CYBER SECURITY ASSOCIATES LTD

Incident Response Retainer

CSA’s Incident Response Retainer provides guaranteed 24/7 access to UK‑based, security‑cleared IR specialists for rapid triage, investigation and containment of cyber incidents. The service includes crisis leadership, forensic analysis, deployable responders, and ongoing support to strengthen resilience, ensuring organisations can respond quickly and effectively to emerging threats.

Features

• NCSC Cyber Incident Response (CIR) Standard‑Level provider
• CREST Assured Incident Management and GIAC‑trained, UK‑based response specialists
• 24/7 deployable Incident Response analysts with defined SLAs
• Immediate triage and expert advice via a 24/7 UK‑based SOC
• Digital forensics and malware analysis capabilities
• Incident coordination and technical leadership throughout response
• Real‑time collaboration with client technical and executive stakeholders
• Crisis management support, including access to senior cyber leadership
• Comprehensive incident reporting, including timeline, root cause, and recommendations
• Guaranteed priority access to the Incident Response team

Benefits

• Rapid containment and recovery during cyber incidents
• Reduced impact from ransomware and major breaches
• Guaranteed response times through defined SLAs
• Priority access to specialist responders when incidents occur
• Increased confidence and reduced stress during high‑pressure incidents
• Expert‑led decision‑making throughout technical and executive response
• Cost‑effective access to specialist IR expertise compared to in‑house capability
• Improved cyber resilience and preparedness following incidents
• Use of advanced forensic and investigative tooling without additional investment
• Actionable lessons learned to strengthen future security posture

• 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 commercial@csacyber.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

643843106680111

Contact

Commercial and Sales Team
+44 (0) 300 3034691
commercial@csacyber.com

About the service

• Service categories:
  • Cloud Support Services
    • Security Services
      • Security strategy
        • Security strategy
      • Security risk management
        • Security risk management
      • Security incident management
        • Security incident management

Service scope

• Service constraints: The Incident Response Retainer requires customers to provide appropriate technical contacts, system access and environment information to enable effective investigation. Response times depend on incident severity, scope clarity and safe access to affected systems. On‑site attendance is subject to travel feasibility and may vary by location. The service does not include remediation implementation, system rebuilds or long‑term recovery activities unless purchased separately. Legacy, unsupported or encrypted systems may limit the depth of forensic analysis. CSA cannot perform destructive testing or actions that may increase business disruption. Effective response depends on timely customer engagement and provision of accurate incident details.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Response target for all email queries is within 4 hours.; ; Standard tickets and queries are managed under defined SLAs, with most incidents tracked and resolved promptly through the CSA ticketing system and monthly performance reviews.; ; Clients will have a dedicated 24/7 telephone number for urgent queries.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: EN 301 549
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• AI chatbot: No
• Web chat support accessibility standard: EN 301 549
• Web chat accessibility testing: CSA has not yet conducted formal usability testing with assistive technology users specifically for our web chat channels. However, because our service is delivered through Microsoft Teams and Slack, we rely on the extensive native accessibility features built into these platforms. Teams supports screen readers, high‑contrast modes, live captions, keyboard‑only navigation, and immersive reader functions. Slack provides similar capabilities, including full keyboard navigation, screen reader support, adjustable zoom, and clear focus indicators. Where customers require further assurance, we work collaboratively to support additional accessibility testing or configuration based on user needs.
• Support levels: Standard Retainer Support (Included); Business‑hours support (09:00–17:30 UK, Mon–Fri) for queries, playbook updates and readiness tasks.; Response to questions within one working day; most answered in 1–2 days.; Access to IR consultants for guidance, scoping and advisory support.; Use of the allocated hours bank for readiness, documentation, or uplift activities.; 2. Priority Activation Support (During an Incident); Guaranteed priority activation based on retainer tier.; 24/7/365 activation route for incident escalation.; Defined SLA for initial responder engagement (typically within 1–2 hours during activation).; Direct access to CSIRT responders for triage, containment guidance and evidence capture.; Escalation to senior IR leads where required.; 3. Enhanced Support (Optional Add‑Ons); Additional hours bundles for investigation, containment, or damage assessment.; Proactive tabletop exercises, scenario testing, or documentation reviews.; Out‑of‑hours advisory support or extended coverage windows.; 4. Out of Scope; Malware reverse engineering, and large‑scale recovery unless pre‑purchased.; Remediation and engineering work (these remain the customer’s responsibility).; Activities exceeding the hours bank without prior approval.

Supplier type

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes

Government Digital and Data Roles

Cyber security roles

Cyber security audit and assurance

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Lead cyber security audit and assurance	£1,050.00
Principal cyber security audit and assurance	£1,150.00

Cyber security governance and risk management

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security governance and risk manager	£850.00
Lead cyber security governance and risk manager	£1,050.00
Principal cyber security governance and risk manager	£1,150.00

Cyber security monitoring

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security monitoring	£750.00
Lead cyber security monitoring	£850.00
Principal cyber security monitoring	£950.00

Cyber security incident response

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber incident response	£900.00
Lead cyber security incident response	£1,100.00
Principal cyber security incident response	£1,400.00

Cyber security vulnerability management

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security vulnerability management	£750.00
Lead cyber security vulnerability management	£850.00
Principal cyber security vulnerability management	£950.00

Cyber security digital forensics

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security digital forensics	£850.00
Lead cyber security digital forensics	£1,100.00
Principal cyber security digital forensics	£1,200.00

Cyber security testing

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security testing	£850.00
Lead cyber security penetration testing	£1,000.00
Principal cyber security testing	£1,100.00

Cyber security secure design

Role level	UK Rate	Offshore Rate
Associate cyber security secure systems architecture and design	£950.00
Lead cyber security secure systems architecture and design	£1,100.00
Principal cyber security secure systems architecture and design	£1,200.00

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• ISO/IEC 27001 accredited by: Alcumus ISOQAR
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Thursday 24 July 2025
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: - Non‑cyber services; - Internal corporate functions not within the ISMS; - Third‑party‑managed services; - Other offices or locations outside Unit 11; - Other ISO standards (27017/18/27701/20000 etc.)
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• ISO 9001 certification accredited by: Alcumus ISOQAR
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Thursday 24 July 2025
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: CSA’s ISO 9001 certification applies only to:; Cyber managed services and Professional cyber consultancy services; Everything outside those two areas is not included in the ISO 9001 certified scope.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: F922c8f8-156d-4d53-9dab-284e46a01f84
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 2ee443e6-20e0-4504-b1a4-aac443a36435
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • QSAC – Qualified Security Assessor Company (PCI)
  • ISO 42001 (AI Management System)
  • NCSC Cyber Incident Response (CIR) Level 2
  • NCSC CHECK Penetration Testing Provider
  • Microsoft Solutions Partner for Security
  • Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) Member
  • CREST Incident Response
  • CREST Penetration Testing & STAR Penetration Testing
  • CREST SOC
  • CREST Vulnerability Assessment

Social value

• 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
  • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
  • 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
  • How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
  • Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract

  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
  • 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
  • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract

  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
  • 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
• 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

  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 commercial@csacyber.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.