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Civica UK Limited

Civica Xpress

Xpress Software provides local authorities throughout the UK with a diverse range of electoral management software and services, including apps, web services and modules that can be installed locally or deployed via virtual environments alongside true cloud components.

Features

  • Register, Election Management
  • Web based Register access and remote system access
  • Mobile Canvassing App addon Solution
  • Canvass Reform and Election Act Compliant
  • Integrated API services
  • Automated Data matching solutions
  • Full Auditing Facilities
  • Web-based Boundary Mapping Tool
  • Civica Polling Station addon module
  • Supports Welsh / dual language

Benefits

  • Fully integrated across all products
  • Site licence (allowing for unlimited users across the Council)
  • Sync data dynamically via web services for real-time access
  • AES 256 encryption of sensitive data
  • Integrated report builder with drill down capabilities
  • ISO27001 accredited and Cyber Essentials Certified
  • Self-service web-based staffing portal
  • CRM integration capabilities
  • Web service model for Register and Election services
  • Integration with print and managed document services within Civica Group

Pricing

£8,000 to £23,000 a unit a year

Service documents

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 g-cloud@civica.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

9 0 7 1 3 4 7 0 1 9 9 2 1 2 8

Contact

Civica UK Limited Civica UK Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 3333 214 914
Email: g-cloud@civica.co.uk

Service scope

Software add-on or extension
Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
What software services is the service an extension to
Other Services Extension
Cloud deployment model
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
Service constraints
No
System requirements
  • Xpress Software Licence
  • Signature and Character Recognition Software

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
Response times vary depending on the urgency of the request and are prioritised accordingly (see SLA document for further details). Weekend support is only provided during nationwide election periods and are in line with the statutory election timetable.
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
We make best endeavours to answer and close all calls at the initial point of contact. We provide the same level of service to all customers with all calls routed through our product support specialists with technical support queries transferred to our dedicated technical team.
Support available to third parties
No

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
Following installation overseen by a dedicated business manager; We offer onsite or remote training, user documentation, a fully comprehensive online help guide and have an initial training course which has been designed in a train the trainer type style, to enable new users to start using our software and services.
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
  • Other
Other documentation formats
Word
End-of-contract data extraction
The users own the data and we will provide guidance and assistance in how to extract the data at the expiration of the contract.
End-of-contract process
Information on how data is stored and guidance on how to extract Additional Cost - Any formatting or restructuring of the data that requires bespoke work from our development team

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Supported browsers
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
Application to install
Yes
Compatible operating systems
  • Android
  • Windows
Designed for use on mobile devices
Yes
Differences between the mobile and desktop service
NA
Service interface
Yes
User support accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Description of service interface
The Xpress EMS comprises a number of different application interfaces in order to support users including Windows forms applications, Websites, apps and API’s. The core applications are Windows forms applications and are supported by websites for various modules.
Accessibility standards
WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Accessibility testing
NA
API
Yes
What users can and can't do using the API
Users can use the API to enable a self service feature through the local authority website to enable electors to answer various queries about their own electoral status as well as make change requests.
API documentation
Yes
API documentation formats
PDF
API sandbox or test environment
Yes
Customisation available
Yes
Description of customisation
We have a number of add on features that buyers can select in order to customise the core application to meet their requirements

Scaling

Independence of resources
Underlying hardware is dynamically allocated and balanced using VMware Dynamic Resource Scheduler (DRS). DRS ensures virtual servers are allocated the appropriate physical hardware resources at all times. DRS also enables virtual servers to be migrated to different physical hardware so system availability is maintained during planned or unplanned maintenance. Storage is allocated via a flash storage array capable of maintaining high IOPS throughout.

Analytics

Service usage metrics
Yes
Metrics types
Real time statistics to enable the buyer to view the latest statistics to support the canvasser process and election staffing process. The MEA module allows the buyer to monitor real-time incident Polling Station reporting and hourly return statistics
Reporting types
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Reports on request

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to 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
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
Another external penetration testing organisation
Protecting data at rest
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach
In-house destruction process

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach
Initially data is exported to us through a secure FTP via encrypted database backup files. Existing customers either use our internal and secure export service to export data to our Division Group print company (CES) or they export encrypted data through their own preferred method.
Data export formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data export formats
  • TSV
  • MDB
Data import formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data import formats
  • DTF
  • TSV

