- None or don’t know
- Description of accessibility
- Remote desktop window, that allows user to utilise native windows desktop services e.g. screen reader, desktop resolution change.
- Accessibility testing
- None
- API
- Yes
- What users can and can't do using the API
- API reserved for admin use only.
- API documentation
- No
- API sandbox or test environment
- Yes
- Customisation available
- Yes
- Description of customisation
- Customisation can be summarised by OS features, applications and appearance. Scaling options and company logos. Options to customise from client and in the event this is not possible, through support function.
Scaling
- Independence of resources
- Both options allow for individual user assignment. Scaling possible to allow guaranteed compute per user (Microsoft/AWS availability levels).
Analytics
- Service usage metrics
- Yes
- Metrics types
- Cloud admin can supply information on licenses and usage.
- Reporting types
-
- Real-time dashboards
- Regular reports
- Reports on request
- Resource tagging
- No
- FOCUS resource tagging
- No
Resellers
- Supplier type
- Reseller providing extra features and support
- Organisation whose services are being resold
- Public Cloud, IaaS.
Staff security
- Staff security clearance
- Conforms to BS7858:2019
- Government security clearance
- Developed Vetting (DV)
Asset protection
- Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Data storage and processing locations
-
- United Kingdom
- European Economic Area (EEA)
- User control over data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Datacentre security standards
- Managed by a third party
- Penetration testing frequency
- At least once a year
- Penetration testing approach
- ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
- Protecting data at rest
- Other
- Other data at rest protection approach
- 100 words
- Data sanitisation process
- Yes
- Equipment disposal approach
- A third-party destruction service
- Data sanitisation type
- Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase
Data importing and exporting
- Data export approach
- Data retained by client as their own subscription will be used.
- Data export formats
- Other
- Other data export formats
- Not applicable
- Data import formats
- Other
- Other data import formats
- Not applicable
Data-in-transit protection
- Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
-
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
- Other
- Other protection between networks
- All prospective services, are limited by vendor offering (AWS/Microsoft). Any solution CGI offer would be subject to appropriate security assessment and appropriate network protection required by that assessment.
- Data protection within supplier network
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
Availability and resilience
- Guaranteed availability
- Service Levels agreed with client subject to service solution requirements and level of availability required. Specific service levels for availability will be constrained by availability levels and any scheduled unavailability that the public cloud vendor (AWS and Microsoft) offer within their commercial terms.
- Approach to resilience
- Options for resilience are offered in solution when requirements are known. Public cloud vendors offer multiple options, that can be considered, subject to complexity and pricing requirements.
- Outage reporting
-
The console provides alerts for IaaS, PaaS and SaaS by email as default. In addition, CGI can provide proactive alerting solution for Public Cloud using webhooks. This takes the URL calls produced by webhooks and can deliver alerts in 3 ways:
• Email to a resolver group
• Direct import to CGI's enterprise ITSM tool, Remedy. This raises a ticket targeted at the resolver queue embedded in the URL call
• Integration with CGI's enterprise control bridge In addition, CGI also provide Virtual Server OS health monitoring.
Identity and authentication
- User authentication needed
- Yes
- User authentication
-
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
- Username or password
- Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
- CGI members requiring access to client's resources and environments within Public Cloud use a secure site-site VPN to establish a secure connection. Credential authentication is done via Active Directory installed as part of the initial service setup for each client and is unique to them. and will have RBAC controls implemented to ensure restricted privileges.
- Access restriction testing frequency
- At least every 6 months
- Management access authentication
-
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Dedicated link (for example VPN)
- Username or password
Audit information for users
- Access to user activity audit information
- Users have access to real-time audit information
- How long user audit data is stored for
- User-defined
- Access to supplier activity audit information
- Users have access to real-time audit information
- How long supplier audit data is stored for
- User-defined
- How long system logs are stored for
- At least 12 months
Security governance
- Named board-level person responsible for service security
- Yes
- Security governance certified
- Yes
- Security governance standards
- ISO/IEC 27001
- Information security policies and processes
- Global CISO has a delegate (SBU SBP) in each country plus a team underneath them who are responsible for security across the UK. We write our Security Policy and standards based on ISO27001 for security and ISO9001 for quality. Each control item is detailed in the policy and it is called the Enterprise Security Management Framework. It includes all environments as well as technical, organisation, people and physical security controls.
- Software Security Code of Practice
- Yes
Operational security
- Configuration and change management standard
- Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
- Configuration and change management approach
- Effective configuration and change management processes are essential for ensuring service integrity and security. CGI maintains a comprehensive approach, defining clear roles and responsibilities within client and CGI teams. Our process includes a detailed configuration plan, specifying service components and dependencies, and clear deliverables to ensure documentation accuracy. Changes undergo thorough evaluation, requiring signoff from both parties to align with expectations and mitigate unauthorized alterations. We closely monitor and track all changes, maintaining detailed records for auditing purposes. By adhering to these processes, CGI ensures structured, accountable management, minimizing risks and upholding service integrity and security.
