Moscow seeking firm to develop blockchain system for admin services

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The capital city of Russia is looking for a contractor to help develop and host a blockchain-based system for its administrative services. According to the Moscow Department of Information Technology, the city is looking for a firm that will be able to build a system using Ethereum blockchain-based technology that will host additional digital services that are offered to residents of the city.

According to a report on Open Media, some electronic services that are currently offered to Muscovites will be hosted by the new platform. Services that are expected to be accessible using the hosting platform will include property sales, rental agreements, and titles, allocation of slots at the city’s farmers market, and other similar related services. It is expected that the development cost related to creating the system will cost about 57 million Russian rubles ($860,000).

It is expected that the platform will be designed and implemented within 60 days after a contractor has been approved. In a statement, the IT Department explained that they were looking to improve the confidence of the public in the electronic services offered by the city. The hope is that by boosting the transparency and efficiency using blockchain technology that they will be able to accomplish this goal.

To add to the efficiency, the new platform will be integrated with other blockchain-based systems Moscow is currently testing. This includes the “Active Citizen,” the new voting platform which allows Muscovites to voice their opinion about a wide variety of issues. This platform is expected to be used in the upcoming legislative election in Moscow, but in a limited trial area.

Currently, the plan is to allow residents in three different districts the opportunity to use the new platform to cast their vote. “Electronic voting is held in three constituencies in the election of deputies to the Moscow City Duma on September 8, 2019,” explained an announcement provided by the government. “Each voter in the pilot district will be able to choose how to vote.”

While only offered to about 6% of the total number of voters, the new platform is a big step toward creating a system that should enable all residence to more easily cast their vote in the future. This should create a more efficient system, as well as give voters greater confidence that the security involved in the voting system will have the highest degree of integrity.