SDN Mesma Group Ltd

Quality Assurance, Audit and Risk Management Software

A cloud-based software service that supports government departments and publicly funded organisations to manage quality assurance, audit, actions and risk. It enables users to diagnose service effectiveness against set standards, monitor and review risks, actions and assurance evidence. It supports governance, internal review and continuous improvement across services and functions.

Features

• Centralised quality assurance and improvement cycle management tools
• Evaluation against regulatory and accreditation frameworks with embedded guidance
• Configurable diagnostic and action planning templates
• Secure document management with version control and audit trails
• Dashboards and analytics for oversight
• Role-based access controls supporting complex organisational structures
• AI-assisted insights supporting evaluation and action planning
• Automated prompts highlighting risks, gaps, and improvement opportunities
• Exportable reports and datasets supporting inspection and accountability
• AI-assisted drafting of evaluative commentary aligned to standards and frameworks

Benefits

• Gain clear oversight of activity across teams and organisations
• Reduce administrative effort coordinating assurance and improvement activity
• Focus time on high-impact improvement priorities rather than tasks
• Improve consistency of self-evaluation using structured frameworks and guidance
• Identify risks and improvement gaps earlier through data insights
• Collaborate efficiently across departments, partners and external reviewers
• Track actions and progress clearly to support timely improvement
• Prepare confidently for inspection/audit with accessible evidence and reporting
• Support informed decision-making using clear, reliable quality intelligence
• Increase staff engagement with accessible, structured diagnostic processes

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 carole@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.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

907574184525604

Contact

Carole Loader
07963137202
carole@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Production and operations

  Service industry and public sector operations

  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Police
  • Adult Social Care
  • Children's Social Care
  • Other
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Commercially reasonable endeavours will be made to make the Services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for:; ; -planned maintenance carried out during the maintenance window of 06.00 pm to 06.00 am UK time Monday to Friday and any time on Saturdays, Sundays and UK bank holidays; and; -unscheduled maintenance performed outside Normal Business Hours.
• System requirements: No specific required beyond a standard web browser

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Our live online helpdesk is open for all users Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, excluding Bank Holiday in England.; ; We respond to all user queries within 2 working days.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: No
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the web chat support is accessible: We use a well known third party software to provide our webchat facility. Here are some of the features that make the system accessible: Screen reader support: the service is accessible via screen readers Keyboard navigation: Every component of the scan be accessed using a keyboard without requiring a mouse or trackpad. Colour contrast: all text in the clearly visible when using colours with enough contrast. Articles: Additional articles allow for alternative mediums to text for example, video. Images: Embedded description's in the image's HTML that screen readers read aloud.
• Web chat accessibility testing: We use web based Microsoft 'Accessibility insights' tool as part of our developer cycle to test for accessibility compatibility.
• Onsite support: No
• Support levels: An initial virtual one-to-one webinar helps administrators appointed by the buyer access the online help centre, enabling all users to quickly learn how to use the software. Users have ongoing live support from a team of software technicians via online chat, as well as open access to a library of articles, videos, and product tours. A paid-for setup service is also available, tailored to meet the buyer’s needs. Super-users can contact the support team via email and telephone for additional assistance.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Client administrators are supported through an initial one-to-one virtual orientation webinar, helping them access the online help centre and quickly learn how to use the software. Ongoing support is provided via the online chat. Additionally, all users have open access to a comprehensive library of resources, including articles, videos, and product tours, ensuring they can find guidance in the format that suits them best.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • PDF
  • Other
• Other documentation formats:
  • Videos
  • Word
• End-of-contract data extraction: Using the platform’s built-in standard extracts, buyers can download essential data records. If additional data beyond the standard extracts is required, a bespoke extraction service is available for an extra fee, with requirements agreed and approved in advance. Data transfer occurs according to a defined timeline, culminating in account closure on the contract end date, with up to 30 days of post-offboarding support provided to resolve any issues. Users are responsible for ensuring all required data is extracted before the licence expires.
• End-of-contract process: Standard off boarding pathway - No Cost - Buyers must provide written notification of contract termination or expiry at least 60 days in advance. Buyers are responsible for downloading all required reports up to 1 day before the contract ends. The can contact the helpdesk team for additional guidance. On the contract end date, the subscription is disabled and the account is closed.; ; Bespoke off boarding pathway - Cost dependent on buyer requirements - Buyers must provide written notification of contract termination or expiry at least 90 days in advance. An exit meeting is held to agree on the offboarding plan and data extraction requirements. Mesma Support provides a quote, which the buyer approves with a PO if required, and an invoice is issued with standard 30-day payment terms. Data is transferred to the buyer or a new supplier 20 days before contract end, followed by a final review and sign-off 10 days before closure. The subscription is disabled and the account closed on the contract end date. Up to 30 days of post-offboarding support is provided to resolve any issues arising from the bespoke process.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The mobile service provides the same core functionality as desktop but is responsive for smaller screens such as tablets.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Description of service interface: The service provides a web-based interface accessible through a standard web browser. No client-side installation is required beyond a supported browser.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: We use web based Microsoft 'Accessibility insights' tool as part of our developer cycle to test for accessibility compatibility.
• API: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Users can customise the service through working templates available in the dedicated administration interface. Customisation options include modifying templates, adjusting work settings, and configuring features to match organisational needs. Only users with the appropriate role-based access control (RBAC) level can access these customisation options. There are different levels of administration: Super Admin, Advanced Admin, and Third-Party Administrators, each with defined permissions to ensure that only authorised personnel can make changes.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Microsoft Azure, our hosting platform provides a built-in scalability and load balancing. This ensures that service performance for each buyer is not; affected by the demand other users place on the system. Resources are; automatically allocated based on usage, maintaining consistent; performance and availability even during periods of high demand.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Staff screening not performed
• Government security clearance: None

