Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 26, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Access Washington wins 'Best of the Web' award

OLYMPIA — Access Washington, the state's Internet portal launched by Gov. Gary Locke last November, is the winner of Government Technology's "Best of the Web" contest. The nation's best state government website earns a $5,000 award for the state of Washington. The award will be presented Sept. 15 during Government Technology Conference East. Websites were evaluated on innovation, efficiency, economy and use.

"This national award acknowledges our achievement in delivering faster, better customer service for Washington's citizens — online and at less cost," said Locke. "Using the tools of the digital age, we're giving people convenient access to government information and services. Businesses, for example, can file and pay taxes electronically, and people can find jobs with the click of a mouse."

Developed and managed by the Department of Information Services (DIS), Access Washington shows how government should work today — quickly, responsively and accessibly. People can access government information and services on their own time and at their convenience, 24 hours a day, without leaving home and having to wait in line. Government agencies save staff time and other resources. Changing features freshen the portal daily and innovate it beyond a typical government website: state government news, winning Lottery numbers, and interactive features like digital "postcards," the "Wa Wiz Quiz" and "Just for Kids." The Year 2000 button leads to information that can help with decisions about the Year 2000 date change.

Serving as a portal to more than 130 state agencies, boards and commissions, the site indexes government information in a manner friendly to users and adds a new level of transaction-based services.

"Our launch of Access Washington raised the state's electronic commerce capabilities to a new level," said Clare Donahue, acting DIS director. "This award-winning use of the Internet is key in Washington's drive to realize the promise of digital government."

In July, the state's web portal won an award for Outstanding Information Technology Achievement in the Service Applications category from the National Association of State Information Resource Executives. In April, Access Washington won the prestigious Business On The Internet (BOTI) Award for Best Public Service Site.

Washington leads the nation in the use of information technology to deliver services to citizens and improve government operations. Washington won the Digital State Award two years in a row from the Progress and Freedom Foundation. The Progressive Policy Institute based in Washington, D.C. ranked Washington as the nation's top state for use of digital technologies in The State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States. Washington also was the only state in the nation to receive an "A" grade in technology from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

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