Two of Maine's official Web sites have been singled out in the 2003 Best of the Web national competition for eGovernment excellence. The state's official portal (www.Maine.gov) was ranked second among a field of more than 260 public sector Web sites, and the online government services offered by Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky (www.Maine.gov/sos) were also recognized in the constitutional officer category. The 2003 Best of the Web competition was conducted by the Center for Digital Government, an international research and advisory institute on the use of information technology in government. Now in its eighth year, Best of the Web evaluates government Web sites based on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality.
Maine has built one of the nation's most robust official Web portals through its innovative use of Internet technology. For the last four years, Maine's Web site has been ranked among the top four state eGovernment portals in the annual Best of the Web competition. The oversight InforME board provides direction and prioritization of Maine's portal directives.
"Maine continues to find new ways to use the Internet to help our citizens and businesses save time, and our commitment to excellence is again reflected in this year's Best of the Web rankings," said Governor John E. Baldacci. "The services offered by Maine.gov and the Secretary of State continue to raise the bar for all states, and I'm very proud of Maine's accomplishments."
Launched in August 1999, Maine's eGovernment portal receives approximately 4.5 million page hits per month and processed more than eight million online transactions last year. Maine.gov features more than 300 interactive services that help constituents interact more efficiently with government, including Governor Baldacci's budget balancing tool, vehicle registration renewals, vanity plate availability checks, annual report filings, and fishing licenses. New England Interactive, an Augusta-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq:EGOV), manages the online services for both Maine.gov and the Secretary of State's Web site.
"Government portals are truly becoming the citizen gateway to services as sites become more robust and easier to navigate," said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. "Maine's consistent presence at the top of the Best of the Web rankings reflects the state's true commitment to serving its citizens and businesses."
The online services offered by Maine's Secretary of State were also recognized for excellence among state constitutional officer eGovernment applications. Among the online solutions offered by the Secretary of State are a suite of Uniform Commercial Code services, interactive corporate services, and vehicle tag renewal applications.
"We use the Internet to get faster results for citizens and businesses," said Secretary of State Dan A. Gwadosky. "While it's an honor to have our efforts recognized in Best of the Web, the real winners are the Maine businesses and citizens who take advantage of these timesaving eGovernment services."
"It's an honor to be a part of a winning team," said Carrie Gott, general manager of Maine.gov. "We salute Governor Baldacci, Secretary Gwadosky, and everyone in Maine state government for their commitment to using technology to enhance constituent services."
Representatives from the Center for Digital Government, Government Technology magazine, State Technology, Inc., and state and local government officials from Virginia and Tampa, Florida, were on the judging panel for the 2003 Best of the Web contest.
Quelle: Business Wire
