Granicus Releases New Software-as-a-Service Platform and Applications for Government

New Solutions Help Government Increase Transparency, Efficiency, and Citizen Participation

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May 27, 2010, 12:10 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Granicus, the leading provider of transparency, efficiency, and citizen participation solutions for government, today announced the release of the Granicus® Open Platform, a new software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. The platform provides government agencies at the local, state, and federal level the tools they need to manage and broadcast rich-media online and engage citizens in the democratic process in new ways. Additionally, Granicus has released five new application suites which can be added to the platform at any time to enhance information and service delivery.

"Across the country agencies are seeing lower tax revenues and shrinking budgets, while citizens are demanding better services," says Tom Spengler, CEO and Co-Founder. "As a result, Granicus is offering governments a new, low cost way to take advantage of the operational efficiency that SaaS has offered the corporate world over the past few years. No other cloud service provider had the government focus or technical expertise to do this."

Granicus offers the first cloud platform and suite of applications designed specifically for agencies that want to take advantage of the convenience of web-based solutions. It enables them to connect with citizens in meaningful new ways online, over mobile devices, or social networks. Also, it helps boost staff efficiency and control costs through automated online processes that can be managed at anytime, from any location.

With Granicus, agencies can share meetings, events, original programs, and trainings – all through a convenient web portal. The City of Superior, Wisconsin recently deployed the Open Platform to increase citizen involvement in public meetings. Already, more citizens are watching meetings through their website and they are receiving fewer public information requests.

The platform easily scales with the addition of new application suites that streamline essential government activities and improve communications:

"Cloud computing initiatives in government are increasing in popularity. Our open platform makes the cloud accessible and useful for any government," adds Spengler. "Agencies can share and manage information with greater openness and effectiveness across multiple systems and communication channels."

Granicus' newest solutions are built-on 10-years of proven technology and experience that are trusted by nearly 700 government agencies of all sizes and in all 50 states. For agencies on a budget, pricing starts as low as $300 per month, with no upfront costs. As a cloud service, there is no software to deploy or hardware to maintain. To get more information about the new offering or to request a quote visit www.granicus.com or call us at 415-357-3618.

About Granicus

Granicus, Inc. is an award-winning provider of software-as-as-service for government. Its media and content management solutions help agencies engage and inform broader audiences through online workflows that improve productivity and save money.

SOURCE Granicus