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: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: In-house destruction process
• Data sanitisation type: Data Erasure

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export their data directly from the platform using built-in download options. Supported formats include Excel, Word, and PDF, allowing easy access to key reports and records.
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats:
  • Excel
  • Word
  • PDF
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Word
  • Excel
  • PDF
  • JPEG
  • PNG
  • MP4
  • EML
  • OTD
  • MOV
  • MSG

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: Data in transit is protected between end user devices and the service, internally within the service and protected between the service and other services by TLS (Version 1.2 or above) and JSON Web Tokens.
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The service is designed to operate 24/7 but optimised for core hours. Core hours are defined as [9.00 am to 5.00 pm local UK time, Monday to Friday]. For public-facing portals, the service shall provide at least 99% availability 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, excluding planned maintenance. *Planned maintenance carried out during the maintenance window of [06.00 pm to 06.00 am UK time and Saturdays, Sundays and UK bank holidays and the client shall receive at least 7 days’ notice of any scheduled down-time; and *We will, as part of the Services and at no additional cost to the Client, provide the Client with the Supplier’s standard Client support services during Normal Business Hours [9.00 am to 5.00 pm local UK time, Monday to Friday]. We reserve the right to amend the Support Services Policy from time to time. *New releases (software upgrades) and server patching. Not all maintenance will require downtime. *The standard service does not include payment of refunds for availability below target levels
• Approach to resilience: We use an independent Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), Microsoft Azure and Production and CosmosDB. The CSPs operate with independent power and networking supplied to their data centres. Microsoft have the data stored in two different locations and in the event of a significant disaster the service will automatically roll over to the second server. We have the ability to increase server resources to respond to high demand.
• Outage reporting: Outages are reported via our live helpdesk notifications and emails

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: *Each user has a defined set of permissions which is administered by the client. *Each user is given a unique username and password. The client has the functionality to enforce the following password protocol. Your password must contain:1) At least 8 characters 2) At least 3 of the following 3)At least 3 of the following: Lower case letters (a-z): Upper case letters (A-Z):Numbers (0-9):Special characters (e.g. !@#$%^&*). *All users can only access data that they have permission for. The client has full control over this permissions feature. MFA can be enabled by the buyers administrator.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get 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: Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials Plus
• Information security policies and processes: The Information security arrangements follow the principles of ISO27001, Cyber Essentials and NCSC Principles. ; ; These set out arrangements for Data protection compliance, Asset control, Information handling, Human resources security, Physical and environmental security, Access control, Use of computers and mobile devices, Network management, Software management and outsourcing third party and a business continuity and disaster recover plan. The policy requirements are audited an annual basis. This audit consists of sampling activities to identify if and where policies may not be being followed so that corrective action can be taken.; ; Senior management have information security as a standard agenda at Board meetings.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Any changes to Mesma are reviewed for security risks. Product development process is a 5-stage process of Agile development, 1) Concept 2) Design 3) Develop 4) Test 5) Deploy. Quality assurance checks and testing are carried out independently from the development team. Testing is a blend of unit and manual testing. No change can be both developed and approved by a single person
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We use a third party software - Microsoft Azure to host our Software service. Microsoft Azure own their own security practices for data protection. Any incident is investigated and patches are deployed as soon as the development has PASSED the change management processes. In addition, on an annual basis we engage an independent orgnaisation to carry out a penetration test of the Software. We also maintain the Cyber Essentials Plus certificate which is renewed annually.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Protective monitoring combines user-reported issues, customer support logs, and web server error logs, which are reviewed weekly. All incidents are prioritised and investigated immediately, coordinated by a director. Where incidents affect users—such as service availability or data confidentiality—the support team is informed and updated on risks and impacts. Incident investigations follow five stages: 1) acknowledge, 2) investigate, 3) report, 4) implement controls, and 5) conduct follow-up review. This process ensures timely detection, thorough assessment, and resolution of issues, maintaining service integrity and protecting user data while keeping stakeholders informed throughout.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: We define our incident reporting process in the Information Security Policy. Users can report any information security incident either by emailing our support team or via our online chat service. To assist users in reporting incidents quickly and effectively, detailed guidance is provided in our Help Centre: https://mesma.crisp.help/en/article/q-what-do-i-do-if-i-think-my-data-has-been-compromised-1v5buqu/; All reported incidents are formally recorded in the Security Breach Register. Our team commits to acknowledging and responding to all reported incidents within 24 hours, ensuring timely action and support to mitigate any potential risks.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Supplier-defined process

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: 5%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 15%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 15%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 15%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 20%
• Over £5,000,001: 20%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: C16b3ca5-317c-4fa2-9bc8-7eed8c831b1e
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: A58471ba-226d-43f0-9f7a-cb87a8637f1a
• 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation 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 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
    • Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
    • 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 to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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 carole@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.