DATABASE FOR BUSINESS LTD

Connected Spaces Managed Audio Visual Collaboration

The Connected Spaces Managed Audio Visual solution is designed to deliver a consistent, reliable, and intuitive meeting experience for users while enabling effective collaboration capabilities through interactive displays. The deployment will leverage industry standard, Microsoft, Webex and Zoom Certified Technologies where specified.

Features

• Deliver fully functional audio-visual collaboration spaces
• Provide access to Microsoft Teams, Webex and Zoom Meetings
• Ensure high quality audio-visual performance suitable for hybrid collaboration
• Deliver interactive displays in locations for enhanced whiteboarding and collaboration
• Provide a secure, supportable, and scalable solution with security compliance
• A range of integrated digital spaces including community pods
• A suite integrated digital services for Government, Education & Healthcare
• Full design services including building management, furniture and connectivity
• Meeting Room installation/commissioning service including System and User-Acceptance Testing
• Deliver comprehensive documentation, training, onboarding and support

Benefits

• Seamless collaboration between users at multiple sites, home or mobile
• Flexible multi-cloud collaboration across Microsoft, Webex and Zoom
• A fully integrated managed service including installation and support
• Provision of digitally enabled pods to provide safe spaces
• Collaboration, Public Safety, Wellbeing, Healthcare use cases
• Options for Virtual Reality and Fully Immersive collaboration spaces
• Multi-use capability to digitally enable self service in public spaces
• Provision of meeting room booking and occupancy where specified

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at tenders@dbfb.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

159864156319530

Contact

dbfb Tenders
01604 673320
tenders@dbfb.co.uk

About the service

• Service categories:
  • Applications
    • Content workflow and management
      • Enterprise portals and digital workspaces
        • Multi-Audience Portals
        • Integrated Employee Workspaces
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: Our collaboration spaces are an add on to enable access to collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and Zoom. In addition spaces can be used to access specific use cases such as digital twins, web apps and virtual reality rendering.
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Community cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Onsite access is required to install and support the meeting rooms and pods.
• System requirements:
  • Requires licenses for Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex or Zoom
  • Requires power and WiFi or Ethernet access

