NDL SOFTWARE LIMITED

NDL Evolve Digital Transformation Platform

All-in-one digital transformation development platform bringing together mobile apps, eForms, workflows, RPA, APIs and web services into a single, integrated platform. Evolve provides teams in healthcare, local government, housing, policing, and higher education the software tools they need to build smarter digital services.

Features

• Create responsive eForms in a drag and drop development environment
• Create native apps with a WYSIWYG low code cross-platform toolkit
• Create automations for applications, including Java, Web, Win32, WPF
• Integrate complex web services into your end-to-end processes
• Combine eForms, apps, automations, and web services into business workflows
• Full management capability with audit and diagnostic logging capabilities
• Secure cloud hosting via Microsoft Azure, AWS, or on premise
• Efficient orchestration of processes and transactions via queuing technology
• Directly integrate with databases, API's and Web-services
• Supported by a large user group and online community

Benefits

• Non-expert users can create simple or complex eForms/apps at speed
• Provide users with the choice of device (iOS, Android, Windows)
• Store data where required as Back-office systems dictate
• Integrate via RPA, APIs, or SQL
• Graphically plan, implement, and execute end-to-end business processes
• Increase the speed and accuracy of previously manual processes
• Digitise operations that span public, private, hybrid, and community clouds
• Centralise your process transformation around a single, intuitive, platform
• Incorporate AI, third-party data, and more to increase effectiveness
• Streamline the creation of complete business processes using templates

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 tenders@ndl.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

171510602062863

Contact

Nicola Lister
01937 543 500
tenders@ndl.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Application Development and Deployment

  Application development

  Modelling and architecture

  • Business Process Modelling Tools
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Community cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: None, we provide licence keys for customers to run within their own environments
• System requirements:
  • Microsoft Windows Server or Linux operating system.
  • Latest 3 major versions of Windows Server or Linux.
  • SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or other common database provider.
  • Latest 3 major versions of SQL Server, MySQL or PostgreSQL.
  • Mobile (mobile): Requires latest 3 major versions of Android iOS
  • Mobile (desktop): Requires latest 2 major versions of Microsoft Windows
  • Bots (server): Requires latest 3 major versions Microsoft Windows Server
  • Bots (desktops): Requires latest 2 major versions of Microsoft Windows
  • Studios: Requires latest 2 major versions of Microsoft Windows

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: P1: Business critical issues with a high impact on the customer’s business will be appointed. Target response time = 4 hours. P2: Important issues that significantly impair or restrict business operations will be. Target response time = 1 working day. P3: Standard issues that are less serious, or those for which a viable workaround is available with little to no impact on operational use of NDL products will be appointed. Target response time = 3 working days.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• 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: Business critical issues with a high impact on the customer’s business will be appointed priority 1. Calls are handled before all other requests at top priority, allowing us to diagnose and identify the cause of the issue to provide an early resolution. A call management plan will be agreed where appropriate. Target response time = 4 hours. Important issues that significantly impair or restrict business operations will be appointed priority 2. NDL will attempt to resolve these issues as quickly as possible, considering issue impact and the individual circumstances of the call. A call management plan will be agreed where appropriate. Target response time = 1 working day. Standard issues that are less serious, or those for which a viable workaround is available with little to no impact on operational use of NDL products will be appointed priority 3. We will discuss the issue to mutually agree how and when the issue will be resolved. Target response time = 3 working days.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Customers access our NDL Academy training, providing a wide range of training courses to bolster customer in-house skillsets and capabilities. NDL Academy includes: self-serve online training, bespoke courses; developer courses, from foundation to advanced; installation & administration courses; and hands-on mentorships delivered alongside projects. Every product within the NDL Evolve Transformation Platform is supported by in-depth technical documentation, accessible online 24/7. Our dedicated team of consultants are experts in deploying, building and configuring our technologies across a range of public sector environments. We provide full implementation and support covering: installation; software management; troubleshooting; administration; product upgrades; and performance.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: Hosted on customer's server, all data will reside with the customer for the duration of the contract.
• End-of-contract process: Automations, configurations and assets are retained by the client and the service is terminated. Customer loses access to Evolve studios.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Our documentation is available online, accessible via native browser or operating system screen reading, with search functionality.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: No
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Linux or Unix
  • Windows
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Description of service interface: Windows based management console and studio.
• Accessibility standards: None or don’t know
• Description of accessibility: All design and management components of the Evolve Platform support standard Windows accessibility tools, like increasing screen scaling, magnification, and even screen readers. This ensures the UI you work with across Evolve is fully accessible. When producing interfaces within Digitise to be accessed by your users, these too are fully accessible. All eForms created within Digitise are fully compliant with the WCAG 2.2 AA standard by default, and mobile applications can also be configured to achieve the relevant accessibility standard for the platform they are being deployed too.
• Accessibility testing: None
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Initiate and automate interaction with Applications and enable 2 way data flow. Connect allows one to configure and control the behaviour of the system and make the calls to retrieve data in a highly secure manner.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: All the Evolve Studios provide full, graphical, customisation. When designing user interfaces within Digitise, this is achieved using a full WYSIWYG editor, which renders in real time what your browser-based eForm or native-like mobile application will look like. When building storyboards within Flow, these are represented as a BPMN-style diagram, with simple activities that you can add, remove, and connect. In Connect, complex RESTful APIs are represented as simple entity diagrams, showing your complete API from request-to-response. All configuration takes place directly in this diagram using drag-and-drop. In Automate, you can visually inspect your target application and construct your Automation to your specific needs.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: NDL have a robust contingency plan and employ sufficient staff to meet our service demands. Customer priorities are reviewed weekly.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: None

