FARTHEST GATE LIMITED

Liberator Markets Stall Holders and Pitch Management Licensing

This is a self-service pitch booking and management tool that helps councils efficiently run their own and regulate third party markets. It is based on the principle of self-service helping to reduce the administrative burden on the back-office markets team.

Features

• Open, modern and secure digital business platform
• Easy to set up, flexible about how it is used
• Comprehensive enterprise level content management
• Secure sharing of digital content
• Browser based with no specialist plugins required
• In built system governance for audit and compliance

Benefits

• Accelerates the throughput and the flow of work
• Enhance the ability to deal with things first time
• Fast links for users to relevant data/evidence
• Responsive to changing circumstances
• Reduces Risk
• Enables self service
• Increases the accuracy of content

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 anil.mahendra@polarissoftware.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

712349508553175

Contact

Anil Mahendra
443332412205
anil.mahendra@polarissoftware.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Application Development and Deployment

  Data management

  Data integration and intelligence

  • Data Ingestion and Transformation Software
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Tested for compatibility with:- Desktop: Chrome 45+, Firefox 51+, MSIE 9+, MS Edge, Safari 10+ Mobile (IOS 9+ or Android Jelly Bean+): Chrome, Safari, Android .There are no routine service shutdowns, planned maintenance and upgrades are done on a schedule agreed with clients.
• System requirements:
  • Internet connectivity
  • Browser (no plugin required)

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Clients set their own log priorities and the support desk responds in accordance with pre agreed SLAs.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• 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: None or don’t know
• How the web chat support is accessible: Our web chat is built on the Zendesk platform and is designed to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. It supports assistive technologies such as screen readers and keyboard navigation, and is tested using both automated and manual accessibility checks. Accessibility is considered throughout Zendesk’s product development process and is continuously reviewed and improved.
• Web chat accessibility testing: None
• Onsite support: Yes
• Support levels: Support is governed against individual SLAs and these are driven by our clients requirements. Having said this as a rule we offer several levels of support which includes: web support telephone support onsite support remote monitoring Generally all support will be coordinated by a dedicated client manager and we encourage monthly support meetings. Support will normally form part of the licensing or transactional costs but where a request falls outside of the agreement we would charge published daily rates.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Liberator is built to be intuitive and easy to use. The next actions users can make are often defined by the work flows that the clients build or that the legislation demands. However we provide a full range of training functions. We will agree with our clients set training plans and will provide certified training courses directly by our own staff. For London clients we often train in our Kentish Town facilities though are very happy to use clients accommodation. Often our initial training will be to super users in preparation for UAT. Once UAT is completed often the super users will cascade training to their colleagues. We will provide early day floor walking services to help users over the initial trepidation often felt when faced with a new system. This "hand holding" flowing close to initial training and UAT, is often all that clients ever need from us. But we are always available to offer training services if this is required. training is support with manuals/fact sheets and can include online resource like "how to" videos. These are especially helpful for customer facing applications.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
  • Other
• Other documentation formats: Microsoft Word
• End-of-contract data extraction: At the termination of the contract we would work with the users to understand the export requirements they have. Usually this involves another supplier and we would work alongside them to export the data in a suitable format to enable the data to be migrated into the new system quickly and efficiently.
• End-of-contract process: We can leave the applications running and the clients can continue running them down, with or without support. We can help to manage the transfer of data to a third party system. Or in some cases where there is no propriety data involved the service will just be switched off.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Onboarding and offboarding documentation is provided in digital formats that are accessible via standard web browsers. Documentation is written using clear, plain language and structured with consistent headings to support readability and navigation.; ; Documents are made available in accessible electronic formats that are compatible with commonly used assistive technologies, including screen readers and browser accessibility tools. Where applicable, documents are provided in formats that support text resizing, reflow and high-contrast display settings.; ; Documentation can be accessed remotely over a secure internet connection, allowing users to review materials at their own pace. Support is available to provide reasonable adjustments or alternative formats on request.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: Web pages have been developed to be responsive and therefore automatically adjust to size of a mobile device display.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AAA
• Description of service interface: Clients dictate the interfaces that they require and we facilitate and manage them
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: Clients have panels testing our support structures including interfaces we provide.; ; User access can be integrated with organisational identity management solutions, supporting Single Sign-On (SSO). Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can be enabled to provide additional security for user access.; ; These access methods allow users to work with the service remotely or from council offices, without the need for specialist hardware, while maintaining secure and controlled access to the service.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Users can interact using the REST and SOAP services with our application. This is not exposed on the public internet and customers would require a secure VPN connection before they could access it. We offer API for the loading of tickets, viewing of tickets, paying for tickets and loading of inbound correspondence. Other API points are available but these are low level and we would not encourage use and only then support on time & materials basis.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Generally we will set up branding and client style guides at the start of the contract so that all landing pages are client branded, all public facing pages are branded and built in accordance with the clients style guides. Typically we will also set up things like the workflows to the clients specific rules. We will also set up templates for out going correspondence for both postal and digital communications. Most clients will want us to set up banner branding on other outputted features like reports packs. We also tend to establish the layout of the users landing pages and arrange the dashlets in accordance to client instructions. These can be changed by end users if they are given permission. End users can create the content for their own reports via inbuilt filters or via making queries, depending on their skill levels and the procurement options selected. End users can also completely edit outgoing correspondence using standard word processing type skills. In doing this they can draw from documents and media stored within the system and include these in the outgoing items.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: We continuously monitor capacity and automatically scale out our compute layer when load increases, so additional demand from one customer is handled by additional infrastructure rather than slowing down others.; We also enforce per-tenant rate limits and use independent resource pools for critical services so that no single customer can monopolise CPU, memory, or database capacity. Combined with 24/7 monitoring and alerting, this ensures that one customer’s traffic does not negatively impact another’s performance.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Most users will have a landing page that will contain their own performance metrics. these can be measured against a team average very easily, Supervisors have this team view and managers have a higher level view again. The dashboards are mostly dynamic and allow users to drill down into specific details from that first screen. Liberator has several associated reporting tools and this come with pre built standard reports. Reports can be run by authorised users or scheduled to run and be sent to individual email accounts. Bespoke reports can be ordered and there is a reports builder for clients.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: Yes

