Ascendant Solutions

ID and Bank Ownership

Online real-time Identity validation and bank account ownership checks for residents against TransUnion's CallValidate service. Applicant can either sign the declaration, consent to Ascendant to conduct the searches or proceed without consenting.

Features

• Ownership fraud alerts (OFA).
• RAG Scoring
• Verified status
• Matched on PAF
• Found on electoral role

Benefits

• Number of BAI’s found
• Number of CCJ’s found
• Number of corroborative checks
• Number of SHARE records found
• Number of confirmatory DOB’s

£0.65 to £0.97 a unit

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

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

567707479610938

Contact

Darren Kelk
01302543157
sales@ascendantsol.co.uk

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Planned updates will commence Friday's between the hours of 20:00 and 20:10 and Servers reboot between 3:00am and 3:05am GMT daily to update operating systems, Service may be unavailable during these times.; Feature additions and improvements are deployed without scheduled downtime and switchover is normally instant, without interrupting normal service.
• System requirements:
  • Google Chrome Version 80.0.3987.132 or higher. Or
  • Microsoft Edge Version 44.17763.831.0 or higher. Or
  • Internet Explorer Version 11.1039.17763.0 or higher. Or
  • A modern, HTML5 web browser with Javascript enabled.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm - Within 60 minutes; After 5.30pm on Friday - Up to 2 hours
• 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: Onsite support
• Support levels: Technical support is included within service price.; ; Level 1 Support - Head of Partnerships; Level 2 Support (Initial Escalation) - Technical Director; Level 3 Support (Secondary Escalation) - Managing Director
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Remote training is provided on implementation and further sessions available on request.; We also hold Webinars for ad hoc support. The application details use cases for each service and examples for assistance.; Telephone support is available during normal business hours.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Self serve extractions are available within the service, bespoke requirements must be addressed under separate cover.
• End-of-contract process: All user accounts will be suspended pending any renewal instructions, data generated during the course of service will be deleted following any compliance period where appropriate.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: Minor layout differences for menus and pages to fit the mobile device screen.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 A
• API: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Administrators have the ability to alter user access to access different parts of the service, create, update and delete users.; Specify requirements for 2 Factor Authentication; Reporting is designed to be self serve multi-reuse with user input defined results. Development/Enhancement requests can be submitted via Support@ascendantsol.co.uk

Scaling

• Independence of resources: During normal operation services scale in accordance with demand and have an average utilisation of under 1%.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Login activity; Page visits; Credit usage (where data supply is provided on a cost per unit basis)
• Reporting types: Real-time dashboards

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: TransUnion

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
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
• 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: Access through the web service via XLSX or CSV
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: XLSX
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats: XLSX

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

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: 99% availability. Scheduled Maintenance is published at status.ascendantsol.co.uk
• Approach to resilience: Highest levels of replication are in use throughout Azure services including secondary site geo-replication of IaaS PaaS and SaaS solutions which provide at least 6 copies of stored information in different physical locations.; Further information available on request.
• Outage reporting: https://status.ascendantsol.co.uk

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Management interfaces are only available to predefined users, that hold authoritative roles within their organisation. There are further management controls which are only accessibly by supplier staff.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: IP Address restriction,; Biometric,; Device compliance

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 have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: British Assessment Bureau
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 05/07/2018
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• 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: Our ISO 27001/2017 compliant Business Management System governs how our information security policies and procedures are set out and regulated. These policies and procedures are available on request from our Data Security Manager.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: Ascendant Solutions has a detailed Secure Development Policy in line with our Business Management System, which conforms to ISO 27001 and contains controls assessed to be required as part of regular risk assessment process.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Dedicated infrastructure is updated automatically at high frequency. High value assets are stored off dedicated hardware and managed by Microsoft Azure with all monitoring and security options enabled.; Logging - We log extensive non-personal event data to help identify threats and potential compromises. Cloud services autonomously monitor and notify of events. Application level logs are stored in High Availability Public Cloud resources, replicated and backed up frequently. We retain application logs indefinitely.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Our services and applications log extensive non-personal event data to help identify threats, vulnerabilities.; For cloud services all available additional measures are enabled with monitoring events being catalogued and notifications submitted to administrators on at least a weekly basis and immediately on identification for high risk scenarios.; During a security incident the Data Security Manager will assess the risk posed whilst disabling the risk then restoring service after only remedial action.; The DSM will notify affected users of service restoration and separately notify any users with data affected in the compromise.; We respond immediately on identification of any incident identification.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Our applications automatically notify us of unexpected behaviour. We utilise Rate Limiting for sensitive assets and Automated Alerts for highly sensitive assets to service desk personnel.; Our database servers notify personnel of any breach risk event, non breach security risks are assessed during weekly automated threat management reviews with data classification.; All activity, IP addresses and UserIds are logged with offsite storage.; Users Email "InformationSecurity@AscendantSol.co.uk" to report incidents.; Ascendant Solutions provide incident reports via email.

