City of Manhattan, Kansas Selects Oracle Permitting and Licensing to Streamline Regulatory Services and Improve Citizen Experiences

Rhea-AI Summary

Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) announced that the City of Manhattan, Kansas selected Oracle Permitting and Licensing (OPAL) to replace outdated systems and modernize regulatory services. The project covers planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement and will be designed and implemented over the next year with a target launch in summer 2026. Manhattan serves a regional population of 130,000. The cloud solution will provide an online portal, automated review workflows, real-time status updates, and built-in AI for faster approvals and improved citizen experience.

Positive

• Target launch in summer 2026
• Covers planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement in one system
• Serves a regional population of 130,000
• Built-in AI and integration with existing Oracle Cloud environment

Negative

• One-year implementation may cause temporary disruption during rollout
• City cited limited resources and tight budgets, implying fiscal constraints for implementation

Key Figures

Regional population 130,000 people Population served by City of Manhattan, Kansas

Planned launch Summer 2026 Target go‑live for Oracle permitting and licensing system

Market Reality Check

$178.46 Last Close

Volume Volume 32,112,278 is in line with 20-day average of 31,911,783 (relative volume 1.01). normal

Technical Shares at $188.65 are trading below the $213.15 200-day moving average and 45.43% below the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

ORCL gained 2.02% while peers were mixed: PLTR +3.36%, MSFT +0.95%, PANW +1.08%, but FFIV -0.98% and NTAP -1.21%, suggesting a more stock-specific move.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 15	Customer win	Positive	-2.7%	Healthcare providers adopting Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications for efficiency gains.
Dec 11	Cloud expansion	Positive	-10.8%	Launch of Oracle Database@Google Cloud services in Canadian regions.
Dec 11	Industry recognition	Positive	-10.8%	Named Leader in IDC MarketScape for utility meter data management.
Dec 11	Customer platform deal	Positive	-10.8%	Xcel Energy selecting Oracle Opower for personalized energy services.
Dec 10	Earnings release	Positive	+0.7%	Q2 FY2026 results with double‑digit revenue and EPS growth and dividend.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive news has often coincided with negative price reactions, except for a modest gain on earnings.

Recent Company History

Over the past week, Oracle reported strong Q2 FY2026 results with $16.1B total revenue and significant cloud and RPO growth, yet the stock reaction was only mildly positive. Subsequent positive announcements on healthcare cloud customers, Google Cloud database expansion in Canada, and a leadership ranking in utility meter data management all saw double‑digit percentage declines. Today’s government win in Manhattan, Kansas extends this theme of new cloud and SaaS adoptions, but follows a pattern where upbeat adoption and partnership news has not consistently translated into near‑term price strength.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement extends Oracle’s public sector cloud footprint, with Manhattan, Kansas adopting Oracle Permitting and Licensing to modernize regulatory workflows for a community of 130,000 people. It reinforces Oracle’s focus on AI-enabled, integrated platforms spanning planning, permitting, inspections, and code enforcement. In the broader context of recent cloud wins and strong Q2 FY2026 results, key factors to watch include additional municipal or state adoptions, execution on the planned summer 2026 launch, and how consistently such deployments translate into measurable revenue growth.

Key Terms

ai technical

"delivers continuous innovation such as built-in AI to our customers."

Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables machines to mimic human thinking and learning, allowing them to analyze information, recognize patterns, and make decisions. For investors, AI matters because it can improve how businesses operate, create new products, or identify opportunities faster and more accurately than humans alone, potentially impacting company success and market trends.

cloud technical

"Modern cloud platform streamlining government workflows, enhancing self-service"

A cloud is a network of remote computers and storage that companies rent over the internet instead of owning and running it themselves, like using a shared utility or leased warehouse for computing and data. Investors care because cloud services can lower upfront costs, allow faster growth or scale back during slow times, create steady subscription revenue, and concentrate operational or security risks that affect profitability and valuation.

code enforcement regulatory

"integrating planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement."

