Utah is the Place for Business; Utah.Gov's Business Portal Wins Second Place In the Best of the Web Nationwide Competition

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2004--It's official: Utah has one of the best business Web sites in the nation. The state's official business portal (http://business.Utah.gov), took home second place among government-to-business online services in the 2004 Best of the Web competition for Digital Government Achievement.

The 2004 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 ninth year, Best of the Web evaluates government Web sites based on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality. The Digital Government Achievement Awards recognize outstanding agency and department services that enhance how governments interact and transact business online with constituents.

“Utah was the first state to come out with a comprehensive, one-stop business site”

"We were very impressed with all the features on Business.Utah.Gov," says Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. "In judging this competition, we looked at the amount of work put into building the government Web sites, the innovation of the sites, and the return on investment. Business.Utah.Gov had the winning combination."

Utah Governor Olene S. Walker understands the importance of hard work, innovation, and return on investment. "Utah was the first state to come out with a comprehensive, one-stop business site," said Walker. "Business.Utah.Gov is now a nationally recognized Web site because we have made a commitment to serve both the citizens and businesses of this great state of ours."

Business.utah.gov is the premier business-focused government site where users can find information on every stage of a business's life cycle as well as business-related services. Key features of the portal include a unique business search, dynamic news content, and OneStop Business Registration, an online business registration system that incorporates federal, state, and local processes into a single streamlined process. Business.Utah.gov is a service of Utah.gov, the official Web site of the state of Utah.

"Most Utah businesses want an online, one-stop resource that presents the business solutions available through the state of Utah and beyond," said Utah Chief Information Officer Val Oveson. "I'm proud to say Business.Utah.gov is that resource."

Oveson accepted the Digital Government Achievement Award on behalf of the state at a ceremony in New York last week.

Representatives from the Center for Digital Government, Government Technology magazine, and officials from the 2003 Best of the Web-winning state and local governments in Utah, Washington, D.C., and Montgomery County, Maryland, served as judges for the 2004 Best of the Web competition and Digital Government Achievement Awards.

About Utah.gov

Utah.gov is the state of Utah's official Web portal (www.Utah.gov) and was ranked first in the nation in the Center for Digital Government's 2003 Best of the Web competition. The portal is a collaborative effort between the state of Utah and Utah Interactive, LLC. It was built and is marketed, operated, and maintained by Utah Interactive, a Salt Lake City-based wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 1,500 state and local agencies that serve more than 51 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.