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"Arkansas.gov" Named One of Best State Web Sites in the Nation

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The official Web site of the State of Arkansas (www.Arkansas.gov) has again been named one of the best state government sites in the nation. Arkansas.gov received third-place ranking by the Center for Digital Government in its annual national competition, Best of the Web. Government Web sites are evaluated based on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy and functionality.

A featured service in the new portal is Arkansas Works, a one-stop workforce portal designed to help Arkansans find jobs or education and training opportunities in the State.

"Arkansas is constantly working to ensure that the Web portal is effectively delivering needed services to our citizens and businesses. This award recognizes our ongoing efforts to better serve the people of Arkansas," Gov. Mike Beebe stated.

In addition to the Best of the Web award, the Governor's Recovery Office earned top honors in the Digital Government Achievement Awards in the government-to-citizen category for the new www.Recovery.arkansas.gov portal, mobile and iPhone services. The Recovery services include the free "Arkansas.gov Recovery Project Search" iPhone application, available through the Apple iTunes Store. Arkansas is the first state government in the nation to develop and release an iPhone application with the ability to search and track projects funded with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration also received an honorable mention in the government-to-business category for its Commercial Driver Alcohol and Drug Reporting System. This application allows Arkansas businesses, which are required to report substance abuse test results to the State, the ability to report online through a secure portal. Businesses are also required to search the system prior to hiring commercial drivers. Again, Arkansas is the first state to create this real-time search and reporting system enabling businesses to act swiftly and efficiently during the hiring process.

"We are honored that the Center for Digital Government has once again recognized Arkansas as a leader in electronic government services," said Peggy Gram, Information Network of Arkansas Board Chair. "Providing services online that bring convenience and cost savings to citizens, businesses and government is our top priority."

About Arkansas.gov

Arkansas.gov is the official Web site of the State of Arkansas and a service of the Information Network of Arkansas. It is managed and operated without tax dollars through a public-private partnership between the State and the Arkansas Information Consortium, LLC a Little Rock-based official eGovernment partner for the State of Arkansas. The Arkansas Information Consortium is part of eGovernment firm NIC's (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.

Information Network of Arkansas
Arkansas.gov
Janet Grard, 501-324-8907
General Manager