FAQs and Information

General Information What is the e-GIF? What's the scope of the e-GIF? What is the e-GIF Accreditation Authority? Why should Service Providers seek accreditation / certification? Complaints / Appeals procedure	Presentations e-GIF: What to do? What to do first? (pdf 141K) Illustration of the Practitioner status hierarchy (pdf 53K) Launch Presentations (pdf 2.4M) and Additional Briefing (pdf 423K)
Accreditation What is the process of accreditation? How will accreditation of large organisations work? How long will it take to prepare for an accreditation visit? How much effort will I need to commit to the process? When will I get the results of the visit?	Certification How much does it cost to register as an e-GIF Practitioner? What does the Foundation exam involve? How should I prepare for the exam? What is the benefit of going through this process?

Accreditation

What is the process of accreditation?

An assessor will visit and conduct a holistic review of an organisation's e-GIF capabilities and readiness - does it have the appropriate skills and processes to properly apply e-GIF policies, recommendations and standards?

How will accreditation of large organisations work?

There is a standard fee associated with Accreditation. How will this be applied to large organisations?
There are two scenarios within a large organisation and they are not mutually exclusive:

• The organisation is a multi-site;
• The organisation works through separate lines of business.

Prime Principles
The prime issue is whether the policies and processes that are accredited at the central site, are replicated at the remote site (or the different business units). The accreditation will be performed at the central (nominated) location.
Part of the accreditation visit will assess the extent to which the accreditation assessor is convinced that replication of processes is sound.
If he/she is satisfied, the accreditation will apply to the organisation as a whole.
If he/she is satisfied with regard to selected sites/business units, it is specifically those sites/units that are accredited.
If he/she is not satisfied on the issue of replication, the accreditation will apply to the assessed site/unit only.

Methodology
The fact that an organisation is a multi-site or works on a business unit basis will be identified at the time the accreditation visit is contracted.
During the accreditation visit, the assessor will complete the assessment in relation to the nominated site/unit first.
Once the review of the assessed location has been completed, the assessor will seek re-assurance that the approved policies and processes are replicated at the other sites/locations. The final report will reflect the assessor's view and conclusions regarding the appropriate scope of accreditation.
Based on the assessor's conclusions, a plan will be proposed to the large organisation on the alternatives for extending the accreditation.

How long will it take to prepare for an accreditation visit?
In most cases, preparation for the accreditation visit should not take more than 1 person day; the activity required is much more one of discussing the key points with your peers rather than a considerable amount of preparation or paperwork.

How much effort will I need to commit to the process?
The total effort commitment from you should not be more than 2 - 3 person days. 1 day of preparation, 1/2 to 1 day for the visit itself and 1/2 to 1 day for follow-up activity. The process has been designed to be "content rich within minimal time.

When will I get the results of the visit?
On the day of the Accreditation visit. We tell you in advance what we are looking for and the elements that are critical. At the conclusion of the assessment visit you will be told whether your organisation has passed, passed with minor deviations, passed, but with major deviations, or failed. Any concerns will be fully discussed with you on the day, and will be noted in the Accreditation Report which will be reviewed with you before final publication.

Certification

How much does it cost to register as an e-GIF Practitioner?
The price is £20 (plus VAT) for each individual that is to be registered. This provides for unlimited access to the e-GIF Skills Tracker for a period of one year.

What does the Foundation exam involve?
The Foundation Exam is an online test that, for an additional fee, you can take once you are registered on Skills Tracker. The exam covers core e-GIF skills and will take you approximately 45 minutes. At the conclusion of the test you will be told whether you have passed or failed and also your scores on the individual areas - so that you are able to assess your strengths and weaknesses. (Your employer may have already made an arrangement with the Authority to cover the exam fee.)

How should I prepare for the exam?
Once you've registered, take the self-assessment test. This will demonstrate to you the extent of your knowledge and skills on the e-GIF. The e-GIF Skills Tracker will advise you whether you are ready to take the exam or if there are areas in which you need incremental skills - in which case it will advise you which courses to take that will give you the skills you require.

What is the benefit of going through this process?
The benefit of registering is that you will be able to identify the competences you need and the specialisations on which to focus for you to be recognised as a talented e-GIF Practitioner. Your self-assessment of your skills is validated by: your exam record - both Foundation and Expert; the qualifications you have passed; and the courses you have taken.

General Information

What is the e-GIF?
Adherence to the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) is mandatory for all new systems and legacy systems used to deliver services electronically.
It sets out the policies and standards for e-government and e-service development and delivery. It is now firmly established as a foundation of e-government strategy, helping the public sector accommodate the rapid pace of technological change.
By adopting Internet and World Wide Web standards, the Framework aligns government with the rest of industry and serves as a basis for reducing the costs and risks associated with carrying out major IT projects.

