How much does IT support cost for a DISP member business in Canberra?

For a DISP member or DISP-ready business in Canberra, managed IT support typically runs between $200 and $300 per device per month, plus software subscriptions such as Microsoft 365. For a 50-person Defence-industry business, that works out to roughly $10,000 to $15,000 per month plus subscriptions. Reaching Essential Eight Maturity Level 2, which DISP requires, is usually a separate one-off uplift project on top of the monthly service.

What drives the price

Managed IT support is priced per device rather than as a flat fee, so the monthly cost scales with the number of workstations, servers and mobile devices you run. Software subscriptions such as Microsoft 365 sit on top and are billed separately. Defence-industry businesses usually sit at the higher end of the range, because the Essential Eight ML2 controls DISP requires, multi-factor authentication, application control, tight patching and restricted admin access, need ongoing management and evidence, not a one-off setup.

As a sense check, Deloitte has put typical Australian IT spend at roughly 5 to 8 percent of revenue. Businesses carrying DISP and ML2 obligations tend to sit towards the top of that band, because security is not optional for them.

The Essential Eight ML2 uplift is separate

Getting to ML2 for the first time is a project, not a monthly line item. We scope it after a gap assessment rather than quoting blind, because the work depends on how far your current environment already meets the controls. Once you are at ML2, keeping you there is part of the ongoing managed service.

Back to DISP IT support in Canberra

See our managed services or get a quote for your environment.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DISP application itself expensive?

The application is free. The cost sits in the security controls, personnel clearances and ICT uplift needed to meet the requirements.

Do we have to reach Essential Eight ML2 before applying for DISP?

No. You submit a Cyber Security Questionnaire with your application, Defence issues a Maturity Action Plan, and you are guided towards ML2 through the uplift programme.

What does Essential Eight ML2 uplift cost?

It varies with your starting security posture, so we scope it after a gap assessment rather than quoting blind. A business already close to ML2 faces a much smaller project than one starting from scratch.