ZINC DIGITAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LIMITED

Zinc Incident & Resilience Platform

ZINC is an Incident & Resilience solution crafted for organisations navigating high-risk and complex environments, safeguarding public safety, personnel, brand and assets. With features spanning incident management, intelligence, mass communications, health and safety oversight, compliance activities, and security patrols, Zinc consolidates operations into a unified platform.

Features

• Incident management & Investigation for any type of event
• Automate & orchestrate processes, standard/emergency operating procedures, tasks and notifications.
• Mass notifications & emergency communications
• Web and mobile applications with remote access
• Compliance activities & proof of presence - audits, checks, patrols
• Organisational structure, access levels, data permissions, language and authentication
• Data query, mapping and visualisation through dashboards & reports
• Configurable workflow management and process automation
• Threat Intelligence & Location Risk Profiles
• Case Management

Benefits

• Reduces risk by acting faster and smarter to critical events
• Increases people safety
• Improve business continuity
• Reduce loss and improve claims defence
• Support compliance with regulation such as Martyn's Law
• Improved operations through automation and simplification of process
• Complete and high quality records for audit
• Unified solution reducing cost and silo'd systems
• Collates and centralises data for improved decision-making
• Proactive situational awareness, risk management and prepardness

• 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 sophie.malone@zinc.systems. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

311976581123508

Contact

Sophie Malone
01604 59 89 99
sophie.malone@zinc.systems

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Production and operations

  • Other operations

  Service industry and public sector operations

  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Public Order and Safety
  • Police
  • Defence
  • Other
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
• Service constraints: Detailed in the Service Description
• System requirements:
  • AWS hosted environment
  • Apple iOS installable mobile app (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Android installable mobile app (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Chrome browser (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Firefox browser (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Edge browser (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Safari browser (latest 3 versions supported)
  • Other browsers (custom compatibility available on request)

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Zinc adopts ITIL processes for conducting support operations and provides SLAs around system uptime, response times and resolution times according to issue priority. ; ; Priority 1 - Initial response 1 hour, Response 1 hour, Resolution 4 hours. Priority 2 - Initial response 1 hour, Response 4 working hours, Resolution next working day; Priority 3 - Initial response 1 hour, Response 8 working hours, Resolution Assessed and prioritised; Priority 4 - Initial response 1 hour, Response 24 working hours, Resolution Assessed and prioritised
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• 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: Support Packages included:; Level 1- Online ticketing system, business hours.; Level 2- Online ticketing system, Business hours, 3 hrs of technical assistance per month; Level 3 - Online ticketing system, customised assistance package & customer success.; ; Business hours is provided 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday excluding Public Holidays. Service levels are defined in the associated Service Definition document.; ; Additional Support can be added to your package;; Technical Support Manager - £125 p/h; Project / Product Manager - £175 p/h; Zinc provides a Technical Support Desk, Project and Technical Account Management and Product Management support
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: As a SaaS solution setting up a new customer is easy and straight forward. A Zinc project team is designated providing remote or onsite consultation, configuration, training and ongoing support. Online user guides, webinars, and client community sessions ensure our users get the most from their platform and share ideas. The technical support team is also available for any queries or questions during the setup period.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: The data module allows you to export data at a global level or module by module level in universally recognised formats. The data can be filtered and data ranges applied if required. If customers have access to the API continuous data extraction process is available.
• End-of-contract process: There are no additional costs with regards to standard format data extraction.; Various services are available covering data migration and extraction, knowledge and document transfer and decommissioning of the platform, including closure of Zinc's internal access and data storage.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Onboarding and offboarding documentation is provided digitally using Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Atlassian Confluence pages. These materials are accessed through standard web browsers and do not require specialist software.; ; Users can view, search, and navigate the documentation, follow onboarding and offboarding steps, and download or print documents where required. ; ; The accessibility standards of the onboarding and offboarding documentation have not been formally assessed or certified. Accessibility features depend on the underlying platforms (Google Workspace and Confluence) and on users’ browser and operating system accessibility settings.; ; While the documentation is structured to be clear and readable, full compliance with specific accessibility standards cannot be guaranteed, and custom accessibility adaptations beyond the capabilities of the platforms are not provided.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The mobile app offers full functional parity with the desktop version when it comes to reporting and managing incidents, completing tasks, and receiving notifications. Frontline users can capture data, upload evidence, update statuses, submit forms, and communicate whether online or offline with seamless syncing and a consistent user experience across devices.; ; Where parity differs is in configuration, analytics, and dashboard-building capabilities, which are more advanced in the desktop interface. These include creating custom dashboards, editing workflows, and managing advanced data visualisations
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Description of service interface: Users access the service through a secure web-based interface.; The service also provides APIs for enabling data transfer with 3rd party applications
• Accessibility standards: None or don’t know
• Description of accessibility: The service is accessed through a web-based user interface using a browser. No specialist software or local installation is required.; ; Users can manage incidents, communicate, conduct tasks, analyse data, reports and dashboards.; ; Access permissions and data restrictions control what users can do.; ; The service provides APIs that allow authorised systems to create, update, and retrieve data for integration.; ; The accessibility standards of the service interface have not been formally assessed or certified. While the interface is designed to be usable via standard web browsers and common assistive technologies, full compliance with specific accessibility standards cannot be guaranteed.
• Accessibility testing: None.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Zinc provides a full range of integration services where there is a need to involve differing applications and data sources to ensure seamless data interchange and integration of business rules. Zinc's public documentation portal provides full instructions on how third parties can integrate with Zinc. We have a breadth of APIs that are both public and some are private. Those that are available for public consumption are: Authentication, Event/incident import (Create, update), Events/incident export, Users/staff (create, update and delete), Response forms export and our File service which will allow you to upload your files within Zinc. For any other areas of Zinc where you may want to leverage API integrations, Zinc can expose private API’s publicly based on a discussion. Zinc will provide API access and setup for clients or 3rd parties upon request.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Configuration tools are embedded into the platform to enable the tailoring of workflows to meet specific operating needs. Pre-configured workflows mean our software can be up and running in virtually no time, while built-in configuration tools afford the flexibility required to ensure optimal alignment with visual branding and workflow needs.; ; Zinc is configurable from its data sets, forms and workflows to user interfaces. The platform has been built in a way to enable you to configure the system, with no requirement for technical expertise or additional resources. Configurable aspects include:; ; Access Levels and User Permissions; Notification Types, Recipient Rules, and Content; Incident Categories, Types and Outcomes; Incident Reporting & Management Workflows; Dynamic Forms and Questions; Incident Severity and Priority Levels; Response Forms; Management of Objects (people, users, assets); Dashboards & Reports; Tasking Workflows

