Channel 3 Consulting

Software as a Service (SaaS)

We support public sector organisations to design, deliver and manage digitally enabled change, providing automation, analytics, data integration, modelling, insight and portfolio management SaaS capabilities. The service enables organisations to streamline processes, integrate data, improve decision making, and manage change using secure, configurable cloud-based tools aligned to government standards.

Features

• Cloud-based robotic process automation(RPA) to reduce manual, rules-based administration.
• Integrated business intelligence dashboards for operational, financial performance reporting.
• Data integration services connecting and harmonising data across systems/sources.
• Tools to support business, data, application, technology architecture design.
• Scenario and options modelling to inform investment, prioritisation, planning.
• Project/portfolio management functionality for tracking delivery, dependencies and risks.
• Configurable workflows aligned to public sector governance and assurance.
• Access controls and audit logging to support IG requirements.
• Secure SaaS deployment hosted in UK aligned cloud environments.

Benefits

• Reduced administrative effort through automation of repeatable processes.
• Improved management insight through consistent, trusted reporting and analytics.
• Better decision making supported by integrated and timely data.
• Clearer understanding of complex systems and change impacts.
• Stronger control of projects and portfolios across multiple programmes.
• Improved readiness for business cases, approvals and assurance activities.
• Reduced delivery risk through greater visibility of dependencies/constraints.
• Faster mobilisation compared to bespoke or on-premise solutions.
• Improved alignment between strategy, investment and delivery.
• Better value for money through configurable, reusable cloud-based capability

• Education pricing 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 bidteam@channel3group.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

429685788125181

Contact

Athena Evans
+44 (0)20 3866 4838
bidteam@channel3group.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Collaborative

  • Email
  • Enterprise community
  • Team collaboration

  Conferencing and virtual event

  • Web Conferencing Applications
  • Virtual Event Applications
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: N/A
• System requirements:
  • Modern, supported web browser required
  • Microsoft Teams desktop or web application access
  • SharePoint Online user access permissions
  • Power BI access for dashboards and reports where required
  • Appropriate Power BI licence where required
  • Client network allows Microsoft 365 services

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Channel 3 provides email-based support during core business hours.; ; Support hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00 (UK time), excluding public holidays; ; Response time: We aim to acknowledge and respond to queries within one business day, often sooner; ; Out of hours: Requests received evenings or weekends are responded to on the next working day, unless additional cover is agreed in advance for critical activity (e.g., go-live support)
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes
• Support levels: We provide support for this service during standard UK business hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays.; ; Support is provided via email and telephone, with response times agreed at the outset of each engagement and proportionate to the nature and criticality of the request. ; ; Planned out-of-hours or weekend support can be provided by prior agreement to support key delivery milestones, such as go-lives, migrations or critical transition activities. Any such support is scoped in advance and agreed as part of the delivery plan.; ; Support costs are included within the agreed day rates for delivery roles or, where required, provided through separately agreed support arrangements.; ; Each engagement is supported by a designated engagement lead who acts as the primary point of contact and equivalent of a technical account manager for the service. Partner-level oversight provides senior assurance, escalation and strategic input. We do not provide a cloud support engineer as standard, but can support coordination with cloud service providers where required.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Channel 3 supports customers to start using the service through a structured onboarding and mobilisation process, led by a dedicated Engagement Lead (acting as the equivalent of a Technical Account Manager) and overseen by a Partner.; We provide:; • Kick-off and onboarding workshops to confirm goals, scope, users, and service requirements; • Configuration and environment setup support, including integration with existing systems where required; • User guidance and enablement, tailored to different roles (clinical, operational, digital, commercial); • Documentation and knowledge transfer, including user guides, service runbooks and operational processes; • Training delivery via remote sessions, recorded walkthroughs, and optional onsite support where appropriate; • Early life support during the initial transition period to ensure a smooth start and rapid issue resolution; Our approach is designed to help public sector teams adopt the service quickly, build internal capability, and embed it safely into day-to-day operations.
• Service documentation: No
• End-of-contract data extraction: Customers retain full ownership of their data at all times. When the contract ends, Channel 3 supports users to extract their data in a structured and secure way.; We provide:; • Data export in agreed open or commonly used formats (for example CSV, JSON, XML, or database extracts), depending on the service and customer preference; • Access to relevant documentation (such as data models, runbooks, and configuration information) to support continuity; • Transition support to enable migration to an alternative supplier or in-house solution, if required; • Secure transfer arrangements, aligned to NHS and public sector information governance requirements; This ensures customers can exit the service cleanly, with no vendor lock-in, and continue operating with their data elsewhere.
• End-of-contract process: At contract end, Channel 3 supports an orderly offboarding process, including handover of documentation, agreed data export in standard formats, and transition support to another supplier or in-house team. ; The contract price includes standard service delivery, onboarding, engagement management, and end-of-contract offboarding. Additional costs may apply for out-of-hours support, bespoke migration work, or extended transition assistance, all agreed in advance.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: No
• Customisation available: No