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• 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: Yes
• 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 CREST-approved service provider
• Protecting data at rest: Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: Azure automatically encrypts all data at rest using 256-bit AES encryption across storage services, databases, and VM disks, with options for customer-managed keys via Azure Key Vault.
• 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: There are several export routines within Liberator. These are generally set up to run automatically. Where data is extracted for manipulation and MI purposes this is usually a one click process offering export to a wide range of formats including .csv .xml .txt.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • TXT
  • JSON
  • XML
  • XLS
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • TXT
  • JSON
  • XLS
  • XML

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • Private network or public sector network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: All data in transit between buyer users and the service is protected using industry-standard encryption (TLS 1.2 or higher) over HTTPS. Access is controlled using SSO with MFA, and traffic can be routed either over the public internet with WAF protection, or via private connectivity such as IPsec VPN or ExpressRoute where required.
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Data within our network is protected using a layered security approach. Internal service-to-service communications use encrypted connections and industry-standard protocols to protect data in transit. Data is encrypted at rest using strong encryption standards. Access to systems and data is controlled through role-based access controls, with authentication and authorisation managed via centralised identity management. Network boundaries are secured through segmentation, firewalls and continuous security monitoring, restricting access to authorised services only. Network activity is logged and monitored to detect and respond to suspicious behaviour, ensuring protection against unauthorised access or disclosure.

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Our standard availability target is 99%, measured on a calendar month basis and not to include any planned downtime for system maintenance and the likes. Service availability will be defined under specific contract terms but will generally mean that a user under licence can access the system and retrieve information. Where there are local issues that prevent access to the system any failure to be able to meet these conditions will not be deemed to be a breach of the SLA. To monitor the service we will provide clients with our monitoring tool that shows the live status of all server availability.
• Approach to resilience: This is dependent on the the clients specific needs but where possible we ensure that we have no single points of failure. The physical servers all run RAID disk arrays and dual teamed network cards. The firewalls are setup in a cluster with one running at each site, this automatically fails over should the primary one experience an issue. Data is replicated between 2 separate sites over a dedicated fibre point to point link.
• Outage reporting: We use both internal monitoring tools to monitor CPU, memory and disk space etc as well as external monitoring for our public facing sites. Should any of these monitoring tools detect an issue an email and SMS is sent to a number of people who can resolve the issue. In addition we also have a dashboard available on the internet showing the current status of our systems. These can be easily customised to allow our clients to see only the services that are of interest to them.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication: Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Users are added to security groups and all parts of the system are protected from users who are not part of the correct access groups. For example, only users who are a member of a specific security group would be able to reverse a transaction. All user actions and document updates are audited (date/time/userID).
• Access restriction testing frequency: Less than once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • 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 have access to real-time 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
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials Plus
• Information security policies and processes: We maintain a mature security governance framework built around ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, and NCSC Cloud Security Principles.; Our structured reporting hierarchy, lead by our CTO and Director of Information Security, ensures accountability from operational teams through to executive leadership.; Policies are enforced using a combination of training, technical controls, monitoring, audits, and continuous improvement practices.
• 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: Changes conform to our ISO 27001 procedures. Each change is scored against our risk criteria and changes that are classified as high risk are added to our risk register as required.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We continuously monitor our systems using automated vulnerability scanners, review threat intelligence, and conduct regular security testing. Identified vulnerabilities are evaluated based on severity, exploitability, and impact to prioritise remediation.; ; We follow a severity-based SLA:; Critical vulnerabilities: patched as quickly as possible (often within 24–72 hours).; High severity: typically within 1 week.; Lower severity: scheduled in routine maintenance cycles.; ; We use multiple sources to gather information about potential threats through vendor advisories, CVE recommendations, threat intelligence services and internal monitoring tools to stay informed about emerging risks.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: We use continuous monitoring, log analysis, intrusion detection, and threat intelligence to detect suspicious or abnormal activity.; We follow a structured incident response process: investigate, contain, eradicate the threat, recover systems, and document the incident.; Critical incidents are addressed immediately (24/7), with all other incidents handled according to defined severity-based response times.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Our Information Security Incident Management policy defines processes for reporting, responding to, and managing security events that compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. It mandates prompt reporting via our ticketing systems, communication channels, local processes, or email. Our processes outline personal data breach handling, evidence maintenance, awareness training, and root cause analysis for continuous improvement. We can share our incident handling policy upon request.
• 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: Yes
• Connected networks: Public Services Network (PSN)

Pricing

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

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

• Less than £250,000: 30%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 32.5%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 35%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 37.5%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 40%
• Over £5,000,001: 42.5%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: LRQA
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Monday 2 September 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Our ISO certifications cover all operational, technical and organisational processes.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: Yes
• Who accredited the PCI DSS certification: Securious Limited
• PCI DSS accreditation date: Wednesday 2 April 2025
• What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover: Polaris Software has demonstrated compliance with all PCI DSS requirements.
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: Db8897c3-145d-4e0d-8989-c6ab205acb84
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 96a86d54-db53-4ee5-8245-0d6fe29b7579
• 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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 to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
    • 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

  • 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

    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain

  • 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
    • Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it

  • 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

    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
    • Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain

  • 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
    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition
    • Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of 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 anil.mahendra@polarissoftware.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.