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Our engineer staffed service desk's standard operating times are 8am till 6pm weekdays excluding bank holidays. Out of hours and 24 x 7 services are available. Helpdesk calls are answered within 10 seconds during standard service desk hours. Email enquiries are responded to in person within 30 minutes during standard service desk hours. Web chat enquiries are responded to in person within 2 minutes during standard service desk hours. Incident response and target fix times are P1: 30 minutes / 5 hours, P2: 1 hour / 10 hours, P3: 8 hours / 24 hours, P4: 24 hours / 48 hours.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• AI chatbot: No
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: Please see web accessibility conformance and testing reports for our service desk which uses Microsoft Dynamics 365: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/conformance-reports
• Onsite support: Yes
• Support levels: On site engineering is provided as standard between 8am and 6pm weekdays excluding bank holidays. 24 x 7 services can be purchased at an additional rate. Our standard response times are: P1 Incident (total loss of services) - 30 minute response and 5 hour target fix. P2 Incident (loss of some services or a single site) - 1 hour response 10 hour target fix. P3 Incident (loss of some services or a single user) - 8 hour response 24 hour target fix. P4 Incident (non urgent changes) - 24 hour response 48 hour target fix. An assigned technical account manager is provided as standard with all services. An assigned service manager is included as standard with all services. Monthly service reporting and services reviews are included as standard with all services.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Our approach to service onboarding consists of five stages: Consult, Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain. Each stage of this approach is meticulously planned and executed, ensuring users are engaged and supported whilst our services are designed, deployed and supported. In the 'Consult' stage, we utilise user workshops, audits, surveys and version-controlled templates to ensure services are commissioned using a consistent set of documents and workflows and users are fully engaged. During the 'Design' phase, all project documentation is systematically organised, ensuring information captured is reflecting in high level and low level designs, and shared with project stakeholders. Our Quality Gate process is rigorously followed, especially during the 'Build' and 'Operate' stages. Milestones and quality checks are tracked to ensure alignment with user expectations. Our transition into live service includes the following : Early Life Support plan, detailing implementation timelines, support arrangements, remote or onsite training provision, user guides and documentation. Communication plan, maintained and executed throughout the transition to live service, including information and process for updating users in the event of any issues. Service Delivery plan, detailing scope of services, RACI matrices, escalation patterns, details of operating procedures, service design packages, ITSM/ITIL process workflows.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• End-of-contract data extraction: Cisco Webex Control Hub; ; The eDiscovery process in Cisco Webex Control Hub allows compliance officers to extract data for legal and compliance purposes. This process involves using the eDiscovery Download Manager to view compliance reports. ; ; Compliance officers can run eDiscovery reports on the Webex cloud with search parameters such as email addresses and date ranges. The process includes downloading the eDiscovery Download Manager, which is based on the Electron framework, and accessing the reports through the Search & Generate Compliance Report portal. ; ; Yealink Management Cloud Service; ; You can export the Packets, Logs, and Configuration Files by One Click Export; ; You can use the one-click export feature to export the packets, logs, and configuration files of one or multiple devices at the same time and get information from them to locate and analyze problems with the devices.; ; Within the Account Management section of YMCS you can use the batch management function to import, export, edit, delete or update account information.
• End-of-contract process: The provisions of the contract include hardware, software licensing and managed support within the price of the contract. At the end of the contract any services would need to be extended in order for the managed network service to continue operation.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
  • Other
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • Linux or Unix
  • MacOS
  • Windows
  • ChromeOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• Description of service interface: Cisco Webex - Cisco Webex Control Hub is a centralized management platform that allows administrators to manage users, services, and devices within the Webex ecosystem.; ; Other platforms used are as follows:; ; Yealink - Yealink Management Cloud Service (YMCS) enables deployment, upgrade, monitoring, management and troubleshooting of devices.; ; Hisense - VisionInfo from Hisense is a cloud-based CMS solution enabling advanced remote display management, content management and digital signage.; ; Samsung - VXT RMS (digital signage remote management solution) lets users manage screens from the .
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 A
