OPEN ANSWERS LIMITED

Assessment Centre Management System

ACMS is a high-availability, tablet-based digital ecosystem designed to replace legacy, paper-heavy recruitment processes with a synchronised digital workflow. Engineered specifically for UK public sector and blue-light organisations, it orchestrates the "Candidate Journey" by dynamically managing movement between specialised assessment stations based on real-time room and assessor availability.

Features

• Dynamic candidate flow orchestration for real-time station movement.
• Integrated digital declarations and legally binding paperless consent forms.
• High-resolution biometric identity document scanning and real-time verification.
• Military-grade device management using Samsung Knox Single-App Kiosk Mode.
• Real-time "War Room" dashboard with predictive completion time analytics.
• Encrypted IPsec VPN tunneling for secure "Closed-Loop" network communications.
• Automated immutable audit trails for legally defensible candidate scoring.
• Industrial 5G gateway integration with dual-SIM carrier failover resiliency.
• Optional AIsha AI assistant using RAG for candidate support.
• Automated PII scrubbing and data purging for UK-GDPR compliance.

Benefits

• Eliminate manual data entry and paper-heavy recruitment administrative tasks.
• Accelerate candidate throughput with intelligent real-time station orchestration.
• Ensure legal defensibility with immutable, automated scoring audit trails.
• Achieve sustainability targets by removing 180,000 sheets of paper annually.
• Protect sensitive data through automated PII scrubbing and encryption.
• Improve decision-making using live "War Room" throughput heatmaps.
• Reduce candidate anxiety with instant AI-powered procedural support.
• Maintain 100% service uptime via resilient dual-SIM 5G failover.
• Standardise assessment quality across multiple physical locations simultaneously.
• Streamline onboarding with seamless Applicant Tracking System (ATS) integration.

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 ian.bellia@openanswers.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

530780921479050

Contact

Ian Bellia
020 88646999
ian.bellia@openanswers.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Enterprise resource management

