M4 Digital Group Ltd

IT Strategy and Architecture

Providing end-to-end support, from collaborative thought leadership in the boardroom, defining IT roadmaps, leveraging our knowledge of the supply chain as a critical friend in negotiations. Delivering high and low level tried and tested architectural designs aligned to real-world needs and meeting the technology code of practice.

Features

  • Leveraging wide hybrid skill set in Prince, Agile, TOGAF, ITIL
  • Public/private partnership strategic technical and commercial and legal support expertise
  • Skilled Auditors of existing and future multi-supplier landscape
  • Multi-disciplinary teams, highly skilled in commercial/technical negotiations and design
  • Proven iterative delivery methods forming detailed roadmaps from outline strategies
  • Proven technical architecture models, MVP driven cost benefit based delivery
  • Detailed Operating Model delivery meeting Government TOM guidance
  • TUPE aware commercial, strategic technical support during transition and transformation
  • Stakeholder engagement at all levels from CIO to vendor architect
  • Follows UK Government Technology Code of Practice and Transformation Strategy

Benefits

  • Identify and leverage existing Client skills, uplifting and supporting collaboratively
  • Supplier neutral, well versed in negotiations
  • GDS, IPA, UK, Scots Government experience large and small agencies
  • Contributors to Government Technology Code of Practice
  • Innovators of cost benefit based transformational transitional change
  • Catalyst to innovation, finding solutions
  • Deliver Government aligned, proven high and low level architecture designs
  • Re-engineering current designs to shorten transition
  • Focus on service continuity and business value throughout the process
  • Critical friends focused on transition of skills and knowledge support

Pricing

£500 to £1,650 a person a day

Service documents

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Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

3 6 9 0 6 5 5 7 5 3 0 7 1 4 7

Contact

M4 Digital Group Ltd Procurement Team
Telephone: 0292 064 7647
Email: procurement@m4digitalgroup.com

Planning

Planning service
Yes
How the planning service works
The M4 team is highly experienced in the analysis of current modes of operation and the creation of roadmaps, to enable secure migration of legacy systems to Cloud. We identify early, the capabilities needed to deliver required outcomes and work closely with clients at all levels to deploy a flexible delivery team tailored to complement existing resources. Further we ensure knowledge transfer and enablement and the leveraging of existing capabilities and resources. We review collaboratively all aspects of services including people, processes and infrastructure. Working in partnership with stakeholders we efficiently identify opportunities and enablers, to define and develop legacy systems to Cloud migration strategy. Our processes take into account user requirements and interdependencies of current systems as well as appetite and capability for change. We leverage any opportunities to increase speed of migration and translate business plans into delivery plans identifying both technical and financial benefits. We focus on gaining early benefit from transition to cloud and are experienced in delivering practical hybrid transitional solutions in adherence to the Government Digital Services Technology Code of Practice. Planning leverages contract end dates and technology refresh timetables to ensure costs of the old environment are bounded to deliver maximum benefit realisation.
Planning service works with specific services
No

Training

Training service provided
Yes
How the training service works
Enablement, a key component of all M4 engagements; our goal is to deliver organisational change and sustainable client capabilities via training, mentoring and documentation.
Our teams can assist with development, improvement and support of the client cloud environment whilst enabling client teams to an assured level of knowledge that allows for secure handover and ongoing maintenance of the IT estate.
Understanding that client cloud requirements, transformation programmes and support capabilities are individual, we tailor this process to create a defined exit plan ensuring the client can manage BAU activities and ongoing continuous improvement beyond our agreed exit date.
During engagements we encourage an environment of trust and work on, developing the skills and coaching the behaviours, essential for cloud delivery.
This is achieved by reviewing, prioritising and scheduling a timetable of knowledge transfer activities; our consultants deliver these activities through:
Co-location (modelling best practice)
Code review
Pair programming
Peer coaching/mentoring
Our knowledge transfer programmes support individual client requirements and align with the DDaT Professional Capability Framework.
To support this transition the M4 team document the relevant knowledge base to support operational running.
M4 can, in addition provide:
Tailored Workshops
Assistance identifying appropriate GDS Academy courses
Introductions to Communities of Practice
Training is tied to specific services
No

Setup and migration

Setup or migration service available
Yes
How the setup or migration service works
Key to a successful and secure migration of legacy systems to cloud is the deep understanding of the interaction of all associated services. Critical considerations include costs of data migration, application redesign, application performance and availability. Security, privacy and regulatory requirements must also be taken into account. Careful consideration of the current environment, as well as commercial and technical constraints also need to be clearly understood. Our team build end to end service maps for each capability, mapping the elements of the service provision and supplier matrix to ensure all elements in scope of the architecture design plan are captured and addressed in sequence to ensure there are no service orphans or components. We deliver an iterative solution following the initial build of a containerised portable environment based on tried and tested model blueprints, designed to fully comply with the Government Digital Service Technology code of practice. We also incorporate appropriate open source continuous integration tooling for delivery and test automation and provide security monitoring appropriate to the risks, and in compliance with, the Government Security Policy framework. Our team are experts in understanding functional and non-functional requirements and mapping these to physical services and transitioning to cloud-based equivalents.
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
M4’s QA and Testing function for cloud services concentrates on measuring and examining quality, and improving software and systems capability through ongoing process improvement. This is offered throughout the development lifecycle, with adherence to all Acceptance Criteria remaining at the core of all activities.
We provide flexible and tailored solutions to facilitate quality delivery for our partners. We can also provide, strategic planning and guidance and can build out, where appropriate, internal project teams to increase depth and breadth of internal client coverage and accelerate rates of enablement.
Our teams are experienced both in conducting key analysis and making recommendations as to the most effective toolset for the Service(s) under test. We also identify key points of measure under test, deploy appropriate tooling, validate associated accuracy and identify risks test may impose.
Our targeted Test services are delivered by experienced team members and include: Functional, Regression, Compatibility, Load, Integration, Acceptance, Security and Usability. Utilising tools from industry standard proprietary tooling and collaboration tools to specific tools for Integration, Security, Automation, Browser Validation.
Test Strategy includes, scope, approach, constraints, risks, issues and assumptions, tooling, environment, data requirements and entry/exit criteria. Using automated unit testing and integration testing tools to deliver.

