MODERN DEMOCRACY LIMITED

Modern Polling

Modern Polling is a transformative digital solution. The cloud‑based platform delivers an out‑of‑the-box solution that includes a dedicated poll station app and an election manager portal. Modern Polling streamlines operations through a digital register, efficient citizen/voter verification, and simplified polling station management, driving both operational and financial efficiencies.

Features

• Digital Check in and Voter Verification
• Real-Time Analytics, Hourly Turnout
• Instant, Secure, Compliant and Sealed Reporting
• Poll Station Management that supports all EMS providers
• Remote Clerical Amendments and Emergency Proxies
• Automatic Ballot Paper Account Generation
• Automatic Corresponding Number List Generation
• Election Manager Portal / Website
• Digital Register and Voter ID
• Poll Station App on iPad with offline capability

Benefits

• Total control and complete visibility allowing data driven decisions
• Removes human error, efficient receipting and close of poll process
• Quicker and more professional service thus reducing queues
• Reduces risks from VoterID and register management, meeting legislative requirements
• Identify and remedy bottlenecks for operational efficiencies
• Instant generation of all post-election reports
• Timely communications between Election Managers, Returning Officers and Candidates
• Supports Voter ID including statuary reports
• Supports net zero carbon agenda by reduction in paper
• Reduces risks around recruitment and training for all polls

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

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

415047147822939

Contact

Siobhan Donaghy
028 7186 7631
cquigg@moderndemocracy.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Production and operations

  Service industry and public sector operations

  • Other
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: Poll Station software operates on Apple iPad
• System requirements: Apple iPad

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Monday to Friday tickets are responded to daily between 9:00am and 5:00pm; ; On election day, support is available from 6:00am until close of poll
• 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: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Support is available during normal working day 9:00am to 5:00pm via Incident Management system or by telephone. All customers also have a dedicated Account Manager. On Election day this support increases and is available from 6:00am to Close of Poll, during the election period(6 weeks prior to poll day) every customer is assigned a Project Lead.; ; Response times are as follows:; Critical - The situation halts your business operations and severely impacts your service usage - TRT 30mins; Major - Significant impact caused to business operations - TRT 4 Hours; Minor - Some non-critical impact on business operations - TRT 5 working days; Cosmetic - Routine Issues - Added to backlog and discussed at the Focus Group
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Modern Democracy provides the end user with an implementation plan outlining key details of the service. They have access to online training, video and user guides and a customer support/knowledge hub.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • ODF
  • PDF
  • Other
• Other documentation formats:
  • Video
  • Knowledge Hub
• End-of-contract data extraction: All Reports are downloadable. Users are communicated with to ensure they have downloaded all reports before the data in the system is securely deleted.
• End-of-contract process: Hosting of data and all reports for 35 days after the event. Users will have the ability to securely download all of the reports at this stage. If a user wants to extend this, then this service is available at an additional cost, the additional hosting is for 365 days.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AAA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Chrome
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems: IOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The Modern Polling app is installed on an iPad; The Modern Polling platform can be accessed on any device
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AAA
• Description of service interface: Allows users to upload data, verify the data uploaded, Manage ballot allocation to poll stations, manage staff assignments to poll stations.; View Ballot Paper Accounts and voter Turnout; Monitor the battery life of the device; Monitor the level of activity at the poll station; Download all reports
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AAA
• Accessibility testing: N/A
• API: No
• Customisation available: No

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Our services are deployed over multiple environments on AWS to ensure that users are not affected by the demand of other users.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Shows what users are logged in to which devices; Shows battery levels on mobile devices; Shows status of users, if they are offline and last logged in
• Reporting types: Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: 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: 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: Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users log into the portal using their mobile number and a one time passcode, only users pre-registered can access the portal to download their reports and data. The portal provides the users with the ability to securely download all reports and data by clicking on a button and there is full traceability of this process. When data is securely downloaded all data is securely deleted.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: PDF
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats: TSV

