Check what independent assurance your service needs

Your service must be independently assured by the Digital Assurance Office (DAO) if it’s: 

• being delivered by a Scottish central government organisation under the technology assurance framework 
• a new digital public service or a service investing in new digital technology 

Your service will not need an independent review from the DAO if you're a health body, such as Public Health Scotland or the NHS. 

How to check if your service must be independently assured

To check whether your service needs to be independently assured, you should contact the DAO before the start of your project. 

If your project needs to be assured, you'll be paired with an engagement manager who will help you schedule the reviews or assessments your project will need. You'll also be advised about the types of evidence you'll need to present.

Find out more about the DAO's work in their blogs about the lessons learned from previous:

• Digital Standard Assessments
• Major Digital Project Reviews

The Digital Scotland Service Standard 

The Digital Scotland Service Standard is a set of 14 criteria that all organisations within the Technology Assurance Framework should meet when delivering public services. 

If your service is independently assured by the DAO, you'll need to evidence that your service has met DSSS criteria.