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Channel 3 services are delivered on a per-customer basis, with resourcing and environments agreed explicitly as part of onboarding. Customers are not impacted by demand from other users.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Developed Vetting (DV)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: In-house
• Protecting data at rest: Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: Where Channel 3 services involve storage of customer data within Microsoft 365, data at rest is protected using Microsoft’s built-in encryption controls. Microsoft 365 encrypts stored content using strong industry-standard encryption (including AES-256) and manages encryption keys within its secure cloud environment. This ensures data remains protected when stored in services such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange Online.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure
  • Data Erasure
  • Physical Destruction / Hardware containing data is completely destroyed

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export their data at any time in agreed standard formats (for example CSV, JSON, or database extracts). Channel 3 provides support to facilitate secure export and transfer where needed, ensuring customers retain full ownership and can migrate their data at contract end without vendor lock-in.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF

Data-in-transit protection

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

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Channel 3 services delivered on Microsoft cloud platforms are supported by Microsoft’s published availability commitments under the Online Services SLA. Microsoft defines uptime targets for applicable services, including Azure compute and Microsoft 365, with availability measured in line with Microsoft’s standard SLA framework. ; ; Channel 3 provides proactive oversight and escalation support to help maintain service continuity for users.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request
• Outage reporting: Clients will be informed by email of any outages impacting Channel 3 service delivery.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Channel 3 restricts access to management activities and support channels through controlled working practices.; ; Access to any configuration or administrative activity is limited to authorised personnel only, using multi-factor authentication and least-privilege access.; ; Support is provided through agreed routes with named contacts on both sides. We work with nominated customer representatives to ensure requests, updates and service information are managed clearly and securely, avoiding ad hoc or unauthorised communication.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: No audit information available
• Access to supplier activity audit information: No audit information available
• 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: Channel 3 follows robust information security policies and processes aligned to recognised public sector standards. Our approach is certified to ISO 27001 for information security management and supported by Cyber Essentials Plus.
• Software Security Code of Practice: No

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Channel 3 manages service configuration and change in a controlled and auditable way throughout delivery.; ; Lifecycle tracking: Key service components (configurations, access arrangements, documentation and customer artefacts) are version-controlled and maintained through agreed governance and delivery records.; ; Change assessment: Proposed changes are reviewed before implementation to confirm scope, operational impact and potential security implications (including access, data handling and compliance requirements).; ; Where services rely on Microsoft 365 and Azure, underlying platform changes are governed through Microsoft’s own change management and secure development processes, designed to maintain system integrity and security.
• Vulnerability management type: Undisclosed
• Vulnerability management approach: Channel 3’s services are delivered using Microsoft cloud platforms with established vulnerability management controls.; ; We assess potential threats using trusted sources including Microsoft security advisories, Microsoft Defender vulnerability insights, and NCSC guidance.; ; Security patches for the underlying Azure and Microsoft 365 services are deployed through Microsoft’s standard update and remediation processes, with Channel 3 providing oversight and escalation support where required.,
• Protective monitoring type: Undisclosed
• Protective monitoring approach: Channel 3 services delivered on Microsoft 365 are supported by Microsoft’s protective monitoring and security detection capabilities, including Microsoft Defender alerts and incident management.; ; Potential compromises are identified through Microsoft security monitoring and alerting within the Microsoft 365 environment.; ; Where a potential compromise is detected, Channel 3 supports prompt triage, escalation and coordination of response actions with the customer and Microsoft as appropriate.; ; Incidents are acknowledged and responded to during core business hours (09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday), with urgent support agreed in advance where required.
• Incident management type: Undisclosed
• Incident management approach: Our incident management approach is based on predefined processes for common security events, including internal and remote access breaches, malware, firewall incidents, misuse of internet access, software piracy, and mobile device breaches. Incidents are categorised by impact (Critical, Significant, Minor, Negligible) handled accordingly. Users report incidents via the Information Security Manager as soon as possible, providing date, time, location, and description. All incidents are logged, investigated, tracked to resolution. Incident reports document impact, root cause, actions taken, and lessons learned, and shared with relevant stakeholders. Regular reviews as part of our Internal Audit process ensure continual improvement and compliance ongoing.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• 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: 1%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 2%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 4%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 6%
• Over £5,000,001: 10%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: British Assessment Bureau
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Tuesday 18 October 2022
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Channel 3 only has one location, and certification covers all business operations.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO 9001 certification: British Assessment Bureau
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Monday 10 June 2024
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: Channel 3 only has one location, and certification covers all business operations.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: C05e5ef3-b7f0-4775-98f4-e092fd0314aa
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: E5c3acc0-a011-462e-8e5b-c956d71b836b
• 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
    • 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
    • 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

  • 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
    • 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 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
    • 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

  • 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 bidteam@channel3group.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.