Bowser Administration Unveils Reimagined DC.gov, Built for the Way Residents Live Today

WASHINGTON, DC - For the first time in more than a decade, DC.gov has a new look - and a smarter way to access it. Today, the Bowser Administration announced the beta launch of a redesigned DC.gov, a service-first portal that consolidates agency content and makes it easier for DC residents, employees, businesses, and visitors to find what they need. The beta dc.gov site features real-time content updates, enhanced visibility for District leadership and high-impact programs, and consolidated agency content in a single, cohesive portal.

"The beta launch of DC.gov is more than a website update - it's a signal of where we're headed. This moment reflects our commitment to building digital infrastructure that is inclusive, accessible, and ready for the DC of tomorrow," said Stephen N. Miller, Chief Technology Officer, District of Columbia. "From responsible AI governance to modernized services that nearly 700,000 residents depend on, we're not just celebrating what this administration has built - we're building toward what comes next."

The launch coincides with Internet Safety Month, observed each June - a fitting backdrop for a platform engineered with security as a foundational priority. The redesigned DC.gov is built on Drupal 11, the latest major release of the world's leading open-source government content management system, providing enterprise-grade security and reliability for public-sector digital infrastructure. Drupal 11 comes with stronger built-in security features that help protect websites without relying on additional modules. It now includes two-factor authentication, better controls to prevent multiple logins from different locations, and broader support for modern security headers. Together, these upgrades make DC.gov more secure against new and evolving cyber threats.

As part of the redesigned DC.gov, the District is introducing a streamlined, service-first portal that consolidates agency content and gives residents, businesses, employees, and visitors a single destination to find government services and information. Rather than navigating multiple sites or manually scanning menus, residents can more easily access what they need in one place. The redesigned DC.gov introduces a suite of new features and improvements built around how residents actually engage the District government:

• Integrated Calendar & Live Events: A fully integrated events calendar with neighborhood-level discovery across the District.
• Featured curated sections on seasonal government services: everything from summer programs, leaf season, and the snow team, to business support and much more.
• Multilingual Access: Automatic full-site translation via Google Translate - a major upgrade from the manually translated pages on the prior site.
• Accessible Design: A design built to continue meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for accessibility standards.

To ensure the redesigned DC.gov continues to reflect the needs of all District residents, OCTO is launching a structured resident engagement initiative following the beta release, starting on Friday, June 19. See a full list at beta.dc.gov/events. Using a multi-channel approach, including an online survey and in-person public events across the District, the initiative is designed to capture diverse, representative input from the communities DC.gov serves. Over the summer the team will collect data to assess usability, trust, and overall resident satisfaction. Findings will directly inform future design improvements, with a focus on ensuring broad demographic representation and centering residents in every phase of the site's continued development. AI-powered search, built on Google's AI in Search technology, will be featured shortly after the official launch and resident engagement will help improve search responsiveness over time. The launch reflects OCTO's broader commitment to deploying AI responsibly in service of every District resident.

DC residents are invited to explore beta.dc.gov and share feedback to help shape final optimizations before full release at s.dc.gov/beta-redesign-public-feedback.

About the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer:

The Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is the central technology organization of the District of Columbia Government. OCTO develops, implements, and maintains the District's technology infrastructure; develops and implements major enterprise applications; establishes and oversees technology policies and standards for the District; provides technology services and support for District agencies, and develops technology solutions to improve services to businesses, residents and visitors in all areas of District government. For more information, visit octo.dc.gov.

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