Defined technical input, clearly agreed
Senior infrastructure support for specific remediation, assurance, migration, supplier challenge, or controlled change activity where advisory or audit work identifies a clear need.
Separately agreed support
This service is quoted separately based on the objective, risk, dependencies, access requirements, working arrangements, and agreed outputs. Scope and assumptions are confirmed in a Statement of Work before work begins.
Not open-ended resource
This is not a helpdesk, managed service, temporary role, staff augmentation arrangement, or employee-style operational resource.
Keystone provides business-to-business technical support only where the objective, responsibilities, assumptions, dependencies, boundaries, and commercial terms are clearly agreed.
What this service is for
This service is for situations where advisory work, audit findings, supplier decisions, or planned infrastructure change require defined senior technical input.
Remediation support
Help address defined infrastructure risks, weak points, configuration issues, or supportability gaps identified through review or audit.
Implementation assurance
Provide senior technical input around agreed changes, migration planning, cutover preparation, or controlled infrastructure updates.
Supplier and project challenge
Review supplier plans, technical decisions, change approaches, and delivery risks before or during important infrastructure work.
Business-to-business working model
Keystone provides technical support as an independent business-to-business service. Each engagement is intended to be delivered on a genuine consultancy basis, with the contract and working practices aligned to that model.
Defined outputs, not role cover
Keystone is engaged for defined outputs, technical activities, assurance points, or support objectives, not to fill an internal job role.
No line management
Keystone is not subject to employee-style supervision, appraisal, internal reporting lines, or day-to-day task assignment.
Independent method
The client may define the outcome, constraints, policies, and approvals, but Keystone determines the technical approach and method of delivery.
Associates and specialist support
Keystone may use suitably skilled associates, subcontractors, or specialist partners where appropriate, unless the Statement of Work says otherwise.
No ongoing obligation
There is no obligation for the client to provide further work or for Keystone to accept further work beyond the agreed Statement of Work.
Commercial risk
Keystone is responsible for its own business costs, professional overheads, insurance arrangements, tools, and commercial risk.
These working practices are intended to support a genuine business-to-business engagement and an outside-IR35 position where the contract and actual working arrangements are consistent. They are not a guarantee of tax status, and each engagement should be assessed on its own facts.
Typical support areas
- Network infrastructure and connectivity changes.
- Firewall, VPN, routing, switching, and core infrastructure review.
- Infrastructure migration planning and assurance.
- Cutover planning and technical risk review.
- Remediation following a risk audit or supplier review.
- Technical design review and implementation input.
- Supplier, MSP, carrier, or vendor challenge during delivery.
What is not included
Unless specifically agreed in a Statement of Work, this service does not include:
- Helpdesk, service desk, or managed support responsibilities.
- Emergency support or out-of-hours incident response.
- Open-ended staff augmentation, temporary role cover, or BAU ownership.
- Line management, internal reporting lines, or employee-style duties.
- Daily ticket assignment or internal team capacity cover.
- Formal project management, budget ownership, or resource scheduling.
- Unlimited implementation time or unlimited documentation.
- Responsibility for third-party supplier performance, delays, pricing, or decisions.
Client responsibilities
- Provide accurate information, diagrams, documentation, and known constraints.
- Arrange timely access to systems, platforms, suppliers, tools, people, and sites.
- Provide permissions, authorisations, and administrative access where required.
- Approve changes, maintenance windows, and operational sign-off.
- Maintain backups, rollback plans, and acceptance of production risk.
- Use secure methods for credentials, keys, secrets, certificates, or sensitive access information.
Commercial approach
- Pricing: quoted separately based on the agreed requirements.
- Scope: always defined in a Statement of Work.
- Invoicing: agreed in the Statement of Work before work begins.
- Payment: invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date unless agreed otherwise.
- Additional work: urgent involvement, wider remediation, or expanded support must be separately agreed.
- VAT: fees are exclusive of VAT where VAT is applicable.
Need defined technical support?
Start with a focused conversation about the outcome you need, the risks involved, and whether Keystone is the right fit for the engagement.
Contact Keystone