PreviousNext, an Australian  website strategy, design and development firm, has launched a free Drupal CMS platform specifically designed to meet Australian Government mandatory web requirements.

It says aGov is a free open source platform that ensures all government sites are Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0 Level AA) compliant, and provides a full set of common website features delivered via a responsive mobile device interface.

PreviousNext co-founder, Owen Lansbury says, "aGov contains all of the essential CMS features Australian Government organisations require, including rich content editing and asset management, customisable workflow, scheduled publishing and automated services for WCAG testing and website archiving. 

“Users can launch a fully featured website in under 10 minutes, meaning their efforts can be directed to content development and custom functionality. We see aGov as a significant game-changer at a time when the move to Drupal is proceeding at a rapid pace within government organisations."

aGov provides a base set of WCAG compliant user interface designs, functionality and features that can be reused as the basis for any new Australian Government website. For departments and agencies at a federal, state and local level, this will mean a large proportion of the work for any new Drupal website is already completed, resulting in cost savings of up to $50,000 on a normal project.

PreviousNext expects the distribution will meet the majority of core requirements for standard government websites in the base installation, and provide a solid foundation for more complex websites requiring enhanced features and customisation. An extended warranty program will also be available for customers seeking the assurance of a commercially supported platform.

A formal Beta release program will be conducted for aGov during November 2012 prior to a full public release on Drupal.org. PreviousNext is currently seeking Beta testers working within government organisations to evaluate aGov, with signup details available at http://aGov.com.au.