  Human capital management

  • Core Human Resources Applications
  • Talent Management Applications
• 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: ACMS integrates with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), specifically Oleeo, to sync candidate data and results. It also extends the Samsung Knox Suite for military-grade hardware governance and security. Furthermore, it integrates with secure VPN infrastructures to provide assessors with encrypted access via managed corporate devices.
• Cloud deployment model: Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Maintenance: Automated daily restarts occur outside operational hours to verify asset integrity.
• System requirements:
  • Android or iOS devices
  • Active Samsung Knox Suite licenses for device security orchestration.
  • IPsec VPN capable hardware to establish secure backend tunnels.
  • Modern web browser (Chrome/Edge) for assessor and staff access.
  • Standard corporate antivirus on managed staff laptops and workstations.
  • E-FOTA capability to pin and manage specific firmware versions.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support response times: Standard response times for the Assessment Centre Management System (ACMS) apply during the weekday window of 09:00 to 17:00. Support is not normally provided at weekends. Any messages left on the support desk outside of standard hours will be treated as if received at the time of reopening and will be acknowledged within 1 hour. For critical SLA 1 issues detected by proactive monitoring, these may be addressed during an out-of-hours period from 06:00 to Midnight, 7 days a week.
• 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, at an extra cost
• Web chat support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: Model Office Testing: During full-scale "Model Office" simulations (dry runs), the entire digital workflow—including real-time messaging and the AI assistant—is tested in a live environment with all stakeholders to ensure zero operational friction.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Open Answers provides a comprehensive support structure for the Assessment Centre Management System (ACMS):; ; Support Levels and Response Times; Standard Support: Coverage is provided on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00. Initial acknowledgments for queries are typically issued within one hour.; ; Critical Monitoring (SLA 1): Proactive system monitoring is active from 06:00 to Midnight, 7 days a week. High-priority incidents are assessed to determine severity and impact, with a target to respond to all medium/high events within 4 hours.; ; Assigned Personnel; Cloud Support Engineers: The technical team includes engineers responsible for maintaining backend infrastructure on AWS and managing hardware security via Samsung Knox.; ; Management Oversight: Senior roles, such as the CISO and Support Manager, serve as primary points of contact for information security governance and operational service delivery.; ; Costs; Bundled Pricing: Standard support is generally included in the core SaaS subscription fee for G-Cloud services.; ; Additional Costs: Bespoke support requirements, such as a dedicated 24/7 on-call rota or on-site technical presence, may incur extra costs defined in the specific G-Cloud price list.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Onboarding & Training; Onsite Training: We conduct "Train the Trainer" sessions and hands-on workshops for Centre Managers and Assessors using the physical tablet hardware.; ; Model Office (Dry Runs): We facilitate a "Model Office" event, simulating a full assessment day with dummy data to build staff confidence and test local infrastructure.; ; Digital Learning: Users have access to an online portal featuring video tutorials and interactive walk-throughs for the core administrative functions.; ; Documentation & Support; Comprehensive User Guides: We provide detailed manuals (e.g., OA-ACMS-UG) covering everything from candidate ingestion to final data reconciliation.; ; On-Screen Guidance: The interface includes built-in "Help" text and tooltips, plus the optional AIsha assistant for real-time, context-aware support.; ; Deployment Support: During the "Go-Live" phase, Open Answers engineers provide onsite or remote floor-walking support to resolve any immediate operational queries.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • ODF
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Bulk Archive Transfer: For a total contract exit, Open Answers facilitates a secure transfer of the full PostgreSQL database and associated digital assets (such as uploaded candidate documents). This is delivered via a secure, encrypted transfer protocol (e.g., SFTP) or an encrypted physical drive.
• End-of-contract process: Upon termination, we implement a structured Exit Plan to ensure data sovereignty. We provide a final bulk export of all candidate records, scoring data, and media in structured formats (CSV, PDF, and SQL). Following verified data receipt, a Purge Protocol is executed, providing the client with a Certificate of Data Destruction to confirm all PII has been cryptographically erased from our AWS environment.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • Linux or Unix
  • MacOS
  • Windows
  • ChromeOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The candidate experience is optimised for Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 tablets, utilising Samsung Knox Kiosk Mode to lock the device to the assessment interface. This mobile version leverages hardware for biometric ID scanning and digital signatures.; ; In contrast, the desktop/laptop service (Chrome/Edge) is designed for staff and assessors. It provides the "War Room" dashboard, predictive analytics, and administrative tools for candidate data management. While the web-based architecture is responsive, the desktop experience prioritizes complex orchestration and reporting over the tablet’s tactile, station-to-station workflow.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Description of service interface: Candidate Tablet Interface: A secure, "Kiosk Mode" application on Samsung Galaxy tablets. It includes a digital welcome by the AIsha virtual assistant, self-service declaration modules, and high-resolution document scanning.; +3; ; Staff & Assessor Dashboard: A web-based "Perform Assessments" environment accessible via laptops or tablets. It allows assessors to manage room availability, verify candidate identities, and record scores against a standardized matrix.; +2; ; Management "War Room" Dashboard: Provides senior leaders with real-time telemetry, including throughput analytics, bottleneck alerts, and assessor performance metrics.; +1; ; Root Administration Console: A high-level interface for global system configurations, message broadcasting, and data export management.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: Open Answers conducts rigorous interface testing to ensure the ACMS meets WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards. We perform formal accessibility audits specifically focused on compatibility with assistive technologies, including screen readers (TalkBack/NVDA), voice recognition, and alternative input devices.; ; Testing is executed on managed Samsung Galaxy tablets to validate that high-contrast themes and responsive layouts remain functional for users with visual or motor impairments. By involving users with diverse needs during User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and "Model Office" dry runs, we ensure the digital journey—from identity verification to assessment—is inclusive and intuitive.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The ACMS API is designed for secure automation and data synchronization between your internal HR systems and the assessment platform.; ; API Capabilities; Service Setup: Users can programmatically provision assessment events, define scoring rubrics, and bulk-upload candidate metadata. It allows for the automated creation of "Assessment Blueprints" which configure the flow of the digital day.; ; Making Changes: You can perform real-time updates to candidate schedules, adjust assessor assignments, and modify scoring weights during the live window. The API supports PATCH requests for incremental updates to candidate records, such as marking a candidate as "checked-in" via an external gateway.; ; Limitations; No Hardware Control: Users cannot remotely configure the hardware layer (e.g., Samsung Knox security policies or tablet firmware) via the API; these require physical MDM enrollment.; ; Post-Event Integrity: Once an assessment is "Closed" and reconciled, the API transitions to Read-Only. Changes to scores or feedback cannot be made via API after final submission to prevent tampering.; ; Throttling: To maintain performance during high-stakes testing, the API is subject to rate limiting (concurrency caps) to ensure the local tablet synchronization takes priority.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: The ACMS is a white-labelled platform designed for high-level flexibility across diverse recruitment streams.; ; What can be customised; Branding: Full white-labelling, including logos, themes, and document templates.; ; Assessment Matrix: Users can define the "Candidate Journey," configuring specific modules (e.g., DNA, Fitness, Roleplay) and scoring rubrics for different roles.; ; Operational Parameters: Configurable timers for candidate wait times, retest delays, and scoring thresholds.; ; Content: Help text, instructional videos, and AIsha (AI assistant) knowledge bases.; ; How users customise; Customisation is managed via a web-based Administration Portal. Administrators use a "System Configuration" menu to adjust global settings or an "Application Roles" menu to build bespoke assessment workflows. Changes are pushed in real-time to the synchronized tablets used by assessors and candidates.; ; Who can customise; Access is governed by Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):; ; Centre Managers: Oversee global system configuration and assessment matrices.; ; Asset Admins: Manage room allocations and station-specific parameters.; ; Content Managers: Update instructional briefs and help text.; ; Assistants: Can perform minor, candidate-level adjustments during the check-in process.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: We guarantee resource independence through logical isolation and fixed-capacity provisioning. Each client operates within a dedicated, siloed environment on AWS, ensuring no contention for compute, memory, or database resources.; ; By provisioning infrastructure based on maximum projected load rather than shared pools, we eliminate "noisy neighbour" risks. Furthermore, our Offline-First tablet architecture ensures that the live assessment experience is decoupled from cloud demand; scoring and data entry occur locally, providing a physical buffer that maintains performance regardless of external system activity or network fluctuations.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Yes. ACMS provides comprehensive service metrics through a real-time Management Information (MI) dashboard.; ; Service Metrics Provided; Performance Metrics: System uptime, latency, and API response times ensuring adherence to the 99.9% availability SLA.; ; Usage Statistics: Total candidates processed, active assessor counts, and breakdown of assessments completed per centre or session.; ; Operational Insights: Real-time throughput data, average candidate dwell times between modules, and "In-Progress" vs. "Completed" status tracking.; ; Security Auditing: Granular logs of user logins, data access requests, and synchronisation events between the cloud and mobile tablets.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: Yes

