Montana Department of Justice Receives National eGovernment Award

Business Wire, Sept 17, 2008

HELENA, Mont. -- The Center for Digital Government recently named a Montana Department of Justice online service one of the best government-to-business solutions in the nation in its 2008 Best of the Web Digital Government Achievement Awards.

The Gambling Control Division's Video Gambling Machine Service was recognized for allowing businesses with gambling machines to submit meter readings, enter tax payments, submit permit applications, enter letters of withdrawal, and renew annual permits online. The service is accessible through Montana's official Web site at http://www.mt.gov.

"This online service has been a winner for the Gambling Control Division as well as the people we regulate and collect taxes from," said Gene Huntington, Gambling Control Division administrator. "We have received more reliable and accurate tax reporting and it's also been a big improvement for the gaming industry in terms of convenience and efficiency."

The Best of the Web awards recognize agency and department services that enhance the ways constituents do business online. This year's award marked the sixth time the Center for Digital Government has recognized a Montana state government online service.

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Judges for this year's awards included representatives from the Center for Digital Government and officials from the 2007 Best of the Web-winning state and local governments.

The award-winning service was cooperatively developed and is supported by the Department of Justice, the Department of Administration's Information Technology Services Division, FAST Enterprises, and Montana Interactive, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment provider NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV).

About Montana Interactive

Helena-based Montana Interactive built, operates, and maintains the state's eGovernment services that are available through the official Web site (http://www.mt.gov) and is a 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 2,900 state and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.