• Accessibility testing: Cisco Webex Control Hub adheres to WCAG 2.2 standards, ensuring accessibility for users with disabilities through various initiatives and features.; ; Cisco has adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, which includes Level A and AA standards. This commitment is part of Cisco's broader accessibility initiative aimed at making their products, including the Webex Control Hub, accessible to all users, particularly those with disabilities. The company focuses on several key objectives to enhance accessibility:; ; Training and Awareness: Cisco provides training to employees to increase awareness and understanding of disabilities and accessibility issues within the organization.; ; Design Integration: Accessibility best practices are integrated into the design process of products and services from the outset, ensuring that usability is maintained throughout development. ; ; Accessibility Features in Webex Control Hub; The Webex Control Hub includes features designed to support users with various disabilities. For instance, the platform is tested for compliance with WCAG standards, ensuring that it meets the needs of users with visual impairments, cognitive limitations, and other accessibility challenges. Specific features include:; ; Reflow Accessibility: The design accommodates users who need to zoom in, allowing for a 400% zoom without loss of functionality or usability. This is particularly beneficial for low-vision users.
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The Webex Control Hub API provides programmatic access to various administrative and analytical functionalities of the Webex platform. It allows developers to manage organizational settings, retrieve meeting quality metrics, and interact with other features available in the Webex Control Hub.; ; Key Functionalities; ; Meeting Quality Metrics: The API supports retrieving troubleshooting metrics such as latency, jitter, and packet loss for meetings. This can be achieved using the Meeting Qualities API.; ; Organization Details: The Get Organization Details API allows fetching basic information about an organization, such as its ID, display name, and creation date.; ; Site Configuration: Some site-related settings can be accessed using the Get Meeting Common Settings Configuration API.; ; The Cisco Rooms xAPI is the API language of RoomOS, and it lets you create awesome integrations for Cisco video devices.; ; Yealink provides a range of APIs and SDKs to integrate its video conferencing, voice communication, and collaboration solutions into custom applications. These APIs allow developers to control Yealink devices, manage calls, configure settings, and integrate with third-party platforms.; ; Yealink offers platform-specific SDKs for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Web, Electron, and even WeChat Mini Programs. Additionally, the Yealink OpenAPI enables remote provisioning, device management, and call control through RESTful endpoints.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: The Connected Spaces Managed Audio Visual Collaboration service can be customised in many ways, including:; ; Application customisation: The service has been customised for specific market sectors, including Team Collaboration, Wellbeing, Public Safety, Education/SEND, Healthcare, Sport, Leisure and Heritage. This has included specific development of integrated companion apps for specific use cases.; ; Physical customisation: The collaboration devices can be installed into physical furniture, embedded into buildings or provided within acoustically protected pods for specific use cases where citizens require a safe space, such as SEND, Public Safety or Care environments. This can include physical branding for the appropriate organisation or use case.; ; Many elements of the user interface can be customised, and users can contribute to co-development of specific use cases for specific societal outcomes and local community benefit.; ; Customisation can be explored and developed with our in house innovation team and eco system partners.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Cisco Webex Meetings clusters and data centres are strategically placed to ensure redundancy and high availability. The data centres are designed to handle traffic and ensure that services remain operational even in the event of a primary system failure. The redundancy is achieved through multiple data centres, which can be used as backup sites if the primary site is down. ; ; Yealink Management Cloud Service (YMCS) is a comprehensive solution for managing Yealink devices in hybrid workplaces. The service is based on Microsoft Azure, providing a secure and reliable infrastructure to protect data from unauthorized access.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: The Cisco Webex Control Hub provides a comprehensive interface for managing users, licensing, integrations, analytics, and detailed reporting on usage, devices, and call quality. It offers drill‑down insights into technology consumption and service performance. ; ; Yealink’s Device Management Cloud Service enables simplified deployment, provisioning, monitoring, and troubleshooting of Yealink devices, with real‑time analytics and automated onboarding to reduce traditional deployment costs. ; ; Both platforms focus on efficient management, visibility, and maintaining high‑quality communication experiences.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Supplier type

