This week the State of Arkansas announced that its official website, Arkansas.gov, has been named the third best state government website in the country in the annual “Best of the Web” competition sponsored by the Center for Digital Government. This marks the ninth year in a row the state portal has received a top 10 national ranking, including its first place win in 2011.
“Arkansas is focused on making government accessible to our increasingly mobile-connected citizens anytime, anywhere, from any online device”
Arkansas.gov was recognized for its innovative technology, ease of use, modern design and mobile payment services. The site was completely redesigned in May 2013 with a mobile-friendly layout, smart search features and the nation’s first SMS government assistant.
“Arkansas is focused on making government accessible to our increasingly mobile-connected citizens anytime, anywhere, from any online device,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “This state has a rich history of innovation, and I am proud that Arkansas has received this honor, which will reinforce our position as a national leader in online government.”
As the single, comprehensive online government resource for the state, Arkansas.gov provides more than 1,200 online services and websites for state and local government agencies. All of the services are provided by the Information Network of Arkansas through flexible funding models, often at no cost to the State.
The Center for Digital Government has honored the best state websites in the country for the past 15 years. Arkansas.gov has placed in the top 10 for each of the past nine years, winning third in 2009, second in 2010 and first in 2011. This year the state also received three other high-profile accolades from the Center for Digital Government: a Digital Government Achievement Award for an Arkansas Secretary of State digital automation project, a Best Fit Integrator Award for the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s YOUniversal Financial Aid System, and a high B+ ranking in the Digital States Survey.
About The Information Network of Arkansas (INA)
The Information Network of Arkansas (INA) is a public-private partnership between the state of Arkansas and the Arkansas Information Consortium (AIC) that helps state government entities Web-enable their information services. Little Rock-based AIC is part of e-Government firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies. INA operates Arkansas.gov, the official website of the state of Arkansas, which offers more than 1,200 state and local online services.
About NIC
Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation’s leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company’s innovative eGovernment services help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the “100 Best Small Companies in America” five times, most recently ranked at No. 11 (2013), and the company has been included four times on the Barron’s 400 Index. Additional information is available at http://www.egov.com.