UK government floats 10% weighting for social value in contracts

Matter&Co | January 12, 2019

The British government reinforced its commitment to create more social value from £49bn worth of public sector contracting at Social Enterprise UK’s Social Value Leaders Summit on Monday. After earlier unveiling plans specifying areas where commissioners should look to create social value, Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Oliver Dowden (pictured above) gave more detail in a speech to more than 100 business leaders at King’s College, London. Dowden was filling in for expected speaker David Lidington, Theresa May’s number two. The Minister for the Cabinet Office was called away to help with Brexit negotiations ahead of an expected vote on a deal in parliament on Tuesday.

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Government Business, Cybersecurity

In Cooperation with the FedCloudIA Platform, Milestone's XProtect is Now Available as a VMS Cloud Service for the U.S. Government

Prweb | July 12, 2023

Milestone Systems, a global leader in open platform video technologies, announces today its partnership with FedCloudIA, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in government security solutions. The company's signature software, Milestone XProtect, is now available as part of the FedCloudIA cloud service offering, a FedRAMP Ready video management solution. By participating in this FedRAMP Ready environment, Milestone XProtect becomes a trusted cloud service technology for the U.S. government. This distinction eases the process of conducting business within the government sector. With this move, any government agency seeking a FedRAMP Ready Video Management System (VMS) now has the option to use Milestone through FedCloudIA. Likewise, resellers for government agencies looking to leverage Milestone's robust cloud capabilities may proceed through the FedCloudIA platform. Through this partnership, Milestone integrators and government sector end-users gain access to a FedRAMP Ready cloud solution. The Milestone XProtect solution adheres to the security policies published by NIST and tailored to the FedRAMP Moderate baseline and DoD IL-4. Milestone XProtect is now available as a cloud service for all U.S. federal, state and local government agencies. Milestone technology partners may also be available under the FedCloudIA umbrella. "Milestone's entry into the FedCloudIA framework marks a significant leap forward for government security. Our partnership ensures that government agencies can rely on an approved, secure, and effective open platform VMS to meet their unique needs," said Walter Coady, Business Development Manager, Federal Government, Milestone Systems. "Being in the market as part of a FedRAMP Ready solution underscores our commitment to innovation, integration and the partner ecosystem." The Milestone XProtect open platform video management system currently supports more than 13,000 different security devices from more than 700 of the industry’s leading manufacturers. Technology partners include providers of network video cameras, smart sensors, cloud technologies, access control, alarm and detection systems, video analytics, GPS technology, laser scanners, emergency call boxes, and much more. About Milestone Systems Milestone Systems is a leading provider of data-driven video technology software in and beyond security that helps the world see how to ensure safety, protect assets, and increase business efficiency. Milestone enables an open platform community that drives collaboration and innovation in the development and use of network video technology, with reliable and scalable solutions that are proven in more than 500,000 customer sites worldwide. Founded in 1998, Milestone is a stand-alone company in the Canon Group. For more information visit: http://www.milestonesys.com About FedCloudIA FedCloudIA is an environment providing cloud-based video surveillance systems, access control systems, video storage, body worn cameras, and intrusion detection systems (IDS) to agencies. Agency-site equipment is supported by management infrastructure maintained by FedCloudIA and hosted in the Azure Gov Cloud. This service offering is delivered either as a Platform as a Service (PaaS) hybrid solution, or as a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, with agency managed on-site equipment and FedCloudIA managed cloud infrastructure. FedCloudIA's PaaS offering allows agencies the flexibility to distribute resources between cloud and local systems. As a physical security environment, FedCloudIA simplifies the ATO process of multiple commercial off the shelf (COTS) manufacturers such as Milestone Systems. About FedRAMP The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP®) was established in 2011 to provide a cost-effective, risk-managed approach for the adoption and use of cloud services by the federal government. FedRAMP empowers agencies to use modern cloud technologies, with an emphasis on security and protection of federal information.

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Government Business, Cybersecurity

iboss Attains StateRAMP Authorized Status, Bolstering its Cloud Security Leadership

