Government Digital Services
Government digital services replace paper forms, counter visits, and siloed registries with online services citizens can actually use. StepTo builds citizen portals, case management systems, and registry integrations for agencies, municipalities, and the prime contractors that serve them—engineered to EU standards for accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA, EN 301 549), data protection (GDPR), and security. Serbian engineering rates of $35–75/hr stretch fixed public budgets 40–60% further than Western European integrators.
GovTech Solutions We Build
- Citizen service portals: Online applications for permits, licences, benefits, and certificates—with document upload, e-signature, payment, status tracking, and notifications.
- Case management for back offices: Workflow engines for clerks and inspectors: assignment, deadlines, approvals, document generation, and full audit trails for administrative review.
- Registry & data systems: Modern registries with versioned records, API access for other agencies, and migration from legacy databases and paper archives.
- Open data & transparency dashboards: Public-facing statistics, budget visualisations, and machine-readable data publishing.
- Interoperability layers: API gateways and message buses connecting agency systems, national registries, eIDAS-compliant e-ID, and payment infrastructure.
- Legacy modernisation: Strangler-pattern replacement of aging systems while daily operations continue uninterrupted.
Compliance & Security Standards
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549 per the EU Web Accessibility Directive, verified with assistive technology testing; Section 508 for US work.
- Data protection: GDPR by design—data minimisation, retention schedules, subject access tooling, and records of processing.
- Security: Role-based access, audit logging, encryption at rest and in transit, ISO 27001-aligned processes, and support for accreditation and penetration testing.
- Hosting flexibility: National government clouds, EU-region AWS/Azure, or on-premise deployment where sovereignty rules require it.
Engagement Models & Pricing
- Fixed-scope delivery: Single-service portals from $60,000–$150,000 (4–7 months); multi-service platforms $200,000–$500,000+—priced and documented to fit procurement requirements.
- Subcontracted engineering: Delivery teams for prime contractors bidding on tenders, with the technical documentation the bid demands.
- Dedicated team: From $13,500/month for long-running programmes—see pricing and our dedicated team model.
- Staff augmentation: From $4,500/month per engineer to reinforce in-house or contractor teams.
Why StepTo for Public Sector Work?
- Standards-first delivery: Accessibility, data protection, and audit requirements are treated as acceptance criteria from sprint one—not retrofitted before go-live.
- Documentation discipline: Architecture records, operations manuals, and handover documentation that survive staff turnover and administrative audits.
- Budget efficiency: Nearshore rates let agencies deliver more services within fixed appropriations.
- EU-adjacent, CET timezone: Serbian teams work your working day, with data residency options that satisfy EU hosting policies.
FAQ: Government Digital Services
- How much does a citizen portal or e-government project cost?
- A single-service portal—for example, online permit applications with document upload, status tracking, and payment—typically costs $60,000–$150,000 over 4–7 months. Multi-service platforms with registry integration, e-ID login, and case management for back-office staff range from $200,000 to $500,000+. StepTo’s $35–75/hr rates typically come in 40–60% below Western European system integrators, which matters within fixed public budgets.
- Can you meet public-sector accessibility requirements?
- Yes. We build to WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549, which the EU Web Accessibility Directive mandates for public-sector websites and apps, and Section 508 for US government work. Accessibility is tested with screen readers and keyboard-only navigation before each release, and we produce the accessibility statement your agency is required to publish.
- How do you handle security and data protection for government systems?
- GDPR-compliant data handling, role-based access with full audit trails, encryption in transit and at rest, and deployment into your national government cloud, an EU-region public cloud, or on-premise infrastructure as policy requires. We support ISO 27001-aligned development processes and cooperate with your security office on penetration testing and accreditation before go-live.
- Can you integrate with national registries and e-ID systems?
- Yes. Government services rarely stand alone—we integrate with civil, business, and address registries, document management systems, payment gateways, and national or eIDAS-compliant e-ID and e-signature schemes, using the interoperability buses and API standards your jurisdiction prescribes.
- Do you work through tenders and subcontracting?
- Both. We deliver directly to agencies and municipalities where procurement rules allow, and we frequently act as the engineering subcontractor for prime contractors and consultancies bidding on public tenders—providing the delivery team, technical documentation, and fixed-price commitments the bid requires.