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
Data protection within supplier network
TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
Civica Xpress's standard core hours are 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding UK Bank holidays). Access to the service (remote access to data centre, domain names, network connections, IP addresses, hosted software and equipment) during core hours will have an uptime availability of 99.99%
Approach to resilience
Available on request.
Outage reporting
Infrastructure related scheduled maintenance will not occur between 07:00 and 19:00 Monday to Friday excluding English Bank Holidays. Maintenance will be arranged with a minimum of 3 working days’ notice, and will include a detailed description of the planned works, planned outcomes, and a detailed back-out plan, unless otherwise stated.
Unplanned outages will be notified to customers via Xpress messaging app

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed
Yes
User authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
Access is restricted through applying security settings based on the login credentials identified through referencing the Active Directory.
Access restriction testing frequency
At least once a year
Management access authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • 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 contact the support team to get audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for
At least 12 months
How long system logs are stored for
At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
ISOQAR
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
12/11/2023
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
NA
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
No
Other security certifications
Yes
Any other security certifications
ISO 22301

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security
Yes
Security governance certified
Yes
Security governance standards
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
Other security governance standards
Cyber Essentials
ISO22301/ISO27001
Information security policies and processes
In order to provide a wide range of services to public and private sector organisations, Civica maintains an active information security programme. This programme requires regular internal and external audit inspection of both physical and logical data protection structures. The policies and procedures are aligned to ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certifications.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard
Supplier-defined controls
Configuration and change management approach
All hosted assets metadata is stored in a Configuration Management Data Base. This data base is access controlled to authorised staff only. The CMDB provides information essential to the secure hosting of client critical services.
Civica's Change Management process ensures that all changes are considered and planned, and appropriate, and that there is a clear audit trail of all changes.
Vulnerability management type
Supplier-defined controls
Vulnerability management approach
Civica has vulnerability management processes in place for ISO27001 and PCI-DSS. These processes are externally audited on an annual basis to ensure continued compliance.
For external vulnerability scanning, Civica employs the services of an external ‘CHECK’ approved provider to perform an annual penetration test against the external management IP interface. Supporting this, Civica is also certified to the CESG approved Cyber Essentials scheme. For high value financial hosted system, Civica also maintains a PCI-DSS v3.1 certification. In scope systems are subject to month internal and external vulnerability scans as well as a full penetration test twice a year.
Protective monitoring type
Supplier-defined controls
Protective monitoring approach
Civica take a proactive approach to information security through a process of continual monitoring and review. As part of a documented risk assessment methodology to identify and manage information security risks a dedicated security team update the risk register monthly.
Civica has a network monitoring solution in place ‘OpsView’ as well as a full antivirus and anti-malware solution. These technologies check the hosted services for errors, infections and unexpected network traffic and are support by Cisco IPS/IDS at the perimeter layer. This monitoring service provides defence in depth, against compromise, by detecting infections and suspicious networking activity within the environment.
Incident management type
Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Incident management approach
Civica have developed an Incident Management process (PRM07) under ISO 20000 standards which details both the Incident and Service Request Management processes.
The Civica Service Desk manages end user Service Requests, Incidents and Requests for Change (RFCs) which can be logged by e-mail, telephone and web portal.
Monthly customer reports will detail incident information.

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
Yes
Connected networks
Public Services Network (PSN)

Social Value

Social Value

Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

Fighting climate change

As a company, we’ve made an ambitious commitment to achieve Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2040 (or sooner) by supporting our customers net zero ambitions, creating software with inbuilt sustainability and reducing our own impact.

Our Carbon Reduction Plan demonstrates our ambition to become industry leaders in reducing our environmental impact in support of the UK’s Net Zero Target. Underlining this ambition, we are focusing not only on our direct emissions sources but also actively engaging with our wider supply chain to understand, measure and develop meaningful emissions reductions targets in line with our Net Zero Target.

We are accredited to the ISO14001 Standard and to support delivery of our commitment our Environment, Social Value and Governance provides clear focus for the ongoing development of our environmental policy.

We develop innovative software-based services that reduce power requirements.

We help customers opt for more sustainable choices, through digital platforms/apps which remove paper, support flexible/agile working, underpinned by cloud-based services employing energy efficient technology.

We support carbon neutrality with workforces/facilities to reduce carbon consumption over 10-years.

We prioritise the use of green energy in Civica owned facilities within the next 10 years.

We promote recycling through our ‘Zero to Landfill’ and ‘Zero Print’ schemes.

Our commitment to continue to promote with employees and customers a much greater responsibility and leadership in eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics; we will continue to look to make more innovative and systematic changes to further reduce our use of single-use plastics across the organisation and to openly share our outcomes and learnings.

We undertake SECR Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting on our environmental footprint and the progress we are making to becoming Net Zero.

Our commitment to fighting climate change will help deliver the policy outcomes for fighting climate change under PPN 06/20.

