Sectors

Escrow for the public sector

Digital certainty for public sector continuity.

Check out your Escrow costs

Introduction

Governments increasingly rely on digital systems

Governments depend more and more on digital systems for citizen services, taxation, permits, policy information and internal processes. These applications often process sensitive personal data and are essential for reliable public services.

But what happens if a software vendor discontinues support, goes bankrupt or stops maintenance? The continuity of government services must never be at risk. Digital disruptions can undermine public trust, transparency and compliance.

Escrow4all’s software escrow services provide public sector organisations with certainty. By guaranteeing access to source code, data and mission-critical government applications, software escrow prevents vendor lock-in and safeguards digital continuity, while supporting compliance with regulations such as GDPR, public records legislation and information security standards including ISO 27001 and BIO.

Public Sector

Escrow in the public sector

1) Digital Service Delivery as a Public Duty

Whether it involves permit management or public registries, any disruption has a direct effect on citizens and businesses. Software-, SaaS-, or Data Escrow enables the secure deposit of source code, documentation, configurations, and chain agreements. This ensures that you stay in control, even if a vendor changes, withdraws, or fails.

2) Chain Continuity and Collaboration

Public service chains involve multiple parties (municipalities, agencies, vendors). Escrow enables controlled release in emergencies, so management and services can continue—without process disruption. We also define procedures for transition to a replacement supplier.

3) Procurement, IP Balance and Transparency

Escrow integrates seamlessly into public procurement frameworks: IP stays where it belongs, while access is demonstrably safeguarded. This prevents vendor lock-in, reduces switching costs, and promotes open standards. We assist with standard clauses and annexes for tender specifications and contracts.

4) Compliance & Legal Framework: BIO, GDPR, NIS2, Archiving Law

Escrow supports BIO continuity, recovery, and vendor management controls, contributes to GDPR accountability (e.g. data access and data minimisation), and assists in compliance with NIS2 for essential/important services. Version control and documentation support audit trails and legal archiving obligations.

5) What We Secure in Escrow

  • Source code and configurations of case systems, DMS, form services, portals

  • Integration documentation (e.g. StUF, REST, message schemas), chain runbooks

  • Migration/conversion instructions, data models and export processes

  • Continuation of hosting services (contractually secured “fail-over” hosting)

  • Payment fallback arrangements for cloud providers, where applicable

6) Verification & Governance

We conduct periodic verification for completeness, reproducibility and usability. Our reports provide management and audit/IT teams with insights into risks, dependencies and feasibility of alternative execution. You receive clearly defined release criteria, version/update logs and execution evidence.

7) Three-Step Implementation

  • Scoping & Inventory: Systems, chains, RTO/RPO, release criteria

  • Deposit & Verification: Initial deposit + selected verification level

  • Active Updates: Ongoing updates and reporting via the Client Portal

Partners within the public sector

In the public sector, continuity and reliability of digital systems are essential. Government bodies, executive agencies and public service providers rely on stable IT infrastructure to fulfil their societal responsibilities. In partnership with public organisations, Escrow4all ensures uninterrupted digital continuity.

Every client is unique. That’s why we follow a proven, tailored procedure:

01

Analysis

Insight into your specific business case and requirements.

02

Advice

Tailored recommendations based on our expertise and years of experience.

03

Execution

A secured, technical and legal implementation process.

Yes. BIO and NIS2 require demonstrable measures for digital resilience, continuity, and supplier governance. ISO 27001 sets requirements for risk management in case of IT failures. A well-structured escrow agreement provides verifiable proof that public organisations meet legal obligations and are prepared for disruptions.

If a vendor goes bankrupt or ceases support, escrow allows the release of source code or data. This enables internal teams or replacement suppliers to take over operations. It ensures uninterrupted services such as permitting, taxation, and citizen records.

Escrow strikes a healthy balance: the vendor retains IP protection, while the public entity secures guaranteed access in case of failure. This prevents vendor lock-in and aligns with procurement frameworks that promote open standards, interoperability, and transparency.

Escrow is suitable for municipalities, executive agencies, and IT departments dependent on mission-critical systems. Costs depend on the complexity, verification level, and number of deposits. You can calculate your costs directly on our website or schedule a free consultation.

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