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: Cisco, Yealink, Hisense, Samsung.

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

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: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Data Erasure
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Administrators are able to export key device and user information using the Cisco Webex Control Hub or Yealink Management Cloud Service depending on the services used to extract information into CSV format.
• Data export formats: CSV
• Data import formats: CSV

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Webex Calling offers a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that guarantees 99.99% uptime, outlines performance standards, and provides compensation for service failures.; ; Webex Calling guarantees 99.99% uptime. This means that the service is expected to be operational and available for use almost all the time. If the uptime falls below this threshold, customers may be eligible for service credits based on the monthly recurring charge (MRC) for the affected users. ; ; Credits for Service Failures:; If the service availability does not meet the SLA, customers can request credits. To qualify, customers must open a trouble ticket within 24 hours of the incident and submit a written claim for credits within 30 days. The credits will be calculated based on the duration of the outage and will appear as a line item on the buyers bill. ; ; In the context of Microsoft Teams collaboration, service level agreements (SLAs) are crucial for ensuring reliable and efficient communication.; Microsoft has updated its SLAs for Teams Phone to 99.99% uptime, reflecting their commitment to reliable calling experiences.
• Approach to resilience: Cisco Webex's server resilience is built on a foundation of high availability, redundancy, and continuous service enhancements. The platform's architecture is designed to withstand various failure patterns, ensuring that services remain operational and accessible. Key resilience features include.; ; Resilience by Design: Webexis built to handle control-plane turbulence and degrade gracefully, with a focus on designing for patterns that recur across services. ; ; Data Center Strategy: Webex operates under a Cisco umbrella with multiple data centers worldwide, providing redundancy and ensuring that services remain operational even in the event of a data center failure. ; ; Site Survivability: Webex Calling endpoints can switch to Survivability mode during network outages, providing basic backup calling services to on-site endpoints. ; ; Continuous Service Enhancements: Cisco's commitment to driving continuous service enhancements ensures that Webex services meet evolving regulatory and compliance requirements. ; ; Service resilience in Microsoft Teams; Microsoft Teams is engineered from the ground up for the cloud. It takes a cloud-first, mobile-first, cross-platform approach since inception. Teams is built with a highly resilient microservice architecture that splits tasks across multiple geo-redundant systems to ensure high availability and performance around the world. Microsoft Teams also leverages Azure’s built-in resiliency, making it resistant to failures.
• Outage reporting: Cisco Webex Status Overview; ; Real-Time Updates: The Webex Global Service Status page provides real-time information about the operational status of all Webex services, including calling, meetings, and messaging. You can view any ongoing issues, outages, or maintenance activities that may affect service availability. ; ; Incident History: The status page also includes historical data on service incidents, allowing you to see past outages and their resolutions. This can help you understand the reliability of the service over time. ; ; Notifications: Users can subscribe to receive notifications about service status updates, including scheduled maintenance and incident reports. This feature ensures you stay informed about any changes that may impact your use of Webex services. ; ; Microsoft Teams Service Health; ; You can view the health of your Microsoft services, including Office on the web, Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 on the Service health page in the Microsoft 365 admin center. If you're experiencing problems with a cloud service, you can check the service health to determine whether this is a known issue with a resolution in progress before you call support or spend time troubleshooting.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Cisco Webex Control Hub; You can set up users in your organisation with different administrator roles, including full, support, user/device administrators, read-only administrators, or compliance officers. You can also see a list of all or specific administrators in Control Hub, including device administrators and compliance officers.; ; Yealink Management Cloud Service (YMCS) offers role-based access control (RBAC). This feature enables device administrators to remotely access and manage Yealink meeting room devices, enhancing operational convenience and efficiency. The platform supports setting the device scope for different administrators, ensuring that only authorized users can manage the devices they are granted permission to.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • 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: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.
• Information security policies and processes: Dbfb Communications holds ISO9001 and Cyber Essentials Plus Certification in addition to an IT Security Policy and Information Security Management System (ISMS) that is aligned to ISO27001. We also have a roadmap towards full ISO27001 certification, Our service components within are fully accredited to ISO27001 including the Cisco Meraki Cloud Managed Network Platform. The IT policy is established and enforced by the company's Senior Leadership team. The Head of Technology is responsible for the implementation, interpretation, and enforcement of this policy. The Head of Technology is authorised to create and modify procedures and guidelines as needed to ensure compliance with the policy. All individuals who access or use the company's technology resources are responsible for complying with this policy. This includes all employees, contractors, vendors, partners, and other third parties who have access to the company's technology resources. The IT department is responsible for the implementation, maintenance, and support of the company's technology resources, including hardware, software, networks, data, and information systems and for ensuring compliance with this policy alongside Human Resources. We operate a full security reporting function and a documented IT Security Risk Register which is reviewed by our Governance and Risk Committee.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Changes can be made by dbfb engineers and approved customer contacts as agree with the contract. So approved co-management changes can be administered via Cisco Webex Control Hub for Cisco Devices or Yealink Cloud Management Service for Yealink, all supported by Roles Based Access Control (RBAC) and audit logs. Any change requests will be handled through the service desk using ITIL-defined processes for change review and approval, in accordance with customer requirements. All changes will be assessed for potential security impact in accordance with agreed change process, in particular changes to firewall rules.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Cisco: We build all products in accordance with the Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL), which includes privacy impact assessments, proactive penetration testing, and threat modelling. Cisco’s Security and Trust organization oversees security and privacy for Webex, and publicly discloses security vulnerabilities. ; ; Yealink: Yealink is committed to providing users with safe and reliable products and services. By establishing a transparent and standardized vulnerability disclosure process, we encourage security researchers, partners and users to participate in network security construction, timely discover and fix potential vulnerabilities, and reduce security risks.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Cisco Webex Trust Centre is a centralised platform designed to manage and mitigate vulnerabilities in Cisco Webex products, ensuring that they are up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates. The platform also offers tools for vulnerability management, including the ability to track and manage vulnerabilities, apply patches, and monitor the status of security updates.; ; Yealink's vulnerability disclosure policy will confirm receipt of the report within one business day, and once evaluated and validated the corresponding remediation plan will be applied. Yealink use the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) v3.1 to assess the severity of vulnerabilities .
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No
• Incident management approach: Dbfb will investigate, manage, and support any faults or issues on the managed network infrastructure from our ITIL aligned service desk. Once identified and logged, the service desk will provide you with remote assistance to rectify the issue or advise and implement remediation actions to reduce the likelihood of the issue recurring. Where on site hands are required, these will be provided by dbfb on site engineers. Additionally, dbfb will manage the provision and support of transmission circuits or 5G sim cards where appropriate. Incidents can be raised by phone, email, webchat or via automated remote monitoring.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: The Webex Calling solution provides a free 90-day subscription with no commitment.; ; Microsoft Teams offers a free trial for users to explore its features without a paid subscription.
• Link to free trial: https://help.webex.com/en-us/article/n5qcvik/Webex-Calling-%7C-free-90-day-trial

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 1%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 2%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 3%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 4%
• Over £5,000,001: 5%

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• ISO 9001 certification accredited by: Auva
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Monday 20 October 2025
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: Specific sales processes and internal procedures are not subject to ISO9001 and have their own policies and controls.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: Fabf3df8-1ea1-4564-b9a4-cabc3a00e6fb
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: C3ce637d-411e-485f-8a20-e5725c54058c
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  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

  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
  • 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
• 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
• 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
  • 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

  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
• 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

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at tenders@dbfb.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.