Tackling economic inequality

Civica is committed to building an inclusive and diverse culture that tackles inequality in employment, skills and pay. We promote equal opportunity through all our activities and ensure rights for all employees are always protected. We are listed as a 2020 Financial Times Diversity Leader and we are a ‘Gold’ Investors in People company.

We have increased our focus and commitment to ensure we proactively implement equal and non-discriminatory treatment to all our workers. We have implemented a Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and have a Diversity and Inclusion Lead to drive the implementation of this strategy. This aims to tackle inequality in recruitment practices, team development, skills and pay through the following actions:

We are a Living Wage accredited employer.

We recruit locally to where services are delivered.

We are committed to developing the skills of young people near our client’s businesses e.g., for a local authority, we have developed a programme of engagement workshops for young people with the potential for digital work experience.

Our staff act as mentors for Youth Enterprise schemes in schools/universities.

We are a member of the 5% club, an industry-led initiative focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices into the UK workplace.

Over 2.5% of our workplace is made up of apprentices or graduates and we intend to increase this to 5% by the end of 2025.

We provide our own apprenticeship programme for managers, giving them access to training and development that may not be accessible outside the workplace.

Our commitment to building an inclusive and diverse culture will help deliver the policy outcomes for tackling economic inequality under PPN 06/20 and will dramatically improve job prospects and increase earning potential for the young and job seeking communities.

Equal opportunity

Civica is committed to providing equal opportunities and building an inclusive and diverse culture. The more diverse our workforce, the more informed the decisions we can make for our customers, supporting the communities in which we work.

We are proud to have been ranked as one of the top European companies for workforce diversity and equality, as chosen by in the Financial Times in 2020.

We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture where diversity thrives:

To ensure our recruitment practices support the attraction and hiring of diverse candidates, all vacancies are advertised on multiple Diversity & Inclusion platforms.

We run attraction campaigns targeting females and BAME applicants. We use a process of anonymised applications, competency-based questions and scoring to remove bias. We also use decoders to ensure job advertisements use gender and culturally neutral language. We also ensure mixed panel interviewing.

We advertise vacancies on https://disabilityjob.co.uk/ and share diversity statements on all job adverts.

We have made training on diversity and inclusion mandatory.

We aim to ensure increased diversity of new starters in technology/sales/leadership roles by 10% per annum over the next 3 years.

We aim to ensure that at least 50% of shortlisted people are being considered from a diverse background for roles above £35k.

We promote affinity groups within the company who represent a group of people linked by a common characteristic, often underrepresented, or historically excluded, which acts as a ‘safe space’ for such individuals. This identity could be related to race, gender, sexual orientation, language, nationality, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic class, family structure, religion, amongst others.

Our commitment to providing equality of opportunity will support the delivery of the policy outcomes for equal opportunity under PPN 06/20.

Wellbeing

Civica actively promotes a mentally healthy workplace and workforce integrating mental health and general wellbeing in all that we do from recruitment, appraisals to strategic management.

Through our Health and Wellbeing Policy and 40+ Mental Health Champions we encourage a flexible and realistic work/life balance. Our HWP provides a foundation to support both the mental and physical health of our staff through:

Employee Assistance Programme and online Wellbeing Hub, which provides 24/7 access to websites, e-mail, phone and face-to-face counselling on all personal issues.

Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace App providing external mental health consultancy.

Mental Health Champions who support colleagues’ wellbeing in the workplace.

RedArc Personal nurse service.

Management Coaching - managers are trained in GROW (Goals, Reality, Options and Will) and in being Health and Wellbeing Advisors, supporting employees with mental/physical health needs.

Health assessments/advice aimed at improving physical health.

Cycle to Work scheme to aid physical and mental health.

Weekly fruit drop for offices, encouraging a healthier diet.

We provide free eye tests for all VDU users, encourage staff to take advantage of NHS flu vaccinations services, and support people wishing to use the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

We also support our customers’ and communities’ through The Civica Foundation, our home for all charity, community, volunteering and social value. Our Days of Difference initiative gives every Civica employee 3 days a year to make a difference to charitable or community causes. Our employees can use this individually, join-up as a team or take part in Civica coordinated events.

Suppliers/subcontractors are subject to Civica’s Sub-contractor Selection Process as defined in our ISO9001 QMS, which includes criteria for assessing health and wellbeing policies.

Our commitment to providing equality of opportunity supports the delivery of the policy outcomes for Wellbeing under PPN 06/20.

Pricing

Price
£8,000 to £23,000 a unit a year
Discount for educational organisations
No
Free trial available
No

Service documents

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 g-cloud@civica.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.