Government & Public Sector Software Development

Local governments typically need five core systems: ERP for finance and HR, permitting and licensing software, case management for constituent services, records management for FOIA compliance, and citizen engagement portals. Public safety agencies additionally need CAD/RMS systems and emergency management platforms. The specific mix depends on agency size and services provided. Most agencies benefit more from integrated systems that share data rather than standalone applications that create silos. We assess your current systems and recommend priorities based on pain points, compliance risks, and potential efficiency gains.

Custom government software projects typically range from $100K for focused solutions (single-department workflow automation) to $500K+ for enterprise platforms (agency-wide ERP systems). Most projects fall in the $150K-$300K range. This is often less expensive than COTS solutions over 5-7 years when you factor in annual licensing fees, customization costs, and limited integration. We provide fixed-price quotes after discovery so there are no surprises. Projects typically pay for themselves within 12-24 months through efficiency gains, reduced staff time on manual processes, and elimination of other software costs.

It depends on your situation. Off-the-shelf works when your processes exactly match the software and you don't need integration with existing systems. Custom works better when you have unique requirements, need integration with legacy systems, or want to avoid ongoing licensing costs. For most government agencies, custom delivers better ROI over time. You avoid forcing staff into inefficient workarounds, eliminate vendor lock-in, and own the software completely. We've seen agencies waste millions on COTS solutions that never fully met their needs. The key question is whether the software serves your processes or you're changing processes to fit the software.

Typical implementation timelines range from 10-16 weeks for focused solutions to 20-28 weeks for complex enterprise systems. We use agile development delivering working software every 2-3 weeks rather than waiting months for complete systems. This means you see progress continuously and can adjust priorities as you go. Implementation includes requirements discovery, iterative development, data migration, staff training, and go-live support. The timeline depends on project scope, integration complexity, data migration requirements, and stakeholder availability. We've never had a project take longer than planned - our fixed-price agreements include timeline commitments.

FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is a government-wide program establishing security requirements for cloud services used by federal agencies. Federal agencies can only use cloud services that are FedRAMP authorized or working toward authorization. State and local agencies aren't required to use FedRAMP-authorized services but many adopt FedRAMP security controls as best practices. StateRAMP provides similar standardized security requirements specifically for state and local government. We implement FedRAMP and StateRAMP security controls in our government software including encryption, access controls, audit logging, and continuous monitoring. Whether you need formal authorization depends on your agency level and data sensitivity.

We build security and compliance into software from day one rather than adding it later. This includes encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access controls, comprehensive audit logging, multi-factor authentication, and automated backup. We implement controls from FedRAMP, StateRAMP, NIST, CJIS Security Policy, and other frameworks as needed. Our development follows secure coding practices with regular security testing. We conduct security reviews and penetration testing before launch. All staff working on government projects undergo background checks. We help agencies document their security posture for audits and authorization processes. The specific controls depend on your data classification and compliance requirements.

Yes, that's one of our specialties. We've integrated with decades-old mainframe systems, AS/400, DOS applications, and every major government software platform. Integration approaches include APIs for modern systems, database connections for direct data access, file-based integration for batch transfers, and robotic process automation for systems without technical integration options. Many agencies assume their legacy systems must be completely replaced. We can often extend legacy system life by integrating them with modern interfaces and workflows. This provides better user experience without the cost and risk of complete replacement. We assess your systems during discovery and recommend the most reliable and maintainable integration approach.

You own all source code, documentation, and intellectual property we develop for you. Everything is provided in standard formats that any qualified development team can maintain. We use widely-adopted technologies (not proprietary frameworks) ensuring long-term supportability. You can host the software on your infrastructure or ours - your choice. There are no vendor lock-in mechanisms or proprietary dependencies. We've had clients successfully transition software to internal IT teams or other vendors. That said, most clients continue working with us because we provide excellent support and understand their systems intimately. But you're never locked in - that's a core principle of how we work with government agencies.

Yes, we offer maintenance and support agreements covering bug fixes, security updates, minor enhancements, and technical support. Typical agreements run $1,500-$5,000 monthly depending on system complexity and support level. This includes priority response times, regular security patches, and a certain number of development hours for minor changes. Major feature additions are quoted separately. We also offer staff augmentation where our developers work as extensions of your IT team on an hourly or retainer basis. Many agencies handle basic maintenance internally and engage us for larger enhancements or when they need additional capacity. The model that works best depends on your internal IT capabilities and budget.

We work through multiple procurement methods including competitive RFPs, sole source justifications, piggybacking off cooperative contracts, and state purchasing agreements. We help agencies prepare procurement documents including scopes of work, evaluation criteria, and budget justifications. Our fixed-price contracts eliminate the cost uncertainty that makes government procurement challenging. We're experienced with government contracting requirements including insurance, bonding, and compliance documentation. We understand the approval processes and can work with your procurement and legal teams to structure agreements that meet your requirements. Most engagements start with a discovery phase (2-4 weeks, $15K-$25K) defining detailed requirements before we quote the full project.