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
Certified security testers
Yes
Security testing certifications
  • GBEST
  • CHECK
  • CREST
  • Tigerscheme
  • Cyber Scheme

Ongoing support

Ongoing support service
No

Service scope

Service constraints
No constraints

User support

Email or online ticketing support
No
Phone support
No
Web chat support
No
Support levels
During an engagement, each team has an onsite lead, as first point of call who is supported by a dedicated Client Management team providing full support throughout the engagement. We always recommend agreement in advance of a suitable support plan, a service responsibility matrix and appropriate service levels to meet the Client’s needs. 
Our team will also continuously review overall contractual performance against agreed SLA’s and regularly review with the client the service and performance of the team against agreed deliverables and timelines. Equally, we ensure that service and programme management procedures are followed, including the production, maintenance and monitoring of programme and risk management plans to the satisfaction of the Client.
Standard ITIL processes are also applied by the team, aligned, as appropriate, to the Client’s Engagement and Governance model including attendance to relevant service boards, as agreed with the Client.
Escalations received during normal office hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm exc. Bank Holidays) are normally dealt with within 8 working hours.
Standard support is included in the cost of the service.
Where agreed appropriate governance procedures are in place, and at additional cost, out of hours escalations for technical issues can be made available 24x7.

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Conforms to BS7858:2019
Government security clearance
Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
No
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
Yes
Other security certifications
Yes
Any other security certifications
Cyber Essentials Plus

Social Value

Equal opportunity

Equal opportunity

M4 Digital Group is committed to providing equal opportunities for employees and team members and eliminating any potential discrimination from our internal/external working practices, as per our Equality and Diversity Policy. This commitment has enabled us to create a culture of equality and inclusivity, fundamental to the vision and values of the company. The values of our policy are reflected in our recruitment process, alongside the daily practice of providing a working environment where all members of the team are treated with dignity and respect.

This policy's purpose is to:

1. Provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment or involved in our project teams, whether temporary, part-time or full-time.

2. Not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of:
-Age
-Disability
-Gender reassignment
-Marriage or civil partnership
-Pregnancy and maternity
-Race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
-Religion or belief
-Sex
-Sexual orientation

3. Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in:
-Pay and benefits
-Terms and conditions of employment
-Dealing with grievances and discipline
-Dismissal
-Redundancy
-Leave for parents
-Requests for flexible working
-Selection for employment, promotion, training or other development opportunities

All members of staff are responsible for supporting the aims and spirit of the policy. Our approach to equal opportunities is disseminated to staff during their induction process upon joining the company and with refresher training conducted yearly. All training is monitored by the Company Directors, with training logged on our internal training matrix.

The success of our Equality and Diversity Policy commitment as part of our recruitment process is monitored through anonymised surveys included at the end of our job application forms. This ensures we continue to advertise positions to a diverse range of candidates, including young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Wellbeing

Wellbeing

M4 Digital Group work with staff and team members to integrate health and wellbeing into day-to-day activities to enable us to create a positive and healthy working environment. This is achieved through wellbeing initiatives, employee support mechanisms, joint working with staff and their representatives and our local partners to identify and address areas for improvement.

We will work with employees to ensure those issues which may impact negatively on staff health are identified and addressed. We will ensure that managers have the key skills, knowledge and ability to support employees to improve their health and wellbeing. We will also ensure that we increase the awareness of our employees as to what is important in ensuring their own health and wellbeing.

There are a number of effective policies and procedures already in place to support employee health and wellbeing, including our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy which outlines how we will strive to improve mental health within our organisation. We will continue to regularly review these on a yearly basis to ensure that they support this strategy effectively.

M4 Digital Group also support wellbeing in the wider community through our charity work and commitment to corporate social responsibility. Schemes we have supported previously include:
-A team member undertaking the Jurassic Coast Challenge in aid of Breast Cancer Now, raising £1030.
-Several members of the M4 team running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK, raising a total of £5708.
-Sponsorship of Swansea Schools Rugby Union Under 15's.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, M4 has already reaffirmed our commitment to restarting our charitable activities; we aim to regularly enter a team in the Royal Parks Half Marathon. This will not only hopefully raise thousands of pounds for our chosen charity, but also boost the fitness of the M4 team.

Pricing

Price
£500 to £1,650 a person 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 procurement@m4digitalgroup.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.