NINE23 LTD

Platform FLEX - UK Sovereign Private Cloud

Platform FLEX is Nine23’s fully owned UK‑Sovereign Private Cloud which guarantees all data, infrastructure, and operational control remain within UK.

Designed for organisations operating in regulated, sensitive, and mission‑critical environments, Platform FLEX provides a dedicated, private cloud IaaS/PaaS.

Delivering national data sovereignty, assurance, accountability that public cloud providers cannot match.

Features

• Fully UK-owned/operated private cloud ensuring complete national data sovereignty.
• Secure UK datacentres accredited to ISO and national security standards.
• Secure-by-Design principles with strong boundary protection to reduce cyber risk.
• High-assurance environments enabling rapid, compliant deployment.
• Secure interoperability with PSN, LECN, HSCN, PNN, RLI/ALI and LEDS.
• Enables compliant, protected interconnectivity across private, hybrid and corporate environments.
• Operated exclusively by UK security‑cleared personnel with full lifecycle management.
• Geo‑redundant UK datacentres providing continuity, backup and disaster recovery.
• Supports virtualised, containerised and monolithic application hosting.
• Enables frontline staff to securely access and update information anywhere.

Benefits

• UK Data Sovereignty ensures data stays securely within UK borders.
• High-Assurance Security delivered through accredited datacentres using secure-by-design principles.
• Government Network Connectivity provides assured access to essential national networks.
• Security-Cleared Operations managed by vetted SC and NPPV3 UK personnel.
• Rapid Low-Risk Deployment enabled by assured environments reducing roll-out issues.
• Resilient National Infrastructure using geo-redundant datacentres ensuring continuity and recovery.
• Improved Operational Performance supports secure real-time access for frontline teams.
• Flexible Deployment Models supporting legacy, virtualised, and modern cloud-native applications.
• Enhanced Interoperability -seamless multi-agency collaboration through secure data exchange.
• Reduced Internal Burden delivered through fully managed secure service model.

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 gcloud@nine23.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

808908924835102

Contact

Steve Jewell
+44 (0) 23 8202 0300
gcloud@nine23.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  PaaS

  Application Platforms

  • Deployment-centric application platforms

Service scope

• Service constraints: No service constraints have been identified.
• System requirements: System requirements will be discussed with customer
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Private cloud
  • Community cloud
  • Hybrid cloud

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Within 1 hour during normal UK Office hours. Within 1 hour for Critical (Cat 1) tickets only outside of normal working hours. Options for additional support available at extra cost.
• 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: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: We are ISO 20000 certified for Service Management, we provide a standardised SLA for clients to ensure the service is understood by you and is sufficiently supported by our engineers. You will be able to interact directly with engineers who know your account and can deal with issues directly without having to first negotiate an unskilled Helpdesk. All helpdesk staff are SC and NPPV3 cleared.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Clients can follow documentation on how to initiate and start receiving our services. This can be augmented with training onsite, or delivered remotely. We deliver a standardised service, honed during deliveries to existing public sector clients, meaning a low risk and swift deployment without unexpected consultancy costs.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Client will provide secure physical media to Nine23, which will then be populated with the specified client data and returned to the client.
• End-of-contract process: The client will have been given the data they need to keep for archive or transition purposes. Any managed devices are taken off management which will wipe enterprise and managed data from the devices. The client is then free to undertake any disposal requirements that may be stipulated under IS5. Hosted areas are then made inaccessible to the internet and deleted. This is all provided without cost to the client. Any additional services will be charged based on the day rates on our SFIA rate card.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Electronic copies of documentation will be provided to the customer, and are available from the Service Desk. Where documentation is protectively marked, the documentation will be transferred using appropriate encryption or uploaded to the secure services being provided to the customer.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Using the web interface: The web interface functionality is dependent upon the specific applications and services selected by the client.
• Web interface accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the web interface is accessible: The web interface functionality is dependent upon the specific applications and services selected by the client.
• Web interface accessibility testing: The web interface functionality is dependent upon the specific applications and services selected by the client.
• API: No
• Command line interface: No

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Technical separation of resources to client areas is achieved at virtualisation level so that one client is not competing for the same resources as another; client areas are independent private clouds so processing is not shared. Our ITIL aligned service processes have defined scaling markers to ensure the service team is not short-staffed.
• Usage notifications: Yes
• Usage reporting: Email
• Optimising consumption: Yes
• Automatic scaling: No

Analytics

• Infrastructure or application metrics: Yes
• Metrics types:
  • CPU
  • Disk
  • HTTP request and response status
  • Memory
  • Network
  • Number of active instances
• Reporting types: Regular reports
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Developed Vetting (DV)

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 CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • 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
  • Physical Destruction / Hardware containing data is completely destroyed

Backup and recovery

• What’s backed up:
  • Virtual Machines
  • Configuration Files for Infrastructure components
  • Data files (optional)
  • Databases
  • Application configurations
  • User preferences and profiles
• Backup controls: Agreed backup policies, rotation, retention is agreed with the customer and documented in the SLA.
• Datacentre setup: Multiple datacentres with disaster recovery
• Scheduling backups: Users contact the support team to schedule backups
• Backup recovery: Users contact the support team
• Backup and recovery: Yes
• RPO/RTO: Yes