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Multi tenanted hosting is included as standard. This contains auto-scaling capability which ensures customers are not impacted by demands of other users. This means that in times of higher concurrent usage the infrastructure will scale up to ensure the application is not compromised and remains performant.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: User count based usage, communication level, file storage, API calls, AI token usage to our clients. This can be generated in a report where required.
• Reporting types: Reports on request
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

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 CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: AES-256 is used to encrypt the data.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: If customers have access to the API, continuous data extraction process is available. In addition, the Data module is installed for all customers. This tool is a web based platform providing control over the reporting and export of data from the modules you have installed on the platform. You can extract data by date periods, by location and various filtering relating to the data submitted within your application. Data can be exported in a number of universally recognised formats (i.e. CSV).
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • JSON
  • CSV
  • PDF
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats: JSON (API)

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • Private network or public sector network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Zinc targets 99.9% network availability by hosting the service on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The service includes managed data backups and restores.; ; Zinc does not provide refunds for availability-related incidents, as network availability is determined by the AWS platform.; .
• Approach to resilience: Available on request.
• Outage reporting: Live status page available (status.zinc.systems). Outage reports are available either by email alerts (if subscribed).

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Zinc has a admin configuration platform that can be provided to key contacts in an organisation. Access to this can be through OWASP compliant Username and password. Other options that can be used are MFA or SSO. The zinc support team will provide a username and password to access the support portal.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password

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 contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials
• Information security policies and processes: Zinc follows the ISO 27001 reporting structure.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Zinc adopts an agile approach to change management utilising a Scrum methodology and product backlog strategy. This approach is utilised across the business and contains contents of the product backlog and will vary to reflect evolving requirements. A Zinc technical project team is responsible for prioritising work. Current iteration is taken off the top of the backlog by the team at the start of each sprint through the sprint planning activity. This ensures the team is working in priority order, thereby making it very easy for stakeholders to define new requirements and refocus existing ones.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: We conduct vulnerability scanning and report on critical to low vulnerability with recommendations for patching; Clam AV - virus scan incoming files. SonnarQube - scan for vulnerabilities in code.; Security Information and Event Management - monitor, log, analyse and respond to security threats, exploits and failed log-in attempts; Windows Defender and Bit Defender for end-point virus scanning daily; Mac devices - XProtect for anti-virus scanning; Tenable.io - vulnerability scanning on end points; Security threats are identified though threat intelligence from third party vendors and other prescription services; Ninja RMM- remote installation, patch management, carried out immediately after threats are detected
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: With the uptake of cloud computing and the advancements in browser technology, Zinc's web applications and web services are constantly monitored using a wide range of internal and 3rd party industry leading applications allowing the operations team to easily generate a wide variety of technical and compliance reports for our development team to review and resolve. Logz.io Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is used to monitor, log, analyse and respond to security threats, exploits and failed log-in attempts to the system SLA response times are implemented based on the severity of potential vulnerabilities raised.
• Incident management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Zinc has an incident management polic and process that all staff are trained to follow at induction and annually. It determined that information security incidents will be handled properly, effectively and in a manner that minimises adverse impact to the business; and the risk of data loss, be it business, personal or research data. The process has a flowchart that leads staff through identification of events and incidents, investigation by the Information Security Group, escalation to the Board, root cause analysis and remediation, communication with stakeholders and reporting to the ICO if necessary.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

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: Yes
• 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: 2.5%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 3%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 3.5%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 4%
• Over £5,000,001: 5%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: British Assessment Bureay
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Thursday 29 August 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: There are no areas of Zinc Systems not covered. The provision and support of all Zinc Systems, incident management, intelligence, communications and analytics software products and associated consultancy services. In accordance with the Statement of Applicability for a Global Client base.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 7f8b6192-3ce9-4cc5-857e-7837b60a94ad
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: None of the criteria
• 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
    • 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
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
    • 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 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
    • 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

  • 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

  • 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
    • Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
    • 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
    • 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
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
    • 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

  • 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 issues relating to entering the contract workforce
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery

  • 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

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 sophie.malone@zinc.systems. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.