What's the scope of the e-GIF?
The scope of the e-GIF includes projects within private sector organisations that develop or deliver public services, central government departments and their agencies, local government, the devolved administrations as voluntary partners, and the wider public sector, eg non-departmental public bodies and the National Health Service.

What is the e-GIF Accreditation Authority?
To help ensure that both IT suppliers and customers have the competencies and processes to adhere to the e-GIF, the Office of the e-Envoy has established an accreditation and certification programme that is being administered by the e-GIF Accreditation Authority. This body is the owner of the processes and policies for e-GIF certification and accreditation, and complements the role of the e-GIF Compliance Assessment Service at www.egifcompliance.org

Why should Service Providers seek accreditation / certification?

• Maximise chances of success when bidding for contracts
  Increasingly e-GIF accreditation and certification
  will be part of the evaluation criteria for the procurement of IT products and services, therefore becoming a key differentiator within
  bid reviews.
• Increase opportunities
  Accredited organisations will be listed on the Authority web-site identifying potential suppliers to procurers, increasing visibility and, hence, opportunities.
• Recognition as Quality Organisation
  By attaining a published and agreed standard for processes and skills in e-GIF, organisations will have evidence of following best practice and proven commitment to government standards and initiatives - key factors within supplier selection.
• Keep up to date with the framework
  Accredited organisations will be able to monitor their skills and processes against the ever-evolving e-GIF, thereby enabling them to position themselves more effectively in the e-GIF marketplace.
• Workforce Development and Deployment
  The e-GIF certification scheme will enable Service Providers to identify areas for skills development, appraise staff competencies and facilitate improved resource management

Complaints/ Appeals Procedure

For example concerning:

• the results of a Foundation Test
• the results of an Expert Review
• the outcome of an Accreditation Review
• concerning the performance of a Certified Practitioner
• concerning the performance of an Accredited Organisation

Grievances should be put in writing and submitted to the Programme Director via eGIF@ncc.co.uk.

The Programme Director and Technical Director will review the complaint and determine the initial response to the complainant. In the event that the response is rejected, the complainant can appeal to the Appeals Sub-Committee of the Steering Group.

The Appeals Sub-Committee will comprise one member from the Cabinet Office e-Government Unit and one from the Accreditation Authority. They will review all of the documentation relating to the appeal and may conduct additional investigations if appropriate.

The decision of the Appeals Sub-Committee must be unanimous; in the event that the Sub-Committee cannot agree, the matter will be referred to the full Steering Committee and be voted upon using the Committee's formal voting process. The decision of the Sub-Committee - or of the full Steering Group in the event of a referral - shall be final.

Reporting
All complaints, and the initial conclusions reached by the Accreditation Authority, will be reported to the Steering Group as part of the regular reporting cycle. All appeals following a decision of the Accreditation Authority will be reported to the Steering Group when they occur and will be resolved as rapidly as possible.

Timescales
All complaints should be made in writing as soon as possible, and, in any event, within 40 working days of the incident occurring. The Accreditation Authority will acknowledge the complaint within 5 working days and will provide a full response within 20 working days.

In the event of an appeal against the decision of the Accreditation Authority, which must be made within 20 working days of the date of the Authority's response and be accompanied by a statement of the grounds on which the appeal is being made, the matter will be referred to the Appeals Sub-Committee of the Steering Group. The deadline for complete resolution by the Steering Group will be 60 working days.

Complaints Documentation
The complaint should be submitted in writing to the Programme Director via eGIF@ncc.co.uk. The Accreditation Authority's response will be fully documented and will outline whether the complaint has been upheld - and the remedial action to be taken, or the grounds for rejecting the complaint. In exceptional circumstances, the Accreditation Authority's response may highlight that further investigation is required before a definitive conclusion can be reached. In such a situation, timescales will be included within the response.

On referral to the Appeals Sub-Committee of the Steering Group, all relevant documentation in possession of the Accreditation Authority will be forwarded to the Sub-Committee. In the event that the Sub-Committee cannot reach a unanimous conclusion, a report will be delivered to the Steering Group highlighting:

• the nature of the complaint;
• the response from the Accreditation Authority;
• the key points of difference between the participants within the Appeals Sub-Committee, and;
• the alternative recommendations from the Appeals Sub-Committee members.

The decision of the Sub-Committee - or of the full Steering Group in the event of a referral - shall be final and will be communicated to the complainant in writing.