Delft-FEWS Support and Maintenance Service Packages 

Introduction

Delft-FEWS product management has replaced the existing support and maintenance contracts with new standardized service packages. These support and maintenance service packages will be available for three service levels. There will also be a special service package for intermediaries.

Following the standards of other software at Deltares, the service packages will consist of lab tested software releases and support hours with a specific set of response and resolution times (further detailed in section 2) for reported calls. This software release and the patches to be provided with the standard services package will be tested using our unit tests, our regression tests and our development test cases on the standard test systems available at Deltares. Software support hours will be the usual on-call support we provide at this time. Service packages costs will vary by the number of support hours requested and the promised response and resolution times.

A distinction will be made between stable release patches and developments patches.

• Stable Release patches are patches that are provided from the stable build and are going through a standard testing process (not client specific) before delivery to the client

• Development release patches are patches created from a development build (development branch) before the build is tested in the Deltares Lab. They are meant for functional testing of newly developed functionality before the formal release is provided. For this testing a development build is delivered. If during this testing a bug is found in the newly developed functionality, Deltares can fix that bug and deliver a patch to the client to do retesting (in order to be able to accept the new functionality). Development patches can be provided much easier as they will not go through the same amount of testing.

Deltares is working on providing patches on the Delft-FEWS portal on a regular basis. That will be a general patch for a specific software version that is available for all users. We provide information on what is being fixed. These patches will not be subtracted from the number of patches available in each service package. The patches included in the services packages refer to client specific patches (urgent patches) with a fix for an urgent problem reported by the client. A client can wait for the patches that become generically available or take an immediate patch in case an urgent fix is needed. This urgent fix will also end up in the general patch that becomes available on the portal at a later stage. In case two subsequent patches are needed to fix one single problem then only one will be subtracted from your “patch budget”. A recommended approach would be to collect a few bugfixes and combine them into one patch.

These service packages assume a single configuration. In addition to the standard service packages, the following optional items are being offered:

• Blocks of additional support hours on top of the support that is in one of the standard service packages (e.g. packages of 10, 20, 30 hours additional support)

• Maintaining a test system at Deltares to reproduce configuration specific issues, to test patches in specific user configuration and to be able to do client specific live system testing for a software release

• Additional Systems (in case you have more than 1 Delft-FEWS configuration)

• Upgrade of system performed by Deltares (options are remotely or on site, single MC or multiple MC’s). In the standard service packages this is not included as more and more clients are performing this activity themselves. 

• Collaborative Release Testing (formerly called Beta Testing). With this testing process we support the installation of the software on your system, we then collaborate with you to test a new release first in our environments with your specific configuration, and then we support you in your in-house testing. With this process, we guarantee correction of all Critical and Major issues found during the test process. This Collaborative Release Testing process is the most effective method to ensure a smooth transition from one build to the next.

• Event Based Support (Weekend)

• Additional Patches

• Enhancements or feature requests. It is always possible to make a request for new functionality in the Delft-FEWS software. Since this is very much dependent on the complexity of the feature request, Deltares will provide a separate cost estimate for this or you can add additional blocks of development hours to your service package to finance your feature requests (based on an agreed time estimate).

Support for other Deltares software will be coordinated with the other relevant development projects within Deltares.

Service Levels

When supporting an operational system, it is recognised that not all calls for Support & Maintenance need the same type of response. In the table below, a categorisation of severity of calls is presented. Per call, the classification of the call will be decided upon mutual agreement.

The tables in this document with response and resolution times present the target response and resolution times. All times are in Deltares Netherlands business hours (09:00 – 1800 CET) as opposed to elapsed time.

Within the response time, the reception of a support call will be acknowledged by the Delft-FEWS Helpdesk.

Within target resolution time, the fault will be attempted to be repaired. If the supplier feels they will not be able to repair the fault within the resolution time, prior to the expiry of the resolution time the supplier will contact the client, and as early as possible, to agree an action plan for dealing with the fault and a target date for resolution. A resolution to a (critical or severe) fault call can also consist of a temporary workaround with the delivery of a plan for a permanent solution.

The helpdesk is available on working days from 9:00 until 18:00 CET.

Category 1: Basic Service Package

This service level package for one system (one configuration) consists of:

• 8 Support hours

• One Stable Lab Tested Release

• No patches

• Bugs will be fixed in the next release

• Problems resolved within two weeks

The price for this service package is €9.500,- per year (excl VAT)

Category 2: Full Advanced Service Package

This service level package for one system (one configuration) consists of:

• 20 Support hours

• One Stable Lab Tested Release

• 1 Patch

• Support with the following response and resolution times

The price for this service package is €16.750,- per year (excl VAT)

Category 3: Professional Service Package

This service level package for one system (one configuration) consists of:

• 40 Support hours

• One Stable Lab Tested Release

• 3 patches

• Support with the following response and resolution times

 The price for this service package is €39.750,- per year (excl VAT)

Intermediary Basic

This service level package for one system (one configuration) consists of:

• 8 Support hours

• One Stable Lab Tested Release

• No patches

• Bugs will be fixed in the next release

• Problems resolved within two weeks

The price for this service package is €10.000,- per year (excl VAT)

Intermediaries Service Package

This service level package for one system (one configuration for one client) and for the intermediary itself consists of:

• 24 Support hours

• One Stable Lab Tested Release

• 1 Patch

• Support with the following response and resolution times

(4a) help requests about use of the system, (4b) help requests for support for hardware and system software issues and (4c) help requests about configuration problems

Within an intermediary service package, Deltares makes a distinction between the implementation phase and support and maintenance phase. The response and solution times as described above will apply to the support and maintenance phase. For projects in which new functionalities for Delft-FEWS are being developed, the delivery terms and terms of guarantee will be determined in the framework of the project. For questions related to such Deltares projects, please contact the Deltares project leader and not the Delft-FEWS helpdesk. Projects in which no new functionalities are added to Delft-FEWS follow the standard support and maintenance agreement between the intermediary and Deltares. The solution and response times as described above apply to these projects.

The price for this service package is €24.000,- per year (excl VAT). For each additional client an extra contribution of €4.070,- (excl VAT) is added for maintenance of the software (bugfixing, etc). If a client has multiple systems for which support is needed, they receive a reduction in costs for the second system (50% reduction) and any other additional system (75% reduction for third system) for that same client.