Maine`s Web Site Named One of Best in U.S.Maine Celebrates 10 Years of E-Government

Updated Web Site Launched to Provide New Tools
AUGUSTA, Maine--(Business Wire)--
In a ceremony at the State House today, the State of Maine celebrated the 10th
anniversary of its e-government initiative. Governor John E. Baldacci addressed
a group of State agency leaders and others and proclaimed today E-Government Day
in Maine. The award-winning Maine.gov Web site has been newly enhanced with
features to improve citizen and business access to government information,
including an updated design and innovative tools.

The Maine.gov Web site is maintained by the state`s e-government portal,
InforME, which began operating in April 1999 after a competitive procurement
process for the InforME Network Manager contract. The Maine State Legislature
enacted the Information Resource of Maine (InforME) Electronic Access to Public
Information Act on April 15, 1998, which called for the creation of a
public/private long-term partnership to operate a portal network, with the
mission to make government information and services available to the public
electronically.

InforME is a unique State initiative -- a self-supporting portal that provides
and enhances access to public information through e-government services. InforME
operates the State`s official Web site, www.Maine.gov, and builds online
services including data searches, filings, permits, licenses, mapping, and
reporting functions.

"The State of Maine Web portal provides online access to government information
in a way that is easy to use, saving time for Maine citizens and businesses,"
said Governor Baldacci. "The recent updates to the Web site support our goals
for more open and efficient government services."

InforME has worked with State and municipal agencies to implement more than 400
electronic services and has processed more than 50 million online transactions
since 1999. Maine.gov sets a national standard for state government Web sites,
having been ranked in the top four sites every year since 2000 for its design,
usability and online services.

The InforME Network Manager, Maine Information Network, LLC, entered into a
long-term zero-dollar contract with the state on April 15, 1999, and again on
March 14, 2008 after another procurement process.

"Maine Information Network over the past decade has performed an outstanding job
as our e-government partner," said Richard Thompson, Maine`s Chief Information
Officer. "MIN has helped drive the evolution of e-government in Maine. Maine.gov
displays the quality, usability, and accessibility that make it easy for all
citizens to access information and conduct business with the State."

For 2009, the Maine.gov site has a lighter, updated look incorporating a new
color scheme, new header, and featured services slideshows. Maine.gov is a
leader in advanced coding techniques ensuring that the portal layout is
flexible, cross-browser compatible, and fully accessible to all citizens
including those with disabilities.

Maine.gov now offers a Media Gallery, the one-stop location for state government
audio and video content. This new service provides convenience for the public
and is the nation`s first fully accessible state government multimedia solution
- all media files are automatically closed-captioned or transcribed.

Maine.gov DataShare is another exciting application for 2009. This new service
is an online library of free, public government datasets that can be downloaded
and used for research, analysis and application development. The application
promotes transparency and encourages public participation and collaboration, by
encouraging users to submit information about web applications they have created
for inclusion in a gallery of examples on the site. Maine is among the first
states in the nation to develop an open data repository, following the lead of
the federal government`s new Data.gov service.

About Maine.gov

Maine.gov (http://www.Maine.gov) is the official Web portal of the state of
Maine and an eight-time winner in the Center for Digital Government`s "Best of
the Web" competition. Maine.gov is a service of the Information Resource of
Maine, a collaborative effort between the state of Maine and Maine Information
Network, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

About NIC

NIC is the nation`s leading provider of official government portals, online
services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company`s innovative
eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government
agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. NIC provides eGovernment
solutions for more than 3000 federal, state, and local agencies that serve 97
million people in the United States. Additional information is available at
http://www.nicusa.com.

InforME/Maine.gov
Kelly Hokkanen, 207-621-2600
General Manager
kelly@informe.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009