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: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• 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 once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure
  • Data Erasure
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase
  • Physical Destruction / Hardware containing data is completely destroyed

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export data through two primary channels:; ; Self-Service Exports: Administrators use the Reconciliation Module to generate real-time reports. Tabular data (scores, schedules) is exported as CSV/Excel,; ; Bulk API/Database Access: For large-scale migration, data can be extracted via the REST API or provided as a full PostgreSQL encrypted backup.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: XLSX
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • XLSX
  • XLS

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Other (VPC Isolation & Encryption at Rest): * VPC Security Groups: We use granular Security Groups and Network ACLs to restrict traffic. For example, the PostgreSQL database is located in a private subnet and only accepts incoming traffic from the specific application server IP addresses on port 5432.; ; Encryption at Rest: All data stored within the PostgreSQL database and any digital evidence in AWS S3 is encrypted using AES-256 (AWS KMS).

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Open Answers Ltd provides a high-availability digital framework for the Assessment Centre Management System (ACMS). While a formal Service Level Agreement (SLA) with specific refund policies for availability has not been finalized with all clients, the system is designed and supported to meet high uptime requirements.
• Approach to resilience: The service is hosted in AWS London using a Multi-Availability Zone (Multi-AZ) architecture. Application containers run on Amazon EC2 instances, which automatically redistributes traffic across physically separate datacentres if one fails. Database resilience is managed via Amazon RDS with synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different zone, ensuring automatic failover with zero data loss.
• Outage reporting: Open Answers reports outages for the Assessment Centre Management System (ACMS) through a multi-channel notification approach:; ; Email Alerts: In the event of expected disruption or service-affecting incidents, customers are informed via email. Specific escalation contacts receive direct email notifications for major (P1) incidents.; ; Monitoring Dashboards: Service health and telemetry are tracked via an internal Grafana dashboard, which provides a real-time view of service delivery, incidents, and performance metrics. Additionally, a Statistics Dashboard provides on-site staff with a "War Room" view of system health and bottleneck identification.; ; Automated Alerting (API/System): The system utilizes AWS CloudWatch to monitor infrastructure and application performance. When thresholds are exceeded, CloudWatch triggers automated alarms that notify internal systems like Zabbix.; ; Direct Support: Outages can be reported manually by users through a dedicated support email address or telephone line during standard support hours (09:00–17:00, Monday–Friday).

