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CDS

Management information and business intelligence consultancy services

CDS delivers business intelligence and management information reporting services for government departments and health and social care organisations. We provide consultancy covering PowerBI, MicroStrategy, PanIntelligence, Sisense, with an end end-to-end service including data schema and data warehouse design, ETL, dashboard design, and full BI and MI service implementation and support.

Features

  • End-to-end business intelligence (BI) and management information (MI) services
  • Award-winning design and UX capability for responsive data visualisation
  • Engaging and interactive dashboard design with 'drag and drop' functionality
  • ISO27001 certified for information security
  • Responsive, device-agnostic solutions including mobile for BI in the field
  • Support via ITIL and ISO20000 compliant Service Desk
  • Quick and cost-effective deployment
  • Dedicated testing team certified to ISO20000 service management
  • White label solutions

Benefits

  • Designed to empower non-technical users to explore their data
  • Our solutions deliver actionable analytics to drive change
  • Start small and scale up based on effectiveness
  • Secure handling of sensitive or personal data is assured
  • Device-agnostic solutions can be accessed via browser, tablet and mobile
  • Quickly see return on investment
  • Quickly become experts in your own data
  • Data-driven decision making through business insights

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

4 1 9 9 3 6 2 6 1 9 6 3 3 7 0

Contact

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

Planning

Planning service
Yes
How the planning service works
CDS provides end-to-end services for the delivery of management information and business intelligence solutions for the cloud, inclusive of requirements definition and analysis, data schema and warehouse design and build, UX design, extraction, transformation and load (ETL) tasks to bring in disparate data sources into a common warehouse, report, dashboard and presentation options, testing, platform design and set up of secure infrastructure.
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 has significant experience of implementing a range of solutions to develop complex business intelligence solutions that deliver business goals. Our experience supports the transition to cloud-based solutions, where customers can take advantage of an entire BI platform, without any upfront investment or infrastructure required. We can provide support via our shared secure private cloud on a managed service/SaaS model.
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 Information System Examination Board (ISEB) 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
  • Other
Certified security testers
Yes
Security testing certifications
  • CHECK
  • CREST
  • Other
Other security testing certifications
  • CDS is certified to ISO27001
  • CDS employes ISEB 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.