NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
	Contact: Kelly Hokkanen InforME/Maine.gov kelly@informe.org 207-621-2600 x28

AUGUSTA, Maine – March 6, 2009 – Governor John E. Baldacci today unveiled an improved version of the State Web page dedicated to the federal Recovery Act.  Through the enhanced site, http://www.MaineRecovery.gov, Mainers can access up-to-date information about where and how federal recovery funds are dispersed.

“Maine people expect and deserve access on the impact of the Recovery Act,” said Governor Baldacci.  “This improved Web page provides clear information about how the funds will be spent in a user-friendly format.”

The original Web page was launched on February 4 as a clearinghouse of information and resources for tracking the federal Recovery Act’s progress in Congress and actions taken by State government related to the Recovery Act. 

  The updated site currently offers:

• A graphical interface displaying allocation of funding in several categories for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act;
• Information about state programs that will receive funding through the federal stimulus law;
• Additional resources for the public regarding stimulus allocation and expenditures; and
• Easy access to agency-specific stimulus Web pages and current stimulus data.

The public may offer comments and feedback through the site related to Maine’s recovery spending and the effectiveness of the MaineRecovery.gov Web site.

“This Web site brings accountability and information to the public in an unprecedented fashion for the State of Maine,” said Richard Thompson, Maine’s Chief Information Officer. “The site released today is only the beginning of this effort. Information will be updated frequently and more detailed data will be available on the site soon. Online services of this nature deliver on the State’s commitment to using the Web to deliver information more efficiently, while having a significant public impact and making government more accessible.”

Site visitors eventually will be able to view dynamic information about any project funded by stimulus funds, including total dollars allocated and spent, location, percent complete, and contract and payment details. Users will be able to search by category, agency, and other criteria, and will be able to export resulting data into various report formats.

  The new Web site is being developed under the direction of Governor John Baldacci, Ryan Low, Commissioner of The Department of Administrative & Financial Services (DAFS), and Richard Thompson, Chief Information Officer, in partnership with InforME, the state’s e-government portal provider.

  About Maine.gov
Maine.gov is the official Web portal of the state of Maine (http://www.Maine.gov) and a seven-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 (InforME), a collaborative effort between the State of Maine and Maine Information Network, LLC that helps Maine's governmental entities provide information and services electronically. Maine.gov was built and is operated, maintained and marketed by Maine Information Network, 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 2,900 federal, state, and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.

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