NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
	Contact: Lynn DuBard Virginia.gov 804-692-0599 ldubard@virginiainteractive.org

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RICHMOND, Va. – November 29, 2005 – Virginia's official Web portal continues to be one of the most acclaimed state sites in the nation. Virginia.gov (www.Virginia.gov) was ranked the fifth best state Web site in the in the 2005 Best of the Web national competition for eGovernment achievement. This is the fifth year in which Virginia's official Web site has been a Best of the Web top five finalist.

The 2005 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 tenth year, Best of the Web evaluates government Web sites based on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality.

"This award demonstrates the Commonwealth of Virginia's ongoing commitment to using technology to better serve its citizens and businesses," said Governor Mark Warner. "Our consistent performance in Best of the Web is a tribute to all of the people who have played a role in building the Virginia.gov portal."

Virginia.gov offers more than 100 interactive government services, including online hunting and fishing licenses, legal plan sellers' registration, unemployment claims, and voter registration verification.

"Nearly half of Virginia.gov's online traffic takes place when government offices are closed, which is a clear indicator that Virginians have recognized the value of our eGovernment services," said Eugene Huang, Virginia's Secretary of Technology.

Launched in March 1998, Virginia.gov supports over 66 million visitor accesses per month on average and processed more than 50 million transactions in 2004. To maximize taxpayer return on investment, Virginia uses a self-funded solution to provide eGovernment services at no upfront cost to taxpayers. The state's official Web site is managed by Virginia Interactive, a Richmond-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

Two services offered through the Virginia state portal were also honored by the Digital Government Achievement Awards that are conducted in conjunction with the 2005 Best of the Web competition. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' outdoor license point-of-sale system that is available through Wal-Mart stores and other retailers received a Government-to-Citizen award, and the online project management dashboard services for several agencies won in the Government-to-Government category.

Representatives from the Center for Digital Government and officials from the 2004 Best of the Web-winning state and local governments in Maine, Fort Collins, Colorado, and Miami-Dade County, Florida, served as judges for the 2005 Best of the Web contest.

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, LCC. Virginia.gov was built and is marketed, operated, and maintained by Virginia Interactive, a Richmond-based wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC.

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 2,000 state and local agencies that serve more than 60 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.

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