Accenture has launched a service-based technology platform, which it claims to help public agencies manage citizen services in an integrated manner and lower technology and management costs and improve service delivery.

According to Accenture, the public service platform integrates commercial as well as open source application components using an approach that enables updating and replacement with minimal impact, reducing clients’ maintenance costs.

By combining preconfigured public service components, the new platform addresses the requirements of multiple levels of government and individual public agencies for accelerated implementation, risk mitigation that reduces technological, operational, security and delivery risks, and flexibility and modularity, the company claims.

In addition, the platform includes ways for citizens to access the system, such as via telephone, self-service web sites and mobile devices; and helps agencies work collaboratively across departmental and agency boundaries by enabling cross-program and enterprise-wide offerings.

The company said that the platform uses technology architecture that is deployed with public and private sector clients. It includes layers such as, a portal-based user interface for multiple applications in one place; a rules engine that makes complex policy elements easy to maintain; service integration for consistent enterprise service delivery; and batch and reporting architecture.

David McCurley, managing director for global human services at Accenture, said: “Accenture’s public service platform, drawing on our service oriented architecture capabilities, is designed to address public agencies’ unique needs for flexibility, integration to enable agencies to better meet citizen needs, and reduced cost and risk, and provides those benefits without being tied to a specific vendor’s offerings.”