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Open Answers restricts management and support access using a Least Privilege model via AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM).; ; Authentication: Access to management consoles and production environments requires Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and is restricted to specific corporate IP ranges.; ; Infrastructure: Support engineers use Just-In-Time (JIT) access or encrypted VPN tunnels with public-key authentication for server administration.; ; Auditability: Every action performed within management interfaces is logged via AWS CloudTrail, providing a permanent, non-repudiable audit trail.; ; Physical: Support channels are restricted to vetted personnel, with internal segregation between development and production support roles.
• 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)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • 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: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• 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: Open Answers follows a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS) certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Our policies cover the entire operational lifecycle, including Asset Management, Access Control, Incident Management, Secure Development (SDLC), and Physical Security.; ; Reporting Structure; Governance is led by the Management Review Board, chaired by the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).; ; Managing Director: Holds ultimate accountability and final say on strategy.; ; Technical Director: Oversees day-to-day service delivery and risk management.; ; Support & Development Managers: Responsible for operational compliance within their respective teams.; ; Information Security Officer (ISO): Administers the ISMS and reports on system performance.; ; Ensuring Compliance; To ensure policies are strictly followed, we employ:; ; Policy Packs: Staff must read and record acceptance of policies relevant to their roles via ISMS.online.; ; Internal & External Audits: A three-year audit cycle ensures full ISMS coverage, supplemented by annual policy reviews.; ; Technical Controls: We use automated tools like SafeTitan for security awareness training, SonarQube for secure coding gates, and AWS Security Hub for infrastructure monitoring.; ; Disciplinary Process: Non-compliance is managed through a formal disciplinary framework to maintain individual accountability.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: Open Answers manages configuration and change through an ISO 27001 certified framework.; ; Tracking Service Components:; All assets—including cloud resources, hardware, and software—are recorded in a central Asset Register. We maintain configuration baselines using Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) and version control (Git), ensuring a complete audit trail from procurement to disposal.; ; Security Impact Assessment:; Changes follow an ITIL-based process. "Normal" changes require a formal Change Request, which triggers a security review by the Technical Director or ISO. We assess risks against the OWASP Top 10 and utilize automated CI/CD security scanning to identify vulnerabilities before deployment.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Open Answers manages vulnerabilities through a proactive, ISO 27001-certified lifecycle integrated into our CI/CD pipelines.; ; Threat Assessment: We identify vulnerabilities using automated infrastructure scanning via AWS Security Hub and Nessus. Applications undergo continuous scanning (e.g., Grype, Anchore) during development, plus regular independent penetration testing.; ; Deployment Timelines: Critical security patches are mandated for deployment within 14 days.; ; Information Sources: Intelligence is gathered daily from strategic and tactical sources, including NCSC news, CISA, SANS NewsBites, and vendor-specific security advisories.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Open Answers uses an ISO 27001-certified approach to protective monitoring.; ; Identification:; We identify compromises through real-time telemetry and centralized logging via AWS CloudWatch, Security Hub, and Panther. These tools monitor for anomalous behavior, unauthorized access attempts, and configuration drift against security baselines.; ; Response:; Upon detection, our Incident Management Policy is triggered. We isolate affected resources, revoke compromised credentials, and initiate a forensic investigation led by the Technical Director to contain the threat.; ; Timeline:; Critical security incidents receive an immediate response, with active containment procedures initiated within minutes of a confirmed high-priority alert.
• Incident management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Open Answers uses an ISO 27001-certified incident management framework.; ; Pre-defined Processes:; We maintain a library of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for common events, including data breaches, denial-of-service attacks, and hardware failures, ensuring a consistent and rapid response.; ; Reporting:; Users report incidents via a dedicated support email address, a 24/7 technical telephone hotline, or through our on-site "War Room" support staff during assessment days.; ; Incident Reporting:; Post-incident, we provide customers with a formal Major Incident Report (MIR). This details the root cause, impact, containment actions, and long-term preventative measures implemented.
• 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: No
• 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: 5%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 10%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 15%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 20%
• Over £5,000,001: 25%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: UKAS
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Tuesday 10 December 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Nothing. The scope is the whole company.; Scope of Registration:; Information security management for the provision of IT support, software integration and; software development services in accordance to SoA Version v1.0
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• 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

    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • 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
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • 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
    • 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 educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • 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

  • 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

  • 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

    • 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

  • 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.

    • 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

  • 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
    • 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
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression

  • 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 issues relating to entering the contract workforce

  • 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

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 ian.bellia@openanswers.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.