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: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Supplier-defined controls
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with another standard
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Hosted on customer's server, all data will reside with the customer for the duration of the contract. Customer can export directly from database.
• Data export formats: CSV
• Data import formats: CSV

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: No data is sent between buyer's network and NDL's network. Any traffic that does need to be sent (for example, during remote support or configuration) is done so use agreed secure remote access formats with the buyer.
• Data protection within supplier network: IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The Evolve Platform is hosted on your environment, enabling you to completely control the required level of availability. For use cases where high availability is essential, Evolve can be configured alongside load balancing and failover to ensure your services are always operational.
• Approach to resilience: The core Evolve Engine is built around a distributed architecture, made up of a central server and separate ‘agents’ which run your processes. These agents can be deployed in multiple locations, providing built in resilience across all job processing. Additionally, all server components of the Evolve Platform fully support being deployed in failover type environments, whether this is a ‘hot spare’, ‘load balancer’, or many others. As the Platform runs in your environment, you have complete control of the resiliency approached used.
• Outage reporting: Outages will be reported directly to customers via agreed channels. Usually via a direct call, email communication and via our online community portal.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: RBAC
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Username or password and RBAC
• Access restriction testing frequency: Less than once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: RBAC

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: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: No
• Security governance approach: Security is assessed by a dedicated team of Board members on a quarterly basis, with changes documented in dedicated policies.
• Information security policies and processes: Internal information security policies comply with, at minimum, the requirements of Cyber Essentials Plus and the NHS Data Protection Toolkit.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: All updated versions of the software are released alongside detailed release notes and upgrade instructions. It is the responsibility of the customer to deploy these appropriately within their environment alongside their standard change management process.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: If a significant vulnerability (with a CVSS score of 7+) is identified, a patched version of NDL's software will be released either within 14 days of being identified (for first party vulnerabilities) or within 14 days of a patch being made available to us (for third party vulnerabilities)
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Daily vulnerability testing takes place against all supplier software to ensure that no significant vulnerabilities are identified.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Upon sign-up, customers are given our Platform Support handbook, providing a full description of our support and incident management services. Customers can report issues through the standard NDL Helpdesk, by phone, email, or on the website. If we need to report an issue to you, this will be communicated via email from the NDL Helpdesk, or from your assigned NDL Digital Transformation Consultant. While NDL do not process customer data within our environments (this is all done within your own environment only), we have strict policies in place for reporting, responding to, and resolving data breaches, should they occur.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Supplier-defined process

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%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: C9133363-1d2c-4b22-8bf9-b7b2a67d5321
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 0e149649-f524-4976-a56f-72aedfe83ada
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • 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
    • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
    • 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
    • Ensuring new workers are informed of their right to join a trade union
    • 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
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative
    • 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 the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • 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
    • Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
    • 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
    • Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract

  • 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 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
    • Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract

  • 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 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
    • Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
    • Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
    • Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds

  • 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
    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through 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
    • Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it

  • 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
    • Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
    • 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

  • 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 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
    • Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
    • Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort

  • 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
    • Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce

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 tenders@ndl.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.