COGNISOFT LIMITED

IO Case Management System for NEET tracking and Youth Programmes

IO helps organisations that are delivering NEET Tracking and youth support services to manage their work and evidence the outcomes; through self service reporting and statutory NCCIS exports to DfE.

IO also manages the Community Learning and Development Service (CLD) in Scotland

Features

• Caseload management for CCIS and Community based programmes
• NCCIS exports, data validation and built in NCCIS reporting
• Configurable Data Entry forms to support your processes
• Mass communications via email, SMS and Social Media Platforms
• Projects and Sessions functionality to record sessional activity
• Organisations section to support CRM and vacancy management
• Design custom workflow recording processes for improved usability
• Bulk data imports with inbuilt validation for data quality
• User dashboards to help manage workload/ caseload/ KPIs
• Flexible management information through custom reporting

Benefits

• Effectively track client groups
• Record activities and interventions in flexible, user-friendly ways
• Measure the impact of your work
• Allow multiple services to share data and better support clients
• Save time by mass importing of Destination and School Data
• Tailored configuration to support local processes
• Focus staff on performance targets through dashboards
• Supports operational staff across a broad range of functions
• Monitor the quality of provision with powerful reporting
• Improve data quality and reduce time spent in MI reporting

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sales@cognisoft.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

584748941596450

Contact

Nichola Castle
0161 777 2900
sales@cognisoft.co.uk

About the service

• Service categories:
  • Applications
    • Production and operations
      • Service industry and public sector operations
        • Education
        • Social Security Administration
        • Children's Social Care
        • Other
      • Other operations
        • Other operations
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: All maintenance is planned out of hours and the service operates at 99.96%+ uptime.; ; IO is compatible with all modern browsers and features responsive design, so compatible with all hardware - from PCs to tablets and smartphones.
• System requirements:
  • Supported Device - PC/ Laptop
  • Supported Device - Mac
  • Supported Device - Tablet
  • Supported Device - Smartphone (Android / Apple iOS)
  • Supported Browser - Modern browser such as Chrome, Edge

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Support response times; Mon-Thurs 09:00 to 17:30 Fri 09:00 to 16:00; Weekend cover is not included in the standard SLA, however if there is a necessity it can be arranged as a one off for an additional cost.; ; CogniSoft undertakes to meet the following service levels for 95% of all calls received:; ; Priority 1; Respond - Immediately; Update - 2 Hourly; Resolve - 8 Hours; Priority 1; Respond - 2 Hours; Update - Daily; Resolve - 24 Hours; Priority 1; Respond - 4 Hours; Update - 2 Days; Resolve - 5 Days
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 A
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: We offer one standard SLA or service level of all customers and this is included in the cost of the cloud service/ licence.; ; Following implementation each customer is assigned an Account Manager who will arrange Service Review meetings at a frequency agreed with the customer.; ; The cloud service is monitored by network engineers 24/7 to ensure customers get the best performance from the system and do not experience any outages.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: At the start of the implementation consultant will spend time on-site (or online) with the customer team to understand customer's processes and programmes; using this documented set of requirements they will configure the system to each customer's requirements prior to starting any training courses.; If a data conversion is required the implementation consultant will support the customer project team with the data mapping and conversion process.; We provide a full, on-site (or online) training courses that covers all end user functions, system administration and custom report writing.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• End-of-contract data extraction: We provide an extract in a non-proprietary format at the end of the contract. This is written into the hosting contract which is attached to our listing.
• End-of-contract process: There may be a cost for preparing an export depending on the format and scope of the extract. An extract of the NCCIS XML is available without additional cost, There is a cap in the costs of a data extract in the contract.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: All application pages feature responsive design so will automatically render a mobile version when viewed on a mobile device. The application is optimised for mobile devices to give a better user experience; all functionality is available to mobile users and desktop users alike.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 A
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: IO has an open API comprised of a series of web services. We have several standard integrations based on RESTful services. This API will enable any suitably skilled developer to create an automated feed of data from IO to the destination data source using the online documentation.; ; Likewise, should customers wish to update the system with data from other associated systems, for example information to help identify those at risk of becoming NEET from the Education System, this integration can be built around the API.; ; Development of the integration can be in-house, or by commissioning CogniSoft to develop the integration. Costs for the API Licence are covered within the pricing document. Any development would be at our development day rate and quoted based on a specification.; ; The API contains over 70 methods/ functions covering core application functions across the main areas of the system; create clients/ organisations/ contacts/ vacancies, update all attributes of these records, add intervention records, fuzzy match records etc.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: CogniSoft configure the system to customer requirements as part of the implementation. Thereafter, customers are trained to configure themselves through the admin section, subject to sufficient admin rights.; ; In summary, the following sections cover what can be customised:; Dashboard Configuration, System Settings, Section and Column Visibility, Column Names, Reference Table Entries, Dropdown List and Lookups, Flags, Business Rules, Page Visibility, History Visibility, Search Results, NCCIS Mapping.; ; IO is configured throughout via a series of sections and fields in the application which are tailorable to show/ hide fields, rename them, define response options. This gives the flexibility for a recording framework to be defined that meets the needs of a wide range of services.; ; Two illustrations are:; ; Client page - all fields have show/ hide settings, the layout can be reordered, and labels renamed. Several configurations of the same page can be created and applied according to user roles.; ; History forms - Recording structure is completely configurable, all fields are re-nameable and have show/ hide settings based on the type of record that is being entered.; ; IO also has the ability to make each field mandatory/ optional and has configurable business rules so that your own validation rules can be applied.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Our application infrastructure design separates application, business logic and database resources to enable scaling where necessary.; We use network and application level monitoring that is designed to prevent denial of service at varying levels. These countermeasures are designed to prevent users' actions, as well as malicious attackers, from impacting service for all users.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Supplier type