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; ; Modern Democracy will be available to assist clients to focus on the agenda, discuss the objectives, ask questions to widen clients’ understanding, listen, provide feedback, bring a different perspective and help sort out the many and complex issues of running elections. Ultimately, we will aim to impart our knowledge and experience to motivate and inspire clients.; ; Modern Democracy is available during business hours of 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Thursday and 9:00am to 3:00pm on Friday through the following means:; ; Incident Management Portal – support.moderndemocracy.com; ; Telephone: 028 7186 7631; ; Email: info@moderndemocracy.com; ; At critical times throughout the project, Modern Democracy will be working outside of these normal hours to ensure project key milestones are met – this will be agreed with the client at project commencement.; ; Out of Hours Support; ; On commencement of a project, the client will be provided with the contact details of their Project Manager including a direct line telephone number with out of office hours contact details should a client encounter any difficulties.; ; On election day, support is available from 6am through to close of poll, Election Managers should raise a ticket via the Incident Management Portal.
• Approach to resilience: Our data centre is hosted by AWS; The EU-West-2 region has 3 availability zones - data centers located 60 miles apart
• Outage reporting: Modern Democracy's Internal Support dashboards are monitored 24/7 during an Election Event, if there are any outages this will be reported directly to the Customer.; ; Customers also have their own individual dashboards, these can be used to monitor activity at a poll station level, they will be alerted through their dashboards if a poll station has a connectivity outage, the poll station can still operate even if an outage occurs.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: All users need to be pre-registered on Modern Polling with a unique mobile number, they then will use this mobile number and a one-time passcode to access the portal.; For support channel they are pre registered with a username and password.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • 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: Between 1 month and 6 months
• 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: User-defined

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: Modern Democracy has fully implemented ISO 27001:2022 into all aspects of the business. Staff are trained monthly on various elements of security, these tests are graded and monitored. There is an appointed ISO, Manu Thomas.; ; Each employee, supplier or other third party who is in contact with information and/or systems of Modern Democracy must report any system weakness, incident or event which could lead to a possible incident as follows:; all information and communication technology-related events must be reported to Information Security Officer and Engineering Management; all events must be reported to Information Security Officer; Incidents, weaknesses and events must be reported as soon as possible, by phone in person.; Security Policies include:; A.5 - Information Security Policies; A.6 - Organisational Security; A.7 - Human Resource Security; A.8 - Asset Management; A.9 - Access Control Policy; A.10 - Policy on the use of Cryptographic Controls; A.11 - Disposal and Destruction Policy; A.11 - Physical & Environmental Security; A.12 - Operations Security; A.13 - Communications Security; Information Transfer Policy; Secure Development Policy; A.14 - System Acquisition and Development; A.15 - Supplier Relationships; A.16 - Information Security Incident Management; A.17 - Information Security Aspects of Business Continuity Management; A.18 - Compliance
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

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 leverage AWS CDK, allowing infrastructure configurations to be expressed as code and version-controlled alongside application code in GitLab repositories. Developers submit change requests in the form of merge requests following GitLab's standard workflow, this promotes code through dev, test, staging and production environments using GitLab CI/CD pipelines, enabling automated testing.; CDK code changes follow the same approval in GitLab. Changes are reviewed by designated stakeholders, including cyber security, before deployment.; Security compliance is assured by utilising Auto DevSecOPs features of Gitlab. Following deployment, AWS Config, AWS CloudTrail continuously monitor the environment for compliance violations, security threats, and unexpected changes.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We hold regular ISO and Cyber Security meetings to ensure that our BCP, incident response management and inventory of information assets, including those hosted in the cloud are tested and compliant.; Check registered company performs PenTesting of cloud infrastructure and application code. Internal IT systems are patched regularly while our cloud infrastructure is patched by AWS as part of the shared security model.; We have robust change management processes and procedures in place to monitor security and compliance and handle roll back if necessary. Developers undertake enhanced security training to ensure they are aware of emerging and trending security vulnerabilities.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Extensive range of WAF rules, proactively block malicious looking traffic and prevent Denial of Service attacks. We have a dashboard that allows us to view the traffic that is been blocked. For large election events we provide developer support, we also engage AWS event support.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Incidents are logged in our Incident Management Portal,; Users can log the incident themselves or by calling Support and getting their Project Lead to log the Incident; Once logged the Incident is triaged and either resolved or escalated.; A user can follow the progress on their incident through to resolution.; A report can be generated outlining any incidents and their outcomes
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes

Secure development

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

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

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

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

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

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Amtivo
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Thursday 11 April 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: There are no exclusions from the ISMS.
• 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: Eb3a8d76-437c-41d6-a35b-0aa79ac64be3
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 4e9ed6c7-2920-4a32-a6ae-f02237b248f8
• 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
    • 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
    • Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
    • Offer a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers, ideally equivalent to statutory adoption pay and leave
    • 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
    • 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
    • How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.
    • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
    • How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
    • 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: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

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

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • 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

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