About Public Works Digital

Building the future of government technology, one open commit at a time

Our Story

Public Works Digital was born from a simple observation: cities across America are getting a raw deal on technology. They're paying millions for software that doesn't work, can't be fixed, and locks them into relationships with vendors who have no incentive to improve.

We witnessed this firsthand through dysfunctional systems like parking violation apps that charge $24,000 a year just for "cloud storage" while remaining perpetually broken. Systems where a single developer holds cities hostage, where transparency is non-existent, and where citizens have no voice in the technology that governs their daily lives.

We knew there had to be a better way. And we found it in the open source model that has already transformed industries from banking to aerospace. Now, we're bringing that revolution to government.

Our Mission

Transparency First

Every line of code we write is public. Citizens deserve to see how their government's technology works, security researchers should be able to identify vulnerabilities, and other cities should benefit from shared solutions.

No Vendor Lock-in

Cities own their code. Period. They can modify it, hire someone else to maintain it, or take it in-house. We succeed by delivering value, not by holding data hostage.

Community Driven

We believe in the power of civic engagement. Our platforms enable citizens to report bugs, request features, and even contribute code. Government technology should be a conversation, not a black box.

Sustainable Business

We follow the proven commercial open source model. We charge fairly for implementation, support, and hosting—not for access to code. This aligns our incentives with our clients' success.

How We Work

1

Open Bidding

We participate in standard RFP processes, but with a twist: our proposals include links to our past work. You can see exactly what you're buying before you buy it.

2

Agile Development

We build in the open from day one. City staff and citizens can watch progress in real-time, provide feedback, and shape the direction of the project.

3

Professional Delivery

Open source doesn't mean amateur hour. We provide enterprise-grade deployment, comprehensive documentation, training, and ongoing support.

4

Community Growth

Post-launch, we help cities build ecosystems around their technology—engaging local developers, universities, and civic groups to ensure long-term sustainability.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

We're inspired by successful open source government initiatives worldwide:

  • Barcelona's Decidim platform has engaged 40,000+ citizens in direct democracy
  • Boston became the first US city to open source its entire website
  • The French Gendarmerie saved 40% on IT costs through open source adoption
  • 18F showed how modern development practices can transform government technology

We're also influenced by companies that have built sustainable businesses on open source: Red Hat (acquired for $34 billion), Elastic (worth $8 billion), and many others have proven that transparency and profitability aren't mutually exclusive.

Ready to join the movement?

Whether you're a city official tired of vendor lock-in, a developer who wants to contribute to civic technology, or a citizen who believes government should be transparent—we want to hear from you.

Get in Touch