Managed Services Agreement · Edition 2026

The whole plan structure, on one page.

Three tiers. A full inclusion matrix. A published SLA. Essential Eight alignment. Add-ons, exclusions, and commercial terms — all set out so you can decide what fits before we ever get on a call.

01 · Service tiers

Three tiers, one Ad-hoc option.

Per-user, per-month. Minimum 10 users on managed tiers. Ad-hoc has no minimum and no contract. Pricing is shared on request or in the full agreement.

Pricing on request. We publish it in the full Managed Services Agreement rather than in the sales flow, so we can build a quote around your actual user count, licensing, and onboarding scope. Request the full agreement and we'll send it through.
Ad-hoc Support

Pay-as-you-go

No contract, no minimum. Small teams that want a trusted number to call when something breaks.

Reactive helpdesk only — no proactive management.

  • RMM monitoring available
  • Bitdefender EDR available
  • Reactive BH helpdesk
  • Best-effort response · no SLA

Billed hourly · no QBR · no strategy

Starboard Core

Reliable IT operations

Small teams in simple environments. 10–25 users. First step off ad-hoc.

Steady operations with baseline security.

  • BH helpdesk unlimited
  • Bitdefender EDR
  • Conditional Access
  • M365 + endpoint cloud backup
  • Patching + monitoring
  • Annual planning review

Partial E8 ML1 · 12-month term

Starboard Assured

Essential Eight ML2

Defence supply chain, government-adjacent, compliance-driven. 25+ users. Regulated obligations or panel tender ambitions.

Everything in Secure, plus ML2 operational with evidence pack.

  • Application control (zero trust)
  • Immutable BCDR (tested DR)
  • E8 ML2 evidence pack
  • vCISO advisory
  • Priority 24/7 SLA on P1
  • Unlimited onsite (metro)
  • Co-managed option available

ISM-aligned · DISP-ready · audit-ready

Managed tiers include one-off onboarding and a 12-month initial term (24-month option carries a discount). Ad-hoc is billed hourly in 15-minute increments after the first hour. Licensing — Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Adobe — is quoted separately at the vendor's published Australian rate plus a 10% administration margin.

02 · Inclusion matrix

What sits inside each tier.

The full comparison — service desk, endpoint management, cybersecurity, backup, Microsoft 365, strategy, compliance, and procurement.

← swipe to see all tiers →

Inclusion Ad-hoc Core Secure Assured
Service desk & support
Reactive remote helpdesk (business hours)
Unlimited remote helpdesk (fixed fee)
After-hours emergency support (P1)
24/7 helpdesk cover
Named primary engineer
Onsite support (Canberra metro)HourlyHourly2 hrs/moUnlimited
Adds, moves, changes (AMC)QuotedQuoted
Endpoint & infrastructure management
24/7 RMM monitoring & alerting
Automated OS & application patching
Asset & software inventory
Hardware lifecycle management
User onboarding & offboarding (automated)
Cybersecurity
Bitdefender Antivirus & EDR
Managed EDR with 24/7 SOC
Multi-factor authentication (Microsoft Entra)
Conditional Access policies
Email security & anti-phishing
DNS filtering & web protection
Security awareness training (quarterly)
Dark web credential monitoring
Application control / zero-trust allowlisting
SIEM / log aggregation (Microsoft Sentinel)
Backup, resilience & disaster recovery
Microsoft 365 backup (mail, OneDrive, SP, Teams)
Endpoint / server / VM cloud backup
Immutable backup (ransomware-resistant)
Quarterly backup / restore test
Documented DR plan with RTO / RPO
Microsoft 365 & identity
Tenant administration & user management
Licence optimisation & cost review
Exchange, SharePoint, Teams governance
Purview DLP & sensitivity labelling
Intune device management & baselines
Strategy & governance
Annual planning review
Quarterly Business Review (senior engineer)
vCISO advisory (cybersecurity governance)
Documented IT runbook & environment map
Annual budget forecast & roadmap
Compliance & assurance
Essential Eight ML1 controlsPartial
Essential Eight ML2 (operational steady-state)
E8 evidence pack (audit / panel tender)
ISO 27001 / ISM-aligned operations
Annual penetration test coordination
Vendor & procurement management
Single point of contact for all IT vendors
Hardware procurement at discounted rates
ISP & telco fault logging
Software licence negotiation
included in tier available as paid add-on not offered at this tier
03 · Service level agreement

A published SLA, with credits if we miss it.

