Virginia is among the first states in the nation to open the stimulus investment selection process to public participation. eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) partnered with the Commonwealth to develop and launch this new site which is powered by a Web-based project submission form and an open policy to publish all data feeds. NIC currently manages the Commonwealth of Virginia’s award-winning Web site www.Virginia.gov.
“Governor Kaine shares President Obama’s vision for a more transparent, participatory, and collaborative government,” said Aneesh Chopra, Virginia’s Secretary of Technology. “With today’s site launch, Virginians will not only have an opportunity to help shape the stimulus plan but to review all other submissions through open data feeds. We are very pleased to have NIC as a partner to understand this vision and help us make it happen.”
Stimulus.Virginia.Gov is the central portal and repository for citizens, groups, localities or others to submit proposals. Citizens are able to view proposals from the portal or through multiple downloadable formats to encourage greater civic participation.
“Virginia should be commended on its foresight to launch a place for citizen input on spending of federal funds,” said Harry Herington, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of NIC. “Virginia has been a great partner and we were honored that when it needed support for this vision, it turned to NIC. We are always committed to helping our partners, but especially in times they need it most.”
After the package becomes law, projects from Stimulus.Virginia.Gov will be identified that may qualify for funding. Projects will be evaluated and selected through a process similar to the way Virginia develops its biennial budget. In some cases, the information will be sent to localities and other appropriate governmental entities because they will be responsible for prioritizing projects.
The Commonwealth is currently accepting proposals submitted through the Web site with an end date to be determined and announced when conditions and stipulations of the final economic stimulus package are known. More than 400 proposals have already been received.
About Virginia.gov
Virginia.gov is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official homepage (www.Virginia.gov) and is a collaborative effort between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Virginia Interactive, a Richmond-based wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV). Virginia.gov was built and is marketed, operated, and maintained by Virginia Interactive on behalf of the Commonwealth.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Nancy Beaton
Quelle/Source: Business Wire, 11.02.2009
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