Prweb | July 26, 2023

Today, iboss, the leading Zero Trust cloud security provider, is proud to announce that it has achieved State Risk and Authorization Management Program (StateRAMP) Authorized status. This milestone is indicative of iboss' unyielding dedication to assisting state agencies and local governments to secure their users and data from an evolving landscape of cyber threats. StateRAMP provides an equivalent security baseline to FedRAMP. iboss takes pride in being able to meet and exceed both of these rigorous security standards. With rising challenges posed by cybersecurity threats to government agencies, iboss provides an innovative, robust solution that reduces risks, lowers costs, and increases productivity and security. Built on a revolutionary Zero Trust Security Service Edge (SSE) platform, iboss provides a comprehensive and integrated cloud-based security solution that replaces legacy VPNs, Proxy appliances, and VDI with a single, unified service. The iboss platform includes ZTNA to replace legacy VPN, Security Service Edge to replace legacy proxies, and Browser Isolation to replace legacy VDI. iboss includes ZTNA, CASB, malware defense, compliance policies, DLP, Browser Isolation, and logging that applies to users inside and outside the office. It scales to secure traffic volume as functionality is delivered within the cloud security service instead of strictly with appliances hosted within the data center. The iboss Zero Trust SSE implements the concepts in the NIST 800-207 and is a technical implementation of the centerpiece of this model. Organizations, such as state and local government agencies, wishing to implement Zero Trust according to the NIST 800-207 Zero Trust Architecture principles can use iboss to do so as it forms the technology foundation of this architecture. The NIST 800-207 model provides a strong and clear foundation for organizations to implement Zero Trust which greatly reduces cyber risk, breaches, and data loss. “Achieving the StateRAMP certification signifies that the iboss Zero Trust SSE platform meets the rigorous security standards required by state and local governments,” said Paul Martini, CEO of iboss. “We’re proud to achieve this certification, as it strengthens our mission to provide government entities with the most secure, efficient, and comprehensive Zero Trust Security solutions.” StateRAMP is a program that delivers a uniform approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services for state and local governments. About iboss iboss is a cloud security company that enables organizations to reduce cyber risk by delivering a Zero Trust Security Service Edge platform designed to protect resources and users in the modern distributed world. Applications, data, and services have moved to the cloud and are located everywhere, while users needing access to those resources are working from anywhere. The iboss platform replaces legacy VPN, Proxies, and VDI with a consolidated service that improves security, increases the end-user experience, consolidates technology, and substantially reduces costs. Built on a containerized cloud architecture, iboss delivers security capabilities such as SWG, malware defense, Browser Isolation, CASB, and Data Loss Prevention to protect all resources via the cloud instantaneously and at scale. The iboss platform includes ZTNA to replace legacy VPN, Security Service Edge to replace legacy Proxies, and Browser Isolation to replace legacy VDI. This shifts the focus from protecting buildings to protecting people and resources wherever they are located. Leveraging a purpose-built cloud architecture backed by 230+ issued and pending patents and more than 100 points of presence globally, iboss processes over 150 billion transactions daily, blocking 4 billion threats per day. More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies. iboss was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide ZTNA, one of the Top 25 Cybersecurity Companies by The Software Report, one of the 25 highest-rated Private Cloud Computing Companies to work for by Battery Ventures, and CRN’s top 20 Coolest Cloud Security Companies.

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Emerging Technology

Accela Migrates Five Local Agencies to the Cloud, Modernizing Critical Services in Cities Nationwide

PR Newswire | September 26, 2023

Accela, the trusted provider of cloud solutions at the heart of government, today announced new successful migrations across the nation. The milestones were shared during the company's government technology conference, Accelarate, punctuating a month of noteworthy business and customer modernization momentum announcements. Over the past several months, Accela has successfully migrated the City and County of Denver, CO; Allendale, AZ; Cleveland, OH; Indianapolis, IN; and Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control to the cloud to securely streamline their critical resident services. These migrations follow significant cloud migration momentum in Florida as well as Accela's migration of over 33 jurisdictions to the cloud in fiscal year 2023 alone. "Local governments around the country are increasingly looking to the latest technologies to streamline critical services and build trust with their residents. Cloud-based government technology is the key to unlocking this potential," said Jonathon (JK) Knight, chief customer officer at Accela. "Accela is proud to be there every step of the way in governments' modernization journeys, empowering agencies to break down data and departmental silos, and transform the government experience for staff and residents alike." Agencies nationwide turn to cloud-based solutions for improved user experience, service delivery speed and efficiency, and help in overcoming IT staffing shortages. With unprecedented federal funding, more municipalities are investing in cloud solutions to provide residents and staff with seamless digital experiences and create new efficiencies for critical services – like inspections and permitting – that support the livelihoods, health and safety of all community members. "Denver, like many other municipalities, is aggressively infusing more affordable housing options into our communities to offset the skyrocketing costs of housing," said Paul Kresser, deputy chief information officer at the City and County of Denver. "We rely on Accela's flexible, scalable and resilient SaaS environments to process all the activities needed to introduce affordable housing options quickly into our neighborhoods. From zoning to permitting to inspections, Accela's solutions support our work to build a stronger, more vibrant community." Accela's Civic Platform, powered by Microsoft Azure, hosts various pre-built cloud solutions ready to streamline delivery of critical services to support community growth. Agencies utilize the single platform to manage resident services, from building new structures, to licensing local businesses, regulating safety with regular inspections, and more. Accela recently closed its 2023 fiscal year with a 31 percent increase in SaaS annual recurring revenue, 36 percent increase in new accounts signed and a net customer retention of 117 percent. To learn more about Accela's solutions, please visit https://www.accela.com/solutions/. About Accela Accela is the trusted provider of cloud solutions at the heart of government operations. The company works with governments across the globe to accelerate their digital transformation, deliver vital services, and build stronger communities. More than 300 million residents worldwide benefit from Accela's government software solutions. The company offers agile, purpose-built solutions and the power of a platform that provides users with a consumer-like experience, shares data across departments, and ensures world-class security. With Accela, government agencies experience rapid and effective digital transformation. Accela's government software meets agencies wherever they are on their modernization journey, while also helping them prepare for whatever comes next. The company is a four-consecutive year Microsoft US Partner Award winner for its innovative SaaS solutions. In 2022, Accela was honored as a recipient of Inc.'s Best in Business award for SaaS, and selected by Fast Company for its World Changing Ideas Award. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices around the world.

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