Every ticket is assigned a priority based on business impact. Each priority has a maximum response time and a target resolution time — written down, not implied.

Priority definitions

  • P1 — Critical. Complete outage. Whole site or service down. Active security incident. No workaround.
  • P2 — High. Major degradation affecting multiple users. Significant business impact. Workaround possible but inefficient.
  • P3 — Medium. Partial impact. Single user blocked or feature unavailable. Workaround exists.
  • P4 — Low. Single user, low impact. Information-only or cosmetic issue.
  • P5 — Request. Standard service request — user creation, password reset, software install, AMC.

Response & resolution

PriorityCoreSecureAssuredTarget resolution
P130 min15 min15 min · 24/74 business hours
P21 hr1 hr30 min8 business hours
P34 hrs2 hrs2 hrs24 business hours
P41 BD4 hrs4 hrs3 business days
P51 BD1 BD4 hrs5 business days

Business hours: Mon–Fri 8:00am–5:30pm AEST excluding ACT public holidays. Assured P1 applies 24/7. BD = business day.

Service credits — skin in the game

If we miss a P1 or P2 response target during a calendar month, you're entitled to a service credit of 10% of that month's managed fee, capped at 25% per month across multiple breaches. Credits apply to your next invoice. Resolution-target misses caused by client-side dependency, third-party vendor delays, or events outside our control (force majeure, ISP outages, hardware vendor RMA windows) are excluded.

04 · Essential Eight alignment

Where each tier sits on the ACSC maturity model.

The Australian Signals Directorate's Essential Eight is the de-facto cybersecurity baseline for Australian organisations — and a common requirement in government supply chain, Defence (DISP), and regulated industries.

Core · Partial ML1

Foundational controls

MFA, OS patching, and daily backups are enforced. Application control, application hardening, user privilege restriction, and Office macro controls are not enforced at Core.

Assured · ML2 operational

Audit-ready with evidence

All eight mitigations implemented, tested, and evidenced. Suitable for DISP-membership SMEs, government panel respondents, and clients with audit obligations.

A formal Essential Eight maturity assessment with documented evidence pack is a separate, fixed-price project engagement — included as standard for new Assured-tier clients at the end of their first 90 days. Reference: cyber.gov.au — Essential Eight Maturity Model.

05 · Out of scope

Plainly: what's not included.

We're explicit about exclusions so there are no surprises at quoting time. The following sit outside every managed tier and are scoped, quoted, and billed separately.

Project work

  • Server migrations, M365 tenant migrations, network redesigns
  • New site fit-outs, office moves, cabling
  • Application implementation projects (new ERP, CRM, accounting system)
  • Bespoke automation, integration, or custom development

Hardware & software purchases

  • Hardware (laptops, servers, network gear, peripherals) supplied at cost + procurement margin
  • Microsoft 365 licences passed through at Microsoft's published Australian rate + 10% administration margin (as your CSP)
  • Third-party software licences passed through at vendor rate + margin

Out-of-tier services

  • Onsite support beyond included hours (managed metro or regional; ad-hoc metro or regional — hourly rates apply)
  • After-hours support outside SLA cover (1.5× standard rate)
  • Travel time outside ACT metro area (each way, hourly)

Specific exclusions

  • End-of-life operating systems (Windows 7/8/10 post-Oct 2025, Server 2012 and older)
  • Unmanaged hardware not on the documented asset register
  • Recovery from incidents caused by client-side disabling of security controls
  • Personal devices (BYOD) not enrolled in our management
  • Telephony / SIP carrier services (handled by your voice provider)
  • Physical security, alarm systems, CCTV
06 · Add-on services

Bolt-ons for any managed tier.

Available on any tier. Billed monthly alongside the base subscription unless noted. Full pricing is in the Managed Services Agreement.

