Phase2 Launches Open Public 1.0 to Advance Digital Government Initiatives


ALEXANDRIA, VA--(Marketwired - Sep 29, 2014) - Phase2, a digital technology agency delivering integrated web products for content management, collaboration and interactive experiences across the public, private and non-profit sectors, is launching OpenPublic 1.0, a Drupal-based content management system (CMS) tailored to open government initiatives. An evolved approach to open source CMS, OpenPublic 1.0 packages government-focused functionality in a secure, intuitive App-based Drupal distribution. Phase2 is partnering with Acquia to deliver a secure, cloud development platform for OpenPublic packages.

OpenPublic 1.0 breaks the mold of government CMS by encapsulating all functionality in a clean collection of Apps, simplifying all of the distribution's powerful out-of-the-box functionality. By using Acquia's open cloud platform, OpenPublic enables US government agencies to achieve and sustain compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

"Technologies like Drupal have enabled governments to become more open by sharing greater volumes of content online. The next step is to utilize it to spur citizen engagement and provide improved digital experiences," said Jeff Walpole, CEO of Phase2. "OpenPublic 1.0 is an excellent example of an open source solution that facilitates this engagement without compromising security, accessibility, and flexibility."

OpenPublic was specifically designed to easily and efficiently deploy a web presence across multiple agency sites. San Mateo County, for example, uses OpenPublic to support a streamlined platform of more than twenty departmental websites, each with different content needs and functionality requirements. Flexibility and administrative control is crucial.

"OpenPublic allowed the County to maintain a strong central brand while meeting user demand for autonomy and flexibility," said Beverly Thames, Content and Collaboration Manager for San Mateo County. "County leadership could only be convinced to adopt open source if they were assured the system was secure and accessible, OpenPublic delivered both."

"Open source, community-driven solutions like OpenPublic are leading the way to government transparency," said Dries Buytaert, CTO of Acquia and creator of Drupal. "They help agencies and organizations improve efficiency and increase sharing of information while making government content more accessible."

Since 2011, multiple government agencies and public sector organizations, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Wilson Center, the Georgia Technology Authority and San Mateo County, Calif., have successfully used OpenPublic to drive digital outcomes and increase civic engagement. OpenPublic 1.0 reflects the advancement and maturity of the product to a full 1.0 release.

The OpenPublic distribution can be downloaded from Drupal.org.

About Phase2
Phase2 is one of the most trusted digital agencies focused on open technology. Organizations like the Department of Energy, Red Hat, Harvard Business School, NBCUniversal and the Robin Hood Foundation use Phase2's integrated web products and systems to transform the way their users experience content and their teams work together. Founded in 2001, Phase2 designs and builds the world's most powerful content systems, collaboration solutions, and interactive experiences. Phase2 is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, and has offices in New York, San Francisco, and Portland. For more about Phase2, visit http://www.phase2technology.com.

About Acquia
Acquia is the digital business company. The Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the State of Georgia, Pinterest and Stanford University are among the more than 4,000 organizations that are transforming their digital businesses with Acquia's open platform for integrated digital experiences. Global 2000 enterprises, government agencies and NGOs rely on Acquia to create new revenue streams, lower costs, and engage audiences more deeply through content, community, commerce and context.

For more information visit www.acquia.com or call +1 781 238 8600.

Contact Information:

Media Contact
Sara Olson
Marketing Analyst
Phase2

(443)745-0578