Managed SD-WAN with underlay and firewall for 38 UK retail sites (sample)

Project background

Fictional worked example. A UK retailer with 38 stores plus a distribution centre replacing an ageing MPLS estate: managed SD-WAN with underlay circuits, local internet breakout for store systems, and a managed firewall service. Stores trade seven days a week, so migration must be phased with no trading-hours downtime.

Service delivery and operating model

1. MandatoryConfirm whether your solution/service provides: Fully managed service. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: recommended for Retail and e-commerce; fully managed operating model requested (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f01_fully_managed_service).

   Weighting 4/5 · required

Network architecture and transport

1. Confirm whether your solution/service provides: Local internet breakout. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: recommended for Retail and e-commerce (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f15_local_internet_breakout).

   Weighting 3/5

2. MandatoryConfirm whether your solution/service provides: Cellular and 5G support. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: Retail and e-commerce sector requirement (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f17_cellular_and_5g_support).

   Weighting 4/5 · required

Gateway, PoP and backbone design

1. MandatoryConfirm whether your solution/service provides: Regional breakout and data residency. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: UK GDPR / DPA 2018 / Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 compliance (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f22_regional_breakout_and_data_residency).

   Weighting 4/5 · required

2. MandatoryConfirm whether your solution/service provides: Flexible edge form factors. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: Retail and e-commerce sector requirement; large estate benefits from flexible edge options (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f24_flexible_edge_form_factors).

   Weighting 4/5 · required

Security and SASE capability

1. MandatoryConfirm whether your solution/service provides: Integrated next-generation firewall. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: Retail and e-commerce sector requirement; PCI DSS v4.0 compliance (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f27_integrated_next_generation_firewall).

   Weighting 4/5 · required

Operations, assurance and automation

1. Confirm whether your solution/service provides: Centralised orchestration. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: recommended for Retail and e-commerce; 38 sites need central orchestration (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f36_centralised_orchestration).

   Weighting 3/5

2. Confirm whether your solution/service provides: Managed service assurance. Include delivery model, limitations, geography and dependencies.

   Evidence required: Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract.

   Why this matters: Included because: managed service needs assured operations (per SASE Methodology v2026.1, f40_managed_service_assurance).

   Weighting 3/5

Evidence checklist

Suppliers should return these artefacts with their response:

• Product documentation, architecture diagram, service description, RACI, portal screenshot, sample report, SLA or contract extract. (8 questions)

Scoring approach

Responses are scored per question (1–5) multiplied by the question weighting. Mandatory questions are pass/fail gates: a failed mandatory excludes the response regardless of score.