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
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: We provide SLAs to each client outlining the expected availability of each service. Unplanned outages that lead to decreased availability from the levels set out in the SLAs lead to credits on those services during the next period.
• Approach to resilience: Architectural resiliency is designed into the hosted environment and is backed by the Tier 3+ UK Data Centres (FSC and PASF). Details can be given to clients upon request.
• Outage reporting: Email alerts to nominated client representatives, with quantitative and qualitative detail.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: We restrict management interface access to known personnel on known devices that are authenticated with 2FA and connect via VPN to secured management hosts with limited permissions.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Devices users manage the service through:
  • Dedicated device on a government network (for example PSN)
  • Any device but through a bastion host (a bastion host is a server that provides access to a private network from an external network such as the internet)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users receive audit information on a regular basis
• How long user audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users receive audit information on a regular basis
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 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:
  • CSA CSM version 4.0
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials Plus PDS - Third Party Assurance Process (TPAP) NHS DSP IG Toolkit - Standards exceeded FSC and PASF for Data Centres
• Information security policies and processes: We apply ISO27001, 20000 and 9001, NCSC and industry best practice to ensure 14 Cloud Security Principles are applied during design, deployment, operation, and decommission. We provide Secure by Design compliant services and maintain our own Security Management Plan which is integral to our ISO9001, 27001, 20000 accreditation, which is independently audited every year.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Services are configured and documented for reference. Changes are initiated with internal or external requests that start a Change Acceptance Process, during which the business imperative, security risks, user impact, and costs are considered. A lightweight process is adopted for agility of service, but If necessary, a full security impact assessment is undertaken and when the requisite authorisations are received, the change is effected and documentation updated.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We subscribe to a number of vulnerability and threat monitoring agencies including the NCSC threat newsletter. A baseline patching process is maintained monthly for all services, and emergency responses to critical threats are evaluated and actioned appropriately.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Our protective monitoring tools examine SIEM data from our platform and client areas, including GPG13 compliant reporting. Incidents are responded to appropriately based on the severity of the event.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Our SyOPs and Security Management Plan outline procedures for incident management and reporting. Our SMP is ISO27k controls and verified by a CCP qualified IA lead.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Separation between users

• Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart: Yes
• Who implements virtualisation: Supplier
• Virtualisation technologies used: Other
• Other virtualisation technology used: VMWare and Nutanix are both available.
• How shared infrastructure is kept separate: Platform FLEX offers entirely private infrastructure, or shared within communities of interest - for example UK Defence suppliers; UK Law Enforcement. ; Data and platform resource segregation is discussed an agreed with the customer to offer the desired outcomes and balance of cost effectiveness, scalability and compliance.

Energy efficiency

• Energy-efficient datacentres: Yes
• Description of energy efficient datacentres: Meet or exceed the annual PUE target of 1.3 by 2030. Fully and transparently manage the lifecycle impact of each product and service by 2025. Offset 100% of our scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions through certified, good quality projects. Maintain our supply of 100% renewable electricity. In addition, actively exercise our buying power to support sustainable UK grid infrastructure and innovative power technologies.

Pricing

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

Discount

• Provide your minimum discount applicable to your baseline prices: 0%

Formula for calculating price of your services

• Formula for calculating price of your services:

  Which of the core deployment models you intend to offer

  Private Cloud

  Private Cloud - Formula for calculating price of your services

  ---

  Total Cost

  The Total Cost for a buyer's call off requirement in a Private Cloud Deployment

  =

  Baseline Pricing

  Baseline Pricing is provided in the Nine23 G-Cloud pricing document - typically as Platform FLEX.

  -

  Minimum Discounting

  0%

  +

  Onboarding Activity

  Onboarding costs may vary based on your specific requirements, please confirm with suppliers during the clarification process

  +

  Additional sources of cost

  Resilience Options (FLEX Pulse) will vary the monthly service charges as will specific network connectivity options for FLEX Pathway.

  -

  Additional sources of cost reduction

  Resilience Options (FLEX Pulse) will vary the monthly service charges as will specific network connectivity options for FLEX Pathway.

  ---

• Total Cost: The Total Cost for a buyer's call off requirement in a Private Cloud Deployment
• Baseline Pricing: Baseline Pricing is provided in the Nine23 G-Cloud pricing document - typically as Platform FLEX.
• Minimum Discounting: 0%
• Onboarding Activity: Onboarding costs may vary based on your specific requirements, please confirm with suppliers during the clarification process
• Additional sources of cost: Resilience Options (FLEX Pulse) will vary the monthly service charges as will specific network connectivity options for FLEX Pathway.
• Additional sources of cost reduction: Resilience Options (FLEX Pulse) will vary the monthly service charges as will specific network connectivity options for FLEX Pathway.

Mandatory certifications

• Mandatory certifications:

  Are you are bidding to offer IaaS and/or PaaS as a reseller or are you in sole control of the infrastructure

  Sole Control of the Infrastructure

  ISO 9001 certification

  Provided

  ISO 14001 certification

  Provided

  ISO 27001 certification

  Provided

  ISO 20000-1 certification

  Provided

  ISO 27017 certification

  Provided

  Are you bidding to provide services under Lot 1b or both Lot 1a and Lot 1b?

  No

Cyber Essentials

• Do you have a Cyber Essentials Plus certificate?: Yes
• Cyber Essentials Plus certificate Number: 8650FA44-21FF-4270-9655-20C0878B20F3

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) - Level 0
  • PDS TPAP

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • 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 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
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation 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 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)
    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
    • Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual
    • Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
    • Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
    • Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings)
    • Plans for positive actions with community groups.
    • Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered
    • Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
    • Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

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

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • 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
    • 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

    • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • 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
    • Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes
    • Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
    • 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
    • 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
    • Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
    • Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort

  • 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
    • 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 gcloud@nine23.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.