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export data during normal operational use, using either the API, our Excel based bulk data utility or via SSRS reports which can be output to CSV, Excel, Word and XML.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • XML
  • Excel
  • Word
  • PDF
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • XML
  • Excel

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: We guarantee 99.6% uptime per month but achieve 100% uptime in the majority of months, We have achieved over 99.96% uptime every quarter since June 2024. We do not offer financial rebates/ penalties for any availability related issues.
• Approach to resilience: Information available on request
• Outage reporting: Email alerts sent from our help desk to all customers in the event of any significant downtime. Follow up emails are sent at designated time increments to keep customers informed.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to service interfaces is limited to a subset of trained CogniSoft staff via a dedicated encrypted VPN connection. All management interface connections are made in line with our ISO27001 policies.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials PLUS
• Information security policies and processes: CogniSoft have been ISO27001 certified since 2011 and have a robust Information Security Management System which is embedded into the Organisation. We will be migrating to the 2022 standard in March/April of 2025; ; Our ISMS has a fully audited set of policies documenting our procedures for security within our ISMS scope.; ; Our Board oversees the Implementation of the ISMS and our Information Security Officer is responsible for the day to day running of the ISMS.; ; It is the responsibility of each of the department heads to ensure that their team comply with policies and it is the responsibility of each employee to ensure that they understand and follow policies; ; We ensure that each member of staff are trained on the security policies during their onboarding, refresher training is provided once per year and attendance is mandatory.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Our configuration and change management processes are documented, certified and audited as part of our ISO27001 undertaking.; We use a change management tracking system to log all requests to change any component of the service. Our system enables us to track the request through to completion with an auditable log of each approval and action in the process.; All requested changes are assessed by the change advisory board (CAB) which is chaired by the information security officer. The CAB and must assess all impacts of the requested change, including potential security impacts, before the change can be approved.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Servers holding customer data run anti-virus/anti-malware software with the latest definitions updated automatically on release by vendor.; The patching policy for our production servers ensure they receive security updates in a timely manner. Patches are applied within 14 days of 'Patch Tuesday', providing a balance between the need for quick updates and need to ensure that the patches do not negatively impact the system.; Security patches required in the application are included in the next available software release, every two weeks, unless the risk is rated Critical, then we can patch/issue emergency update to the application outside this schedule.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Active monitoring of the system, including user activity is built into the application providing Admin users the ability to review and react to unusual user behaviour and suspicious activity.; ; We respond to incidents according to our SLA; ; CogniSoft monitors the underlying platform (CPU, RAM, Disk & Network Activity) in real-time. Alarms are set against specific values, such as 80% utilisation, as well as against unusual behaviour, such as more or less traffic than expected.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes
• Incident management approach: CogniSoft has a documented incident response policy, which details how our staff log a suspected incident and the process that follows. Our Technical Director has the overall responsibility for monitoring incidents. We hold technical and administrative contacts for customers. In the event of any relevant incidents, the technical contact will be notified. Events are reported via our helpdesk. A ticket is raised marked as ‘infosec’ and dealt with according to our processes. The support system notifies the customer via email of any updates . They can also log into our support portal to view tickets raised/actions against them.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 0%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 0%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 0%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 0%
• Over £5,000,001: 0%

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• ISO/IEC 27001 accredited by: SGS
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Monday 31 March 2025
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Not Applicable, the service is fully covered by ISO/IEC 27001
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: C043497e-5664-480e-bb24-c352629a1069
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 8c383edc-ec2f-4a53-b39a-8f7593da38a1
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Mission: Kick start economic growth:

  To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

  Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

  • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
  • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
  • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
  • Monitoring of employee engagement rates (by protected characteristic) and, where necessary, the development of actions to ensure all voices are heard across the diversity of the workforce
  • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
  • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
  • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
  • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
  • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
  • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
  • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
  • Volunteering opportunities for staff
  • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
  • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
  • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain

  Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

  • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
  • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications

  Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

  • Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
• Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower:

  To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

  Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

  • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
  • Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
  • Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement
• Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity:

  By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

  Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

  • Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
  • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
  • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
  • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
  • Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain
  • Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce
  • Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

  Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

  • Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
  • Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce
  • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
• Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future:

  That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

  Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

  • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
  • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
  • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sales@cognisoft.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.