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CDS

Digital experience platforms (DXP)

CDS specialises in public sector digital experience platform (DXP) delivery. We are Umbraco Gold Partners and Optimizely (Episerver) Premium Partners. We eliminate content and data silos and enable composition, delivery, management and optimisation across all touchpoints, so you can execute seamless digital experiences with more speed, agility and confidence.

Features

  • Open, extensible platform providing one consistent foundation behind every touchpoint
  • Continuously personalise interactions for users
  • Design a compelling, seamless digital journey for your customers
  • Create once, publish everywhere to deliver content flexibly
  • Create and manage workflows for content, data, and transactional information
  • Experience management for consistent experience across content, data, and transactions
  • Scale up securely and easily; modular architecture futureproofs your DXPs
  • Insights and analytics help to shape organisational strategy and processes
  • Automation to deliver a faster, better, more scalable digital experience
  • API-first architecture to integrate smoothly with backend business systems

Benefits

  • Improved customer experience means improved engagement and outcomes
  • Flexibility through modular configuration enables right sizing and customised structures
  • Cost effective implementation based on user and organisational needs
  • Certified developers in DXP platforms Optimizely (formerly Episerver) and Umbraco
  • Proven track record delivering public sector platforms of national importance
  • Continuous improvement and optmisation for better contextualised user experiences
  • We ensure maximum interoperability across systems
  • Meet the GDS Service Standard including accessibility and assisted digital
  • Specialists in integration with GOV.UK Verify, Notify and Pay
  • ITIL support and ISO20000 service management

Pricing

£500 to £1,500 a unit a day

Service documents

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 bidteam@cds.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

3 0 8 2 1 0 3 7 2 2 7 3 1 6 5

Contact

CDS Matt Johnson
Telephone: 0113 399 4000
Email: bidteam@cds.co.uk

Planning

Planning service
Yes
How the planning service works
All digital projects including DXPs start with a discovery phase where user needs and technical requirements are gathered. CDS has extensive experience in developing public service websites aligned to GDS’ Service Manual and Technology Code of Practice.

We start by understanding the business objectives and establish user cases, goals and journeys supported by user personas that inform the solution design right through to testing. This includes a combination of stakeholder interviews at the outset and user focus groups throughout the design and development process. We work with stakeholders to validate our approach and develop an engagement plan that will gather a broad, inclusive range of user needs.

CDS delivers complex digital systems providing public services at scale with high performance and security. We align our technology approach to customer platforms.
Planning service works with specific services
No

Training

Training service provided
Yes
How the training service works
As well as continual ‘on the job’ knowledge transfer to upskill client teams, we can provide more formal, comprehensive training for administrators and users of the environments, SaaS solutions and applications we deploy, to support a smooth transition into business as usual. Training is fully bespoke to client needs and can be delivered either in-person or remotely. We provide robust supporting documentation, including step-by-step instructions and screenshots of systems and processes. We also provide a ‘train the trainer’ service, equipping clients to manage their own training and create their own enduring capability.
Training is tied to specific services
No

Setup and migration

Setup or migration service available
Yes
How the setup or migration service works
CDS provides services for configuration, implementation and migration to cloud applications. Our approach is a consultative one - engaging with all stakeholders involved.
Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services
No

Quality assurance and performance testing

Quality assurance and performance testing service
Yes
How the quality assurance and performance testing works
CDS’ testing capability contains ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) qualified test analysts with all the skills and expertise to quality assure cloud services. We employ a structured testing approach, to ensure and demonstrate that our services are robust and meet clients’ success criteria. Highly automated testing enables continual QA of systems throughout development, removing human error and increasing test coverage. Our testing services include: • Test strategy • Test planning • Automated test frameworks • Testing, defect management and reporting • Support of customer UAT • Security (perimeter/application) testing • Performance and stress testing. We can provide our testing services as part of a build or as a third party, to quality assure another supplier’s codebase and system performance.

Security testing

Security services
Yes
Security services type
  • Security strategy
  • Security risk management
  • Security design
  • Cyber security consultancy
  • Security testing
  • Security incident management
  • Security audit services
  • Other
Other security services
  • Penetration testing
  • IT Health Checks
  • Risk analysis
Certified security testers
Yes
Security testing certifications
  • CHECK
  • CREST
  • Other
Other security testing certifications
  • CDS is certified to ISO27001
  • ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) qualified test analysts

Ongoing support

Ongoing support service
Yes
Types of service supported
  • Buyer hosting or software
  • Hosting or software provided by your organisation
  • Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
How the support service works
We provide second- and third-line support and maintenance for deployed services via our ISO 20000-certified Service Desk, which uses an ITIL methodology to maintain the integrity and availability of business-critical, high profile and complex systems. Our Service Desk provides: • Incident and service request management • Problem management • Change management • Release and deployment management • Service level management and service reporting • Configuration management • Service management plan • Service level agreement. Clients can interact with the Service Desk via email, telephone or via an online ticketing system. All CDS Service Managers and Service Desk staff are ITIL-certified. Support and maintenance contracts stipulate a minimum level of support provision per month, appropriate to the size and complexity of the service; this entitles clients to a certain number of hours of support, at standard day rate. Additional time is chargeable at the agreed contract day rate. The SLA is flexible and can be tailored to customers’ requirements; as support needs vary, provision can be reviewed every six months to ensure it continues to meet client requirements. Typical SLAs include Service Desk support Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; we can provide out of hours (on-call) support, up to 24x7x365.