24/7 helpdesk cover Per user / month Extends after-hours cover on Core & Secure. Included in Assured.
Conditional Access policies Per user / month Included in Secure & Assured. Add-on for Core.
Security awareness training Per user / month Quarterly phishing simulations + micro-training. Included in Secure & Assured.
Dark web credential monitoring Per user / month Continuous scan of breach databases for staff credentials. Included in Secure & Assured.
Microsoft Sentinel SIEM Per user / month Log aggregation and correlation. Included in Assured. Add-on for Core & Secure.
Endpoint cloud backup Per endpoint / month Add-on for all managed tiers. Covers laptops, desktops, and file-level restore for non-M365 data.
DR plan build, maintenance & annual test Build + monthly + annual test Documented DR plan, RTO/RPO, tabletop walkthrough, and yearly restore test. Included in Assured.
Annual penetration test coordination Fixed-price project Engaging a third-party CREST-certified tester and remediating findings.
Essential Eight maturity assessment One-off project Includes evidence pack. Included for new Assured clients after their first 90 days.
Co-managed (alongside internal IT) Block-hour packages From 20 hrs/mo. Use for surge, projects, or after-hours cover.
Additional onsite (metro Canberra) Hourly · min. 1 hr Managed tiers, beyond included hours. Ad-hoc has its own hourly rate.
07 · Commercial terms

Onboarding, contract, and how we bill.

The commercial mechanics of a managed engagement — timeline, term length, renewal, termination, and payment.

Onboarding

One-off fee per user covers assessment, agent deployment, M365 hardening, initial remediation, and handover meetings.

Typically completed in 10–15 business days from signature.

Initial term

12 months from service commencement. 24-month option carries a discount on monthly fees.

Month-to-month or auto-renew available after the initial term — your choice at sign-up.

Pricing review

Annual review on contract anniversary, capped at CPI + 2%.

Mid-term changes only by mutual agreement, 60 days' notice. User count adjusted monthly in arrears.

Termination

Either party may terminate at end of initial term with 60 days' written notice.

Early-termination fee is 50% of remaining monthly fees — it's not a punishment, it covers reserved capacity.

Off-boarding

30-day handover and knowledge transfer at no charge. Full data export, environment docs, and agent removal included.

Client data securely destroyed 90 days post-termination unless a regulatory hold applies.

Payment

Invoiced monthly in advance for fixed fees, in arrears for variable usage. 14-day terms. Direct debit preferred.

Insurance

Professional Indemnity $5M. Public Liability $20M. All staff are AU-based, police-checked, and signed to a confidentiality deed.

Vendor changes

Third-party tooling may evolve — we reserve the right to swap vendors with 60 days' notice, provided the replacement meets or exceeds the same capability.

08 · Technology stack

The platforms we stand behind.

We name the Microsoft platform publicly because our partnership posture is stable. Third-party security and backup vendors may evolve; you'll always know what we've picked.

Microsoft platform (named)

  • Microsoft 365 — Business Standard, Premium, or E-series depending on tier
  • Microsoft Entra ID — identity, MFA, Conditional Access
  • Microsoft Intune — device management, application control, security baselines
  • Microsoft Purview — DLP and sensitivity labels (Secure & Assured)
  • Microsoft Sentinel — SIEM / log aggregation (Assured; add-on at lower tiers)

Third-party (vendor-flexible)

  • Bitdefender Endpoint Security — AV, EDR/MDR, attack surface reduction
  • Managed EDR with 24/7 SOC — wrapping Bitdefender for SMB-scale threat hunting
  • Email security & anti-phishing — Microsoft Defender for Office 365 or equivalent
  • Immutable cloud backup — ransomware-resistant M365 backup + tested restore
  • Endpoint & server backup with offsite redundancy
  • DNS filtering and web protection
  • Security awareness training with quarterly phishing simulations
  • Dark web credential monitoring
  • Application allowlisting / zero-trust control (Assured)
Ready for the full picture?

Request the full Managed Services Agreement.

We'll send you the complete 2026 edition — tiers, matrix, SLA, add-ons, terms, and the pricing table — as a PDF, no strings attached.