GRANICUS-FIRMSTEP LIMITED

Sentiment & Feedback (EngagementHQ) - Stakeholder Engagement platform for Education

EngagementHQ is the world's leading public consultation platform, where school districts, colleges, universities, and charter-schools help students excel and reach their full potential through two-way communication. EngagementHQ lets you listen to stakeholder feedback, provide information and updates on important school policies, and include students and parents in their education decisions.

Features

• Participation Tools: Surveys, Quick Polls, Discussion Forums, Ideation, Interactive Mapping
• 24 / 7 Expert Moderation and denylist filtering
• ISO27001, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and WCAG 2.1 Certified
• Multi-Department Hubs (Private and Public)
• Real-time feedback, custom reporting dashboards, and sentiment analysis
• Participant Relationship Management (PRM) database with audience segmentation
• Email campaigns, project subscriptions & notifications
• Embeddable tools for cross-channel engagement
• Single Sign On (SSO), Draft sharing, pre-built templates, user-access controls
• Integrations Library & API Access (Participatory Budgeting, Email Marketing)

Benefits

• Coordinate engagement programs from beginning to end across the IAP2-spectrum
• Outsource moderation and ensure a safe space for your community
• Mitigate risk, adhere to equity standards, and ensure inclusive participation
• One engagement platform for all your organisation’s needs
• Identify, reach and hear from underrepresented population groups
• Centralise and analyse real-time community data
• Automate closed-loop communications and build community trust
• Gather cost-effective and scalable insights across your technology stack
• Streamline internal processes, review and approvals
• Access data through our APIs and Integrate with third-party services

• Free trial 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 uksalesteam@granicus.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

394920096965516

Contact

Asim Ali
0800 048 7518
uksalesteam@granicus.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Collaborative

  • Enterprise community
  • Team collaboration
• Multi cloud support: No

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: Granicus Government Experience Cloud (GXC), Granicus govService, Granicus Engagement HQ, Granicus govDelivery, Granicus TMS, Granicus Experience Group (GXG)
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: None
• System requirements:
  • Supported Web-browser
  • Connection to the Internet

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Please see our licence agreement for further information and options.
• 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: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: Web chat solution is tested to meet accessibility standards.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Support is standard and included within the license. This includes full access to our online support desk which can be accessed via our online portal, email, phone and live chat.; ; Our service includes access to a Customer Success manager, whose role is to help customers to get the best use of our service offering ideas and sharing best practice and the experience of the user community. ; ; Access to our govCommunity portal is also included, providing a collaborative environment to discuss, learn and share with other platform customers.; ; Customers can also purchase optional Technical Service Bundles to help enhance use of the platform. These provide a range of benefits which include annual reviews, regular contact calls, and additional consultancy days.; ; Please see our Service Description document for further details.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We offer an implementation manager who will coordinate all the Granicus aspects of the online training and account set up. They will build out the account, working directly with the customer's team to ensure that online training sessions are set up at convenient times. All sessions are exclusive to the customer and can be recorded for future reference. Online documentation is available, as are webinars both live and recorded.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: Should a customer decide to cancel their agreement, the customer's data can be accessed and downloaded via the portal in Excel and PDF format.
• End-of-contract process: Decommissioning is included in the licence cost. Granicus will confirm the date on which customer access will be terminated. ; ; Granicus will then decommission the service in line with its security and decommissioning policies.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The end user interface has been designed/optimised for both desktop and mobile devices. The back office administrator interface, while not designed or tested specifically for mobile devices, allows access to features.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Description of service interface: The platform includes a browser based web interface which allows users to access the service directly from a web browser
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: The platform aims to meet WCAG AA standards utilising standard in-built browser accessibility features.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The platform has a comprehensive set of contribution API's which allows developers to integrate and extend the service capabilities. API information is available to customers on certain licence types only.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Clients have full control over customisation using the content management features of system. Custom branding, look and feel, layout aspects, templates and styles can be managed using this functionality.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: EngagementHQ is a SaaS platform based on multi-tenanted architecture and hosted using Amazon Web Services (AWS). The platform has been designed to scale based on overall workload.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: EngagementHQ provides an array of reporting options including:; ; • Site-wide Activity; • Project Activity; • Engagement Tool Activity; • Participant Demographics and Traffic Sources; ; EngagementHQ incorporates a key matrix of Aware-Informed-Engaged (AIE) visitor typology providing detail of site or project visitation and how informed and engaged visitors are with the site and individual engagement projects.; ; • Aware visitors have visited a site or project; • Informed visitors have sought to find our more information by accessing resources within a consultation project; • Engaged visitors have provided feedback on your consultation project; ; Please see our service definition for further details.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • 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 SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
• 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: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users with appropriate administration permissions (set by the customer) can export their data at any time via the portal. Information can be transferred via the APIs.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • Excel
  • PDF
• Data import formats: CSV

