The Virtual Forge

Software Design

We offer full software design lifecycle services to transform how you use technology in your business. Whether you need a more secure system, a better user interface, or a fresh approach to your whole operation, we’ll make sure you have the tools to continually change and evolve at pace.

Features

• UI Design
• Front-End Development (JS/HTML/CSS)
• React.js Development
• User Research
• User Testing (In-person & Remote)
• Information Architecture
• Wireframing
• User Journey Mapping
• Prototyping
• Workshop Facilitation

Benefits

• Understand your users
• Build intuitive products
• Get best-in-class visual design
• Gain clarity about what is being built and why
• Use the right technology for your project
• Build your product in an agile and strategic way

£10,000 to £150,000 an instance a month

• Education pricing available

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 connect@thevirtualforge.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

310003316672446

Contact

The Virtual Forge
+44 (0) 207 078 8855
connect@thevirtualforge.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: This service can be designed to specific user requirements
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Services are designed around user requirements.
• System requirements:
  • System requirements will be dependent upon the user designs
  • Services can be developed On Prem, or cloud based AWS/Azure

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Support response times P1 - Critical - 2 hours P2 - High - 4 hours P3 - Medium - 8 hours P4 - Low - 24 hours UK hours 8am - 9pm. Out of hours support for P1 only.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: No
• Support levels: Priority levels set out below. Clients can opt to have support out of hours for premium level, however this is for P1 only. Priority 1 / Urgent Service down; unusable by all parties, Priority 2 / High Major problem; system is functioning but severely affecting all parties. Priority 2 problems may be fixed with a workaround. If a workaround is provided, the priority level may be downgraded to Priority 3. Priority 3 / Medium Minor problem; system is functioning and workaround is available. One or some parties affected, Priority 3 parties may be resolved with a fix or workaround. Priority 4 / Low Minor problem; system functioning or only issue affecting one party. General questions or queries relating to the service or new products.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Online documentation and email support. Any issues are raised via our Helpdesk
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: End of contract data extraction if required will be agreed at the time of scoping the development project.
• End-of-contract process: End of contract process will be agreed at the time of scoping the development project.

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: Applications will be developed to specific user requirements.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AAA
• Description of service interface: Service interfaces will be developed to the user requirements.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AAA
• Accessibility testing: User testing will be carried out at the design stage with the prototype.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: API's can be developed depending on user requirements.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: All software development is fully customisable. We create bespoke applications to meet our clients needs.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: This is differs for each client and the scope of work required. If it is hosted within our AWS or Azure environment, we create a private cloud-based virtual system for each client. This ensures that systems can easily scale, and that only users of the client's service will be 'competing' for resource.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: We provide standard API metrics, including number of requests, average response times, etc.
• Reporting types: Reports on request

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

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

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Supplier-defined controls
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
• Protecting data at rest: Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Data export approach will be discussed at the project scoping phase.
• Data export formats: Other
• Data import formats: Other

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)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Availability can be configured around the user requirements.
• Approach to resilience: We make extensive use of AWS and Azure hosting services the approach to resilience will be dependent on the users requirements.
• Outage reporting: Reporting if required can be configured around the users requirements.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Username and password. Resets only available directly to user via their email.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get 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

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: British Assessment Bureau
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 21/12/2021
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: -
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: Company Information Security Policy must be signed by all employees, and is updated regularly. CTO – The company’s Chief Technology Officer is responsible for corporate-wide IS system planning, implementation, and execution. Information Security Manager – The IS Manager is responsible for the company-wide datacenter and network infrastructures. DevOps Engineers – The DevOps Engineers are responsible for all enterprise business systems. Internal Users -- All members of the the company User Community are required to familiarise themselves with the policies outlined in the The Company Employee and Contractor IS Policies document.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Changes are managed via the change control process to ensure projects remain within approved constraints. Change proposals are agreed with the client, completed by the individual who identifies the need for a change, then submitted to us. The project team then assesses the impact of the change. The request is submitted to the change control board with the project team's findings to be reviewed. If the change is approved, all project documentation must be updated and the change must be communicated to all stakeholders. Some changes may also require re-alignment of the project costs, schedule, or scope.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Threats are monitored using an IDS provided by AWS along with the standard protection offered by AWS. Patches are routinely applied with urgent hotfixes applied the same day as a threat is identified. Threat information is monitored from AWS and industry leading security boards and alert feeds.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: This is managed by AWS on our behalf.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Incidents are managed via a ticketing system. Information and FAQs are available via the ticketing system to help with common issues. Canned responses are prepared for common issues. Users report incidents via email or through ticket portal. Responses are given according to pre-defined SLAs. RCAs are available for critical issues. Ticket reports are available at client request.

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 v3.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Fighting climate change The Virtual Forge are committed to ● Complying and keeping up to date with environmental legislation ● Preventing pollution ● Continually working to reduce our environmental impacts – minimising waste produced, minimising our energy use, training staff and encouraging greener transport options Specific areas where we are working to reduce our environmental footprint: ● Working with our staff and building users to make all of the building’s operations as environmentally friendly as we can, heating and lighting our premises efficiently ● Investigating how much waste we generate, using segregation to enable higher rates of recycling ● Looking at how people travel to and from our site: encouraging public transport and cycling ● Looking at what we buy – sourcing goods with low environmental impact and working with local suppliers wherever possible

  Equal opportunity

  Equal opportunity The Virtual Forge Limited is committed to achieving a working environment which provides equality of opportunity and freedom from unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs, age or sexual orientation.

  Wellbeing

  Health and wellbeing initiatives run throughout the year encouraging the wider VF family & friends to get involved.

Pricing

• Price: £10,000 to £150,000 an instance a month
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: No

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 connect@thevirtualforge.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.