QG ACE Implementers assist businesses by installing hardware and software into customers systems prior to CE & CE+ Assessment.
Introduction
QG Business Solutions Ltd are one of only three accreditation bodies contracted to GCHQ for the accreditation and certification to the new Cyber Essentials standard.
Roles and Responsibilities
For Cyber Essentials to be adopted by large numbers of businesses QG Business Solutions believe that a competitive marketplace will need to be created amongst Certification Bodies, IT Consultants and IT implementers so that they work hard to gain new customers. Therefore the following principles will apply;
- Certification Bodies, ACE Consultants and ACE Implementers set their own fees and product support mechanisms;
- Certification Bodies achieve approval based on their delivery quality assurance mechanisms
- Centrally defined process are kept to a minimum so as to maximise creativity, productivity, continuous improvement and competitiveness;
- Certification Bodies, ACE Consultants and ACE Implementers carry out their own marketing campaigns alongside the national campaign carried out by CESG/GCHQ;
- The Accreditation Body assesses, monitors, moderates and manages the Certification Bodies, ACE Consultants and ACE Implementers to ensure consistency of delivery.
- The Accreditation Body approves any deviation from the agreed operating manual including any proposed changes to the testing specification/assessment methodology.
- The Accreditation Body administers core data handling, certificate issuing and reporting to CESG
- Accredited QG Cyber Essentials Implementers assist businesses who need it, to get ready for Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification by installing hardware and software into customers systems.
QG ACE Implementer Status
Let’s be clear from the start you do not have to be accredited by QG to install kit into client companies to achieve Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
Now we’ve got that out of the way let’s concentrate on why you should consider becoming a QG ACE Implementer.
QG ACE Implementers are;
- Trained by QG Management Standards who work directly with CESG on the scheme,
- Tested to ensure they correctly understand the requirements of the scheme,
- Informed on any changes to the scheme,
- Awarded a certificate to show businesses that they know what they are talking about,
- Certified to the Cyber Essentials standard and
- Promoted by certification bodies as scheme experts
QG ACE Implementers are generally computer shops doing domestic and some small business support (but not on the books as an outsourced provider – no annual contract in place with the client company) These will typically have a shop front where a micro business ask them to set laptops and PCs up to pass cyber essentials
- arrange a morning where they can set up the firewall
- make changes to group policies in Active Directory
- install anti malware protection software
- make disk images of computers
QG ACE Implementers would not generally be called on site to do everything – just the technical bits. You would not, for example necessarily know about what makes a good management policy, or advise on how to make an inventory of software / firewall ports. In short – you would have little input to filling in the self-assessment questionnaire. The MD is doing this themselves – but just lacks some technical ability, or a consultant is coordinating things. You would, however, have to demonstrate that you have good “roll-back” procedures to ensure you can get the business back up and running should anything go wrong with the configuration.
Scope of Certification
The ACE Implementers Certificate belongs primarily to the sponsoring company but also the individual. If an individual leaves the sponsoring company he/she cannot take the status with them to another company. The certificate with state;
• …. Joe Bloggs of IT Company Ltd is certified to QG ACE Implementer Standard.
Certificates can be changed if the new employer already has QG ACE Implementers (conditions apply).
Only individuals who have QG ACE Implementer status may work on the clients equipment if contracted to do so. This is similar to the GAS SAFE model.
How to become a QG ACE Implementer
We recognise that some IT businesses will not enjoy being in the same room as one of their competitors therefore we are offering two approaches to certification.
In-house Certification
A QG trainer will come into your business and;
- deliver one and a half days of training focused on Cyber Essentials and your needs,
- train up to 10 employee (minimum 5) in the standards that meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials scheme,
- walk delegates through a Cyber Essentials assessment of your company,
- test the delegates to ensure they understand their roles and the Cyber Essentials requirements,
- award individuals with their QG ACE Implementer certificate
- award your business with your Cyber Essentials certificate
and annually;
- provide updates to your QG ACE Implementers
- re-test delegates to ensure they are up to date with current practices
- renew their certificates
Notes
1. If you don’t meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials scheme you will have 3 months to implement the corrective actions. In this time you will not be able to call yourselves QG ACE Implementers.
2. You may invite other businesses to join your training as long as the total delegates do not exceed 10 people.
3. You will provide the training room and refreshments for both days
4. Your annual services will be provided on condition that your annual fee is paid in full
Public Certification
QG will organise an open event at a suitable venue where our trainer will;
- deliver one and a half days of training to an audience of up to 10 delegates,
- train delegates in the standards that meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials scheme,
- walk delegates through a Cyber Essentials assessment of individual companies,
- test delegates to ensure they understand their roles and the Cyber Essentials requirements,
- award individuals with their QG ACE Implementer certificate
- award individual businesses with their Cyber Essentials certificate
and annually;
- provide updates to the QG ACE Implementers
- re-test delegates to ensure they are up to date with current practices
- renew certificates
Notes
5. If delegates do not meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials scheme they will have 3 months to implement the corrective actions. In this time they will not be able to call themselves QG ACE Implementers.
6. A training room and refreshments will be provided on both days
7. The annual services will be provided on condition that your annual fee is paid in full
Assessment Guides & Questionnaires
Assessment guides and questionnaires have been created for both stage 1 and stage 2 assessments. QG ACE Implementers are required to understand the guides thus ensuring conformance of delivery.
Next Steps
If you are interested in becoming a QG ACE Implementer call 01228 631681 or email info@qgbiz.co.uk