CDS
Internal communications solution consultancy
Expert services for delivery of secure intranets, extranets and applications hosted on cloud architectures. We implement multi-channel tools that enable staff to communicate, collaborate, find, share and self-serve, resulting in improved efficiency, productivity and retention. Comprehensive service from user research and technical architecture through to content and training.
Features
- Full lifecycle consultancy, design, development and support services
- User role and task-focussed solutions
- Integrate with network security for single sign-on
- Secure document delivery
- Social tools for professional collaboration and social engagement
- Agile delivery
- Cloud security experts
- ISO270001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certified
- Accessibility and assisted digital specialists
- ITIL support and ISO20000 service management
Benefits
- Transform communications and experience
- Engage staff with great content
- Enable staff to do their job better with helpful tools
- Improve social cohesion and staff morale
- Enable staff to find relevant skills within the organisation
- Rapid onboarding via dedicated teams
- Deliver policy goals efficiently and effectively
- Tailored support services deliver optimal long-term value
Pricing
£550 to £1,650 a unit a day
Service documents
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Framework
G-Cloud 14
Service ID
7 0 7 6 7 3 6 7 5 2 8 7 7 4 6
Contact
CDS
Matt Johnson
Telephone: 0113 399 4000
Email: bidteam@cds.co.uk
Planning
- Planning service
- Yes
- How the planning service works
-
CDS is passionate about internal communications and developing award winning intranet and extranet solutions.
CDS offers end-to-end design and build services from user research and technical architecture through to content, training and all aspects
of your cloud based solution.
CDS provides a tailored on-boarding pathway based on your individual requirements, to get a viable and effective service up and running as quickly as possible. Onboarding is a collaborative process, through which we will ensure we fully understand your short, medium and long-term goals, and configure the service accordingly to deliver the best value. - 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, CDS can provide formal, comprehensive training for administrators and users prior to handover and go live.
Training is fully bespoke to client needs and can be delivered either in-person or remotely. We provide robust supporting documentation, which can include 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 provides services to develop and migrate content, page structures and information architecture over to managed cloud solutions. We have experience of implementing CMS systems for complex needs that deliver business goals.
- 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 ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) qualified testing experts with all the skills and expertise to quality assure AI, technology & cloud services.
We employ a structured testing approach, to ensure and demonstrate that our services are robust and meet clients’ success criteria, along with business goals. Highly automated testing enables continual QA of systems throughout development, providing cost and time efficiency savings as well as 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 / DevSecOps
• Performance and stress testing.
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
- Other
- Risk analysis
- Certified security testers
- Yes
- Security testing certifications
-
- CHECK
- CREST
- Other
- Other security testing certifications
-
- CDS is certified to ISO27001
- ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) 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 Managed Service, which uses ITIL methodology to maintain the integrity and availability of business-critical, high profile and complex systems.
All of CDS Service Delivery team are ITIL-certified.
Our service provides:
Incident and Service request management
Problem management
Change management
Release and Deployment management
Service Transition management
Service level management and service reporting
Configuration management
Service level agreement
Continual Service Improvement
Risk Management.
We offer three service levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) that include:
Telephone and email support
Online ITSM service desk for issue logging, reporting and issue tracking, available 24x7
Core hours of Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm, excluding bank holidays
Out of hours, as optional extra up to 24x7x365
Service reviews
Service reports.
Support and maintenance contracts stipulate a minimum level of support provision per month, appropriate to the size and complexity of the service, aligned to the preferred service support tier. Additional time is chargeable at the day rates listed on the SFIA rate card.
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
- Yes
- Cyber essentials plus
- Yes
- Other security certifications
- Yes
- Any other security certifications
-
- CDS is certified to ISO27001
- ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) qualified test analysts
Social Value
- Social Value
-
Social Value
- Fighting climate change
- Tackling economic inequality
- Equal opportunity
Fighting climate change
CDS is committed to being an organisation that minimises its environmental impact, while establishing a sustainable environment for the benefit of staff, customers and suppliers.
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 3 accredited, helping us to transform society, the environment and economy by measuring our carbon and social data. We have also signed the UK SME Climate Change commitment and have pledged to halve our carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050.
The Bailie Group (of which CDS is part), is also certified to ISO 50001 Energy Management System, which focuses our efforts on continually improving energy performance.
Our aims for 2024 are:
- Maintain zero to landfill
- Reduce energy consumption by 5% YOY
- Install solar panels at our head office site.Tackling economic inequality
CDS is committed to creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills within our local communities, designed to address economic inequality.
Employment opportunities and training
CDS commits to reducing the skills gap by providing apprenticeships, training opportunities and supporting ex-offenders in creating employment opportunities in our local communities.
As a national company, CDS operates from three primary offices, each run as an autonomous business unit, managed by locally based teams. This regional structure has resulted in CDS becoming a community-focussed organisation and is committed to using local suppliers and subcontractors.
Apprenticeships
CDS has an ongoing commitment to recruit and provide job opportunities in our local communities through apprenticeships. In the past two years we have provided nine apprenticeships, of which four have become full-time employees. A further four are currently taking apprenticeship degrees via Leeds Beckett University.
Supporting educational attainment and addressing skills gaps
CDS is committed to supporting educational attainment to reduce the skills and employment gaps in the local communities in which we work.
Initiatives include delivering careers talks in local schools about pursuing a digital career, career mentoring, mock interviews, CV advice and careers guidance. We also Provide work placements for school/university leavers and the unemployed: 1-6 weeks, more for internships
Volunteering in the local community
We make a valuable contribution to the community by supporting local charities and social enterprises. Each year our colleagues choose a local charity to be our charity of the year, that is aligned to our purpose and values.
In 2024, we will be working in partnership with Business In The Community (BITC) in our quest to continually improve what we do, and operate as a responsible business that makes a positive impact in our community.Equal opportunity
CDS regards its Equality and Diversity Policy as an integral part of its overall company strategy and is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among its workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. It recognises the value of working with differences, and not against them. Our aim is for a workforce that is truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to achieve their full potential and enjoy a fulfilling career with us.
CDS positively encourages 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 (protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010). 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.
CDS is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer (Level 1). With access to expert knowledge and guidance, we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive recruitment process and working environment for everybody.
In 2022 CDS invested in a new recruitment applicant tracking system (JobTrain), which includes an accessibility module to support applicants with disabilities. The system uses ReciteMe to offer a toolbar that helps neurodivergent candidates with their application.
CDS gives all staff the chance to achieve their full potential. We deal with people solely based on merit and will ensure fair and equal treatment including appraisal - access to training - career development - job allocation - promotion - grievance and disciplinary matters.
In 2024, in partnership with Business in the Community, we will be developing our Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and defining a set of key objectives to help measure progress and implement change.
Pricing
- Price
- £550 to £1,650 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.