Assurity Consulting earns DIA marketplace approval for secure cloud testing

New Zealand’s leading quality engineering consultancy Assurity Consulting has secured its place in the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) online Marketplace Pa Hokohoko.

Tailored for government needs

Approved as a supplier in seven categories, the company has undergone rigorous security and quality assessment procedures which ease access to its Assurity Cloud Platform and other expertise for government agencies across New Zealand. Demonstrating continued innovation, Assurity Cloud Platform also introduces secure private Large Language Models (LLM), bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to testing and other services.

The DIA Marketplace streamlines government procurement by connecting agencies with pre-vetted suppliers through online catalogues, reducing time and complexity in sourcing services. Assurity’s compliance with DIA Marketplace standards, specifications and documentation underscores its commitment to security, innovation, and public sector collaboration.

A game-changer for complex testing needs

Assurity Consulting’s General Manager, Practice and Solutions, Reg Prasad says the DIA Marketplace approval gives agencies confidence in security and service quality, making it easier to partner with government clients. 

While the seven categories in which it has gained supplier approval reflect the diversity of services offered by the company, he says there’s a particular focus on a unique Assurity solution: “For some years now we’ve pioneered the concept of creating enduring test assets in the cloud, accelerating software quality as these assets reside online and ready to be called upon when the next upgrade, change or security patch is applied to enterprise systems. We call it Assurity Cloud Platform (ACP), and we have a lengthy track record of success with several government agencies including the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).”

The seven categories are Application Testing, Front- and Back End Development, Information Architecture, Native Application Development, User Insight, and Server Management and Administration Services.

DIA Marketplace approval, Prasad continues, accelerates accessibility to ACP, in the Application Testing category, for every government agency.

The platform underwent extensive security audits, including a third-party assessment by Bastion, and required detailed documentation, service descriptions, pricing structures, and evidence of business continuity and maturity to meet the DIA’s stringent standards.

“Government agencies have high security requirements for cloud-based solutions,” he notes. “The Marketplace approval ticks that security box, assuring clients our platform is safe and reliable, with pre-vetted status eliminating any requirement for individual audits for each engagement, saving time and resources for both Assurity and agencies.”

Prasad adds that in addition to security, the approval process helps frame Assurity Consulting’s services meaningfully and confirm its capability to deliver desired outcomes.” The process, while demanding, strengthened Assurity’s policies and documentation, enhancing our readiness to serve government clients.”

Secure AI innovation: Assurity Intelligence drives testing productivity

ACP aligns with the government’s cloud-first strategy, offering secure test automation, monitoring, and hosting capabilities. A standout feature is Assurity Intelligence, a private, secure AI-driven chat service running within the platform. Unlike public AI interfaces, it guarantees privacy and supports tasks like document querying and content generation, delivering productivity gains of 20% or more in testing scenarios. “It’s a game-changer for secure, private AI use in government, where confidentiality is essential,” Prasad says.

The AI service provides advantages including accelerating test-based approaches in reviewing requirements documents for testability, accuracy, and consistency, creating test cases, supporting release note reviews, and making test automation more accessible with automating test script creation.

The DIA Marketplace offers Assurity significant advantages, including visibility to agencies, simplified commercial terms, and the flexibility to update offerings without reapplying. Agencies benefit from faster procurement, easy service comparisons, and access to secure, pre-approved solutions. However, Prasad notes that ‘direct’ procurement through the DIA Marketplace is unlikely: “Most of our engagements are consulting-led, focused on solving complex quality assurance challenges within large-scale government systems. While direct procurement may not be the primary route, our presence on the Marketplace establishes a valuable pathway for agencies to initiate these engagements efficiently.” 

Assurity’s inclusion followed an open procurement notice on the New Zealand Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) at gets.govt.nz, reflecting the DIA’s commitment to transparency and competition. For more details, visit the DIA Marketplace https://marketplace.govt.nz/.