Code enforcement is the process by which government agencies inspect, monitor and require compliance with laws, standards and permits that govern buildings, land use, safety and public health. For investors, it matters because inspections, required fixes, fines or permit denials can change property values, delay projects and raise operating costs—like a safety inspector forcing repairs on a car before it can be driven, which affects its usefulness and expense.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Modern cloud platform streamlining government workflows, enhancing self-service, ensuring compliance, and accelerating approvals for economic growth

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Manhattan, Kansas, has selected Oracle Permitting and Licensing (OPAL) to transform regulatory services, streamline review and approval processes, and foster local economic growth. The solution will provide residential and commercial developers with a modern, intuitive online application process that can guide each applicant through regulatory requirements to help speed permitting and project approvals in this support thriving community. 

As the fourth-largest urban area in Kansas, Manhattan serves a regional population of 130,000 people and is home to major employers like Kansas State University and Fort Riley. To improve efficiency, the city decided to replace its outdated systems and manual processes. By implementing OPAL, Manhattan aims to radically enhance its revenue management and service delivery.

"We're entering a new era of regulatory efficiency that will unlock exciting possibilities for our community," said Jared Wasinger, Director of Technology and Communications of Manhattan, Kansas. "As a natural extension of our partnership with Oracle, we are adopting OPAL to make the experience of securing and managing permits and licenses more efficient, intuitive and simple for residents and businesses." 

With City Commission approval, Manhattan is partnering with Oracle to design and implement a comprehensive online permitting and licensing system over the next year. The new portal will guide applicants through regulatory requirements, automate review and approval workflows, and provide real-time project updates from preapplication to final approval. The city expects to launch the system in summer 2026, streamlining development review and integrating planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement.

"Local governments face mounting pressure to modernize regulatory services while operating with limited resources and tight budgets," said Simon Threlfall, general vice president for Emerging Markets, Oracle. "For existing Oracle Fusion application customers like Manhattan, OPAL is already in their Oracle Cloud environment. This accelerates time-to-value, streamlines their technology ecosystem, and delivers continuous innovation such as built-in AI to our customers."

Customers implementing OPAL benefit from:

• Streamlined Self-Service Experience: Enables residents, contractors, and businesses to easily submit applications, track status in real-time, and obtain approvals digitally through an intuitive online portal.
• Unified Regulatory Management: Consolidates planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement into one centralized cloud solution, allowing greater insights and decision-making from enhanced data collection and analytics.
• Improved Transparency and Engagement: Provides automated status updates, streamlined communication channels, and research and reporting tools that keep applicants informed throughout the entire process while enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Accelerated Economic Development: Simplifies business registration and licensing processes to attract new businesses, support existing enterprises, and foster community growth through faster, more efficient regulatory services.

Manhattan joins a growing number of municipalities that have adopted Oracle solutions to help transform government services. Similar implementations have enabled communities to process thousands of permits annually, reduce administrative burden, and improve citizen satisfaction.

Oracle Permitting and Licensing is a modern solution that delivers AI and other innovations to help transform government regulatory services.  To learn more about OPAL, please visit: https://www.oracle.com/government/statehttps://www.oracle.com/government/state-local/permitting-licensing-software/local/permitting-licensing-software/ 

About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com. 

Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing.  

 

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SOURCE Oracle

FAQ

What did Oracle (ORCL) announce about Manhattan, Kansas on December 17, 2025?

Oracle announced Manhattan selected Oracle Permitting and Licensing (OPAL) to modernize regulatory services, with implementation over the next year and a summer 2026 launch.

How will the OPAL implementation affect permits and approvals for Manhattan, Kansas (ORCL)?

OPAL will provide an online portal, automated review workflows, and real-time status updates to help speed permitting and project approvals.

Which municipal functions will Oracle (ORCL) integrate for Manhattan, Kansas?

The system will unify planning, permitting, inspections, licensing, and code enforcement into one cloud solution.

When does Manhattan expect to launch the Oracle (ORCL) permitting system?

The city expects to launch the new OPAL portal in summer 2026.

How many people will the Oracle (ORCL) implementation serve in Manhattan, Kansas?

Manhattan serves a regional population of approximately 130,000 people.

Will the Oracle (ORCL) solution use AI and integrate with existing systems?

Yes, OPAL includes built-in AI and is already available in existing Oracle Cloud environments for faster integration.