# Evaluation Guide

### Proven Success at Scale

FormSG has processed **200+ million government form submissions** across **160+ agencies** in Singapore since 2017.

#### International Adoptions

Government teams worldwide have successfully forked and deployed FormSG for their local contexts:

* 🇱🇰 **Sri Lanka** - [FormLK](https://forms.gov.lk/)
* 🇰🇭 **Cambodia** - [FormKH](https://form.gov.kh/)
* 🇻🇳 **Vietnam** - [FormVN](https://form.gov.vn/)

These implementations demonstrate FormSG's adaptability across different government contexts and technical environments.

[View detailed metrics and reports →](https://reports.open.gov.sg/formsg/overview)

### Why Self-Host FormSG?

#### Core Benefits

* **Data Sovereignty**: Keep citizen data within your jurisdiction
* **No Vendor Lock-in**: Modify and extend without vendor negotiations
* **Unlimited Scaling**: No per-form or per-submission fees
* **Full Customization**: Integrate with any government system
* **Cost Control**: Eliminate recurring license fees

### Understanding What You're Evaluating

Before deciding whether FormSG fits your needs, understand its architecture and dependencies:

<figure><img src="https://3225095994-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFiAVh1Ff3KUiYxMAZuJG%2Fuploads%2FsCNmoCABlx9kYtFUc3UG%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d9ebf561-8a54-44c9-b2df-bfa7e6fae50c" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The colour coding shows which components are easier (🟢) or harder (🔴) to replace with your preferred alternatives.

### Is FormSG Right for Your Organization?

<details>

<summary>✅ <strong>Good fit if you have</strong></summary>

* High form volume (100+ forms or 1000+ submissions monthly)
* Data sovereignty requirements
* Technical team or ability to hire contractors
* Current form solution costing >$50k/year
* Need for customization and integration

</details>

<details>

<summary>❌ <strong>May not fit if you need</strong></summary>

* Vendor support with SLAs
* Immediate deployment (<1 month)
* Solution for <10 forms total
* No technical capabilities available
* Turnkey solution with zero maintenance

</details>

### Technical Requirements

#### Skills Your Team Needs

Your team should collectively have experience with:

* Linux server administration
* Docker/container orchestration
* Environment variables and secrets management
* Node.js applications
* Basic web application security

{% hint style="success" %}
**Team size flexibility**: These skills can be distributed across your team. A single full-stack developer can learn what's needed, or you can split responsibilities across specialists.&#x20;

Many teams successfully learn as they implement.
{% endhint %}

#### Cost-Benefit Considerations

**Initial Investment:**

* **Setup effort**: Varies by deployment type (see options below)
* **Infrastructure costs**: Scale with usage, redundancy, and security needs
* **Timeline**: From days for proof-of-concept to months for production

**Ongoing Investment:**

* **Regular maintenance**: Updates, monitoring, and support
* **Infrastructure costs**: Monthly cloud/hosting expenses
* **Team allocation**: Depends on scale and customization needs

**Typical Benefits:**

* **Eliminate licensing fees**: No per-form or per-submission charges
* **Avoid vendor lock-in**: No contract negotiations or surprise price increases
* **Full control**: Customise features and integrations as needed
* **Data sovereignty**: Complete ownership of citizen data within your infrastructure
* **Unlimited scaling**: Add forms and users without additional licensing

{% hint style="info" %}
**Cost comparison tip**: Calculate your current annual spend on form solutions (licenses, support, customisation fees) to assess potential savings.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

#### Deployment Options Overview

|                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Container Deployment on VMs** | <ul><li><strong>Effort</strong>: Low</li><li><strong>Timeline</strong>: A few days</li><li><strong>Customisation</strong>: Minimal (environment variables only)</li><li><strong>Best for</strong>: Pilot projects, proof-of-concept, small team evaluation</li></ul> |
| **Standard AWS Deployment**     | <ul><li><strong>Effort</strong>: Low-Medium</li><li><strong>Timeline</strong>: 1-2 weeks</li><li><strong>Customisation</strong>: Minimal required</li><li><strong>Best for</strong>: Teams wanting to get started quickly</li></ul>                                  |
| **Multi-Cloud Deployment**      | <ul><li><strong>Effort</strong>: Medium-High</li><li><strong>Timeline</strong>: 2-4 weeks</li><li><strong>Customisation</strong>: Component replacement required</li><li><strong>Best for</strong>: Teams with existing cloud investments</li></ul>                  |
| **On-Premises Deployment**      | <ul><li><strong>Effort</strong>: High</li><li><strong>Timeline</strong>: 4-8 weeks</li><li><strong>Customisation</strong>: Extensive infrastructure work</li><li><strong>Best for</strong>: Air-gapped or highly regulated environments</li></ul>                    |
| **Hybrid Government Cloud**     | <ul><li><strong>Effort</strong>: Medium-High</li><li><strong>Timeline</strong>: 6-10 weeks</li><li><strong>Customisation</strong>: Government-specific integrations</li><li><strong>Best for</strong>: Teams with existing government cloud infrastructure</li></ul> |

#### Decision Points and Next Steps

**If Proceeding with FormSG:**

1. **Start Small**: Set up local development environment
2. **Plan Deployment**: Review basic deployment guide
3. **Identify Customisations**: Assess component customisation needs
4. **Prepare Team**: Train staff on required technologies

**If Uncertain:**

1. **Proof of Concept**: Deploy locally and test with sample forms
2. **Technical Assessment**: Review your team's capabilities against requirements
3. **Vendor Comparison**: Evaluate commercial alternatives side-by-side
4. **Pilot Project**: Start with non-critical forms to reduce risk

***

{% hint style="success" %}
**Key Takeaway**: FormSG is a powerful, flexible government forms platform that requires technical investment but provides complete control and customisation. Success depends on having the right skills, resources, and commitment to the implementation journey.
{% endhint %}


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