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
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Effective stewardship of the environment to the fight against climate change. By changing the business approach to how we conduct our operations is high on the Senior Management team's agenda. We actively engage with the NHS Trust Estate, of which our offices are based, and we continue to adopt the estates policies and procedures in the fight against climate change. We are in managed offices, so a great deal of the services is controlled by the NHS Estates Team, but we do contribute to a joined-up approach on all things that effect the environment. All staff recycle all material that comes into the office environment. We are totally “paper free” and have been for 30 months. All our services are Microsoft Azure (Cloud Based) and therefore can be remote or office based. All meetings are conducted via Microsoft Teams, therefore travel to and from 100+ Local Authority locations has been reduced. The only time that the directors and employees travel are for conferences and events where we must be present and “customer facing.” As part of the NHS Trust Estate, we maintain our commitment to the environmental work they carry out within Woodfield Park (NHS Trust Estate). This is completed by monthly litter picking (an Ascendant Team event), donating funds for Flourish Charity Walled Gardens for the upkeep of this hidden treasure within Woodfield Park and community tree planting within the NHS Trust Estate.

  Covid-19 recovery

  Helping the local community to manage and recover from the impact of COVID-19. Ascendant have been located on Woodfield Park (NHS Trust Estate) since March 2016. We support all aspects of local ventures and are part of the Doncaster Chamber of Commerce and have been for several years supporting all aspects of local initiatives. We support local Food banks within Balby (Doncaster) with a variety of produce and assist with employees working within the Food Banks. The support we provide, not only assists those who are vulnerable, but provides a sustainable approach that we as a business blessed to be a part of. Employees are encouraged to donate blood at various sites across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. We as a business will always give our time and support to local volunteer projects and services. As part of the Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, we will provide assistance and support for other local businesses and share our “lessons learned” when starting a new business or venture. By sharing ideas and innovation brings out the best in any business, but also gives something back and could save a small or large business.

  Tackling economic inequality

  Tackling economic inequality, by creating new jobs, roles within the business and embracing new skills. Improving the work and home life balance for our employees is at the fore front our Business Management Plan. We have recently taken on an apprentice Software Developer from the local community who is about to complete his Level 3 and transition into Level 4; which we are thrilled and excited to be partnering. We're also taking an undergraduate Software Engineer from Huddersfield University on his Placement Year. By taking this approach to new employees works in a myriad of ways, benefits and offerings. Our Software Developers all work in unison and within one office environment, so the cross over and functionality of work is balanced, efficient and effective. New developers into the business get to work with seasoned developers and go through the development and testing processes, but also share innovative ideas that they have gained from recent technologies. By employing apprentice developers gives the business balance and a new aspect of learning and development of young people. We have a wealth of experience from our Technical Director, Senior Software Developer to new and aspiring Junior Software Developers who can take a 1st year apprentice through the Development and Testing regimes that we have in place and enhance their employability. By taking this approach, we are committed to taking young people from the local Doncaster area with limited on no technical knowledge to become a Software Developer within 3 years.

  Equal opportunity

  Reduction of the disability employment gap and tackle workforce inequality to create equal opportunities. Ascendant Solutions have created a working environment where difference is embraced and individuals flourish. Inclusion and diversity are about creating the working environment and practices where employees can be themselves, are valued for their difference, and supported to work at their best. We define inclusion as welcoming all people, regardless of their personal, physical, or social characteristics. It is about creating a sense of belonging where everyone is valued, respected for their own unique identity. Diversity is about recognising that each person is unique and understanding their differences. Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everybody feels valued, their talents are fully utilised, and organisational and personal goals are met.

  Wellbeing

  Improve health, wellbeing and improve community cohesion. Our business values underpin our compass point, and this reflects on how our clients and residents are at the heart of everything we do. Our core values are excellence, collaboration, innovation, respect and trust and we aim to deliver social value across every aspect of our business and client base. When Ascendant was founded in 2016, we used St Catherine’s House in Balby (Doncaster) as our office base. In 2016, the business compromised of 2 (both Directors (Managing and Technical director)). In January 2024, the business has grown to 13 employees (including our 2 directors), and we still operate out of the same building (St Catherine’s House). Due to expansion of the business, the directors took the opinion and approach to remain at St Catherine’s House, we therefore expanded from 1 office to 2 offices, this was down to a myriad of reasons. The building is managed by a Charity (Flourish Enterprises) and it made sense to support such a worthy local cause, rather than move to another site or facility.

Pricing

• Price: £0.65 to £0.97 a unit
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• 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 sales@ascendantsol.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.