- Vulnerability management type
- Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
- Vulnerability management approach
- We use automated and manual scanning tools such as CrowdStrike and Qualys. We also use threat intelligence to compliment this. There is scanning done in real-time across environments. Patches are deployed based on criticality: Critical - 5 mins, High - 10 mins, Medium - 30mins, or as per the client contract. We get our information on potential threats from CTI, Qualys, Trend Micro, CrowdStrike, and other tools.
- Protective monitoring type
- Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
- Protective monitoring approach
- All alerts go into our GSOC 24/7 team, where they are triaged and placed into the security incident handling procedure. We respond when we find a potential compromise as per the incident procedure based on severity. Our incident response times are based on severity: SEV 1 - 20 min, SEV 2 - 1 hour, and SEV3 - 24 hours.
- Incident management type
- Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
- Incident management approach
- CGI operate an ITIL aligned incident management process with associated procedures for security related incidents. The process has a clearly defined governance framework, including roles & responsibilities, clear policies and associated KPIs. CGI provide a single point of contact via our service desk using voice, or web portal, for any issues related to the Public Cloud platform. Regardless of the Public Cloud support agreement owner (CGI or the client), CGI can open and track incidents on the buyer's behalf . We provide routine monthly reporting via our ITSM processes for all incident categories .
- Post-quantum cryptography secure
- Yes
Secure development
- Approach to secure software development best practice
- Supplier-defined process
Public sector networks
- Connection to public sector networks
- No
Pricing
- Discount for educational organisations
- No
- Free trial available
- No
Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)
- Less than £250,000
- 0%
- Between £250,000 and £500,000
- 0%
- Between £500,001 and £1,000,000
- 0%
- Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000
- 0%
- Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000
- 0%
- Over £5,000,001
- 0%
Non-mandatory Standards and certifications
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
- UKAS (UK Accreditation Service)
- ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
- Monday 28 April 2025
- What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
- CGI’s ISO/IEC 27001 certification applies to the defined scope of services, legal entities, and locations set out in the certificate and associated appendices. Activities, services, or locations outside this defined scope are not covered.
- ISO 28000:2022 certification
- No
- ISO 9001 certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO 9001 certification
- UKAS (UK Accreditation Service)
- ISO 9001 accreditation date
- Tuesday 30 July 2024
- What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover
- CGI’s ISO 9001 certification applies to the defined scope of end-to-end information technology and business consulting services, as delivered by the legal entities and locations listed in the certificate and associated appendices. Activities, services, or locations outside this defined scope are not covered.
- Quality management systems (QMS)
- No
- CSA STAR certification
- No
- PCI certification
- No
- Cyber essentials
- Yes
- Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number
- C62b32fc-c6a1-4191-b693-75040ca11655
- Cyber essentials plus
- Yes
- Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number
- 68b897db-c248-49c1-944c-6b7087754b00
- Other security certifications
- No
Social value
- Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery
-
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority
- New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
- New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
- Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
- Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
- Ensuring new workers are informed of their right to join a trade union
- Monitoring of employee engagement rates (by protected characteristic) and, where necessary, the development of actions to ensure all voices are heard across the diversity of the workforce
- Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
- Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
- Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
- Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
- Offer a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers, ideally equivalent to statutory adoption pay and leave
- Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
- Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
- Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
- Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative
- Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
- Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
- Support for the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
- Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
- Volunteering opportunities for staff
- Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
- Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
- Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
- How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.
- How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
- How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
- Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.
- Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
- Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
- Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering
- Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises
- Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
- Activities to identify opportunities to open up sub-contracts under the prime contract to a diverse range of businesses, including new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
- Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)
- Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
- Advertising of supply chain opportunities openly and to ensure they are accessible to a diverse range of businesses, including advertising all subcontracting opportunities on Contracts Finder
- Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
- Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual
- Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
- Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
- Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings)
- Plans for positive actions with community groups.
- Measures for making facilities used in the delivery of the contract available for community groups, education or training
- Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered
- Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
- Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds
- Collaborating with anchor institutions and community groups to make facilities available for education, training or community events
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Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero
Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.
- Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement
- Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it
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Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain
Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment
- Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
- Creation of employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment, such as prison leavers, care leavers and/or who are located in deprived areas, and for people in industries with known skills shortages or in high growth sectors
- Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
- Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
- Collection of the views and expertise of disabled people and their representative organisations on successfully supporting disabled employees or applicants
- Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
- Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes
- Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
- Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
- Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain
- Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce
- Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
-
Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain
Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.
- Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
- Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce
- Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
- Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
- Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
- Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
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Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.
Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.
- Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
- Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
- Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition
- Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce
-