Service scope

Service constraints
N/A

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
9am-5pm Monday to Friday as standard; up to 24x7x365 by arrangement. SLAs vary by contract
User can manage status and priority of support tickets
Yes
Online ticketing support accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support
No
Support levels
P1 to P5 with release management and change management as per ITIL

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
NQA
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
13/7/2021
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
N/A
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
No
Cyber essentials plus
Yes
Other security certifications
No

Social Value

Fighting climate change

Fighting climate change

CDS is certified to the internationally recognised standard BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 – Environmental Management. The standard underpins our commitment to look after the environment, prevent negative environmental impacts, manage waste and reduce our carbon footprint.  CDS is Planet Mark accredited, helping us to transform society, the environment and economy by measuring our carbon and social data. Our Carbon Reduction Plan sets corporate continual improvement goals, strategies and annual targets and CDS has pledged to halve our carbon emissions by 2030 and be carbon-neutral by 2050. The Bailie Group (of which CDS is part), is applying for ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification in 2022, which will focus our efforts on continually improving energy performance. Example initiatives and activities designed to fight climate change include: • Mandatory environmental awareness training for all new staff. Thereafter, all staff are required to complete annual refresher training • Introducing site-wide recycling facilities and waste streaming • Regular staff awareness bulletins on the company’s intranet on environment and sustainability best practices, to encourage behavioural change among staff • Replacing bottled water and disposable cups with personal water bottles and reusable insulated coffee cups, to replace single use plastics • Refurbishing our Leeds office to make it more environmentally friendly including changing the entire building to LED lighting with PIR sensors on the lights and replacing gas boilers with air source heating • Providing season ticket loans for public transport to reduce single car use • Investing in collaboration tools and video conferencing to eliminate unnecessary travel • Adding additional questions into our procurement compliance checklist, to encourage all of our potential suppliers to adopt sustainable practices.
Covid-19 recovery

Covid-19 recovery

Through our work with local authorities, transport and national infrastructure clients, we have supported many communications campaigns designed to support recovery from the impacts of Covid-19 in local communities. This includes: • Transport for London: working as TfL’s print and communications partner, CDS has supported the campaign to encourage people safely back onto public transport, producing outdoor media, train/bus stickers, signage and leaflets • London Borough of Lambeth: as Lambeth’s print partner, we have supported the borough council with its response to Covid-19, and delivering communications campaigns reaching citizens and businesses. Most recently, this has focussed on supporting recovery and economic regeneration • CDS supported Make it York (an organisation supporting York-based businesses to achieve economic prosperity) to deliver a campaign encouraging shoppers safely back into the city. Other initiaitives and activities include: • Offering opportunities for work experience, such as unpaid student placements • Providing apprenticeships • Improving workplace conditions including effective social distancing, increased cleaning and flexible, hybrid working • Creating employment opportunities for people made unemployed by Covid-19.
Tackling economic inequality

Tackling economic inequality

CDS provides a range of initiatives designed to create new businesses, new jobs and new skills within our local community. These include: • Apprenticeships and work experience, particularly for people who face barriers to employment. In the past two years, we have provided nine apprenticeship positions at our Leeds head office, of which four have become full-time employees. This year, we plan to offer around 20 new apprenticeship roles across the company. • Local employment: as a national company, CDS operates from six offices, each run as an autonomous business unit, managed by local teams. This regional structure has resulted in CDS becoming a community-focussed organisation, owing to local recruitment. • Engagement with local SMEs to encourage spend in the community. • Volunteering: many CDS staff give up their free time to volunteer as part of our charity initiatives.
Equal opportunity

Equal opportunity

CDS’ fully hybrid working model enables participation by people from across the country, including people experiencing limited mobility, neurodivergence and/or clinical vulnerability. Our Leeds head office is also highly accessible, with ground-floor access, a disabled toilet, a lift to the first and second floors and step-free access to all meeting spaces and refreshment areas.   CDS operates an inclusive and accessible recruitment practice; we actively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Our recruitment process is fair, equal, and non-discriminatory and works on the premise that the best person for the role will be offered the job.   As part of our people strategy, we will be using the Disability Confident standard to inform how we can provide opportunities for disabled people to join the organisation in the future.   Other initiatives and activities include: - STEM Programme: designed to break down barriers that might prevent young people from pursuing a career in technology - Structured staff appraisal process to identify individual skill gaps, and a training programme and assigned budget for delivering Personal Development Plans.
Wellbeing

Wellbeing

We support the health and wellbeing of our staff through a range of initiatives including: - Employee Assistance Programme -Trained Mental Health First Aiders - Flexible working hours to balance work and home activities - Personal healthcare plan - Staff social committee who organise regular events e.g., quizzes, film nights, meals out - Charity work in support of our chosen charity partner - Organised sponsored physical activities including the Yorkshire Three Peaks and ‘Tour de CDS’ - Cycle to Work Scheme, bike storage and shower facilities to encourage exercise - Free yoga classes and back massages - Quarterly staff engagement survey - Monthly ‘360’ reviews and professional development plans for all staff - Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices - Employee intranet providing regular content on wellbeing topics, including mental health and promoting awareness days such as Time to Talk.

Pricing

Price
£500 to £1,500 a unit a day
Discount for educational organisations
No

Service documents

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 bidteam@cds.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.