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
  • Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Please contact us for further details.

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Availability is 99.75%. Please see our licence agreement for further information.
• Approach to resilience: EngagementHQ is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure and leverage their high availability infrastructure. Our application is hosted with an auto recovery instance for the application server, ensuring that in in any hardware failure, the instance is capable of recovering automatically and instantly without manual intervention. Data in stored within a mySQL database on AWS RDS. Amazon RDS has multiple features that enhance reliability for critical production databases, including automated backups, DB snapshots, automatic host replacement, and Multi-AZ deployments. Within each AWS region AWS provides availability zones (AZs) with a choice of 2 or more zones. Each AZ is a fully isolated partition of the AWS infrastructure with data centres that have redundant power, networking and connectivity, which are independently powered and cooled and have their own network and security architectures. AZs are insulated from the failures of other zones in the group. Replicating our database across multiple AZs, significantly reduces the chance of total outage or failure.; ; Application and database recovery is automatic with transactional integrity, near zero data loss and no manual intervention required.; ; Our Disaster Recovery Plan is tested annually or when there is a major change in our environment, either to our infrastructure or application.
• Outage reporting: Service status is communicated via our customer portal, email alerts and sms alerts.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access restricted by user permissions and role based access controls.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • 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: 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: Between 6 months and 12 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: Granicus has many security policies and processes that support both ISO 27001:2013, the NCC Cloud Security Principles and FedRAMP (based on NIST 800-53r4), covering everything from physical security to system communications to vendor security. Processes are created for each NIST 800-53 control family and are documented on an internal wiki site.; ; All employees are required to sign an Acceptable Use Policy that spells out the requirements. Failure to follow the security policies/processes can result in disciplinary action from Human Resources, up to and including termination.; ; Please contact us for specific details.
• Software Security Code of Practice: No

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: We use the latest versions of web application frameworks such as Ruby on Rails and React JS, supporting advanced security practices. We have a strong SDLC process in place incorporating code management tools (Github), versioning and change management processes.; ; We have robust automated testing, build process, and application monitoring in place to ensure high-quality and successful deployments of regular updates and new feature/functionality.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: The entire infrastructure (application, database, servers/devices) is scanned on a monthly basis. A ticket is created for each identified vulnerability for tracking throughout the lifecycle, and an internal remediation timeline is set depending on the severity. Teams meet weekly to review the vulnerabilities and identify timelines and ensure that issues aren't missed.; ; In addition to scanning, Granicus subscribes to the UK National Cyber Security Centre, US-CERT and individual vendor security mailing lists so we are notified when important vulnerabilities are identified. Tickets are created for each of these as well and follow the same process as scans.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Granicus utilises both network and host-based intrusion detection systems that send logs to a centralised location for proper correlation.; ; If a compromise is suspected, the incident response team is mobilised to investigate and confirm/deny the actual breach. If a breach is confirmed, the customer support team reaches out to all impacted customers. A root cause analysis (RCA) is then provided after the remediation.
• 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: Incident management is performed in accordance with Granicus’s ISO27001 accredited incident management process which identifies the flow from incident detection to remediation, including many high-level processes.; ; Customers can report incidents to support. This kicks off the process, which includes automatically generating a ticket and beginning the triage process.; ; Internally, a detected incident is reported to customer support so that the team can communicate to any impacted customers.; ; For impactful incidents, after it is remediated, a root cause analysis (RCA).
• 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: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: Limited trial subject to scoping

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: 1%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 2%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 3%
• Over £5,000,001: 5%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: A-LIGN
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Wednesday 19 March 2025
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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

  • 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: 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

  • 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 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: 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

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