Kansas.gov

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About Kansas.gov

Vision

To positively transform the relationship between citizens, business and governments through eGovernment applications and services.

Guiding Principles

• Access Anytime. Provide Kansas citizens and businesses 24-hour access to state government information and services.
• Accessibility. Ensure sites are accessible to people with disabilities.
• Cost Containment. Build a comprehensive electronic gateway to government information and transactions, and do so without using new tax dollars.
• Best Practices. Protect the privacy of users and fully inform them how their information will be used. Kansas.gov also uses industry best practices to protect the security of data transacted through the Web portal.
• Electronic Commerce. Focus on building electronic methods of doing business with government.

Facts

• Nearly 290,000 pages of information are available through Kansas.gov.
• Average more than 500,000 visits to Kansas.gov per month.
• Ranked #1 in the U.S. in 2001 for the delivery of eGovernment services by the Center for Digital Government.
• Ranked #2 in the U.S. – Sustained Leadership Award from 1997 – 2002.
• 90% of all UCC Searches through the KS Secretary of State are performed via the Internet.
• 99% of respondents to a WebFile survey said they feel confident in their online filing.
• More than 300 interactive services available to citizens and businesses.

History

Kansas is considered the birthplace of eGovernment. Kansas legislation (K.S.A. 74-9301 et seq.) was passed in 1990 authorizing the creation of the Information Network of Kansas, Inc. (INK). In 1991, INK awarded Kansas Information Consortium, LLC (now a subsidiary of NIC, Inc., [NASDAQ: EGOV]) the network manager contract and began eGovernment operations.

The first service provided in 1991 was an e-mail service for subscribers. Other services were added to meet the needs of a growing computerized government and business audience. In 1994, INK offered a wide range of electronic services including legislative legal, banking and educational services.

INK launched the official state Web site for Kansas in January 1995. Kansas had one of the first state sites in the U.S. In 1999, hunting and fishing licenses were made available online. INK launched a new state portal with the name accessKansas in 2000. In 2005, the portal was redesigned and renamed Kansas.gov.

Kansas has launched many new and varied Web-based applications including business filings, professional license renewals and license verifications. Kansas.gov continues to add services and information to improve online access to Kansas government. View a list of services.

Kansas.gov – Your government online, anytime!

Business Model

In 1991, the State of Kansas initiated one of the most successful business models in the country. This model is called a “self-funding portal.” The model is currently used in many states across the U.S. In this model the state incurs almost no costs, while the contracted Network Manager absorbs the technology risk and operational costs. In return the network manager develops eGovernment solutions that better enable citizens and businesses to interact with the state.

Organizational Structure

Kansas.gov operates under the authority of the Information Network of Kansas, Inc. (INK). INK was created by an act of the Kansas Legislature in 1990 to provide Kansans equal electronic access to state, county, local and other public information. INK provides Kansans equal access to governmental data via the Internet.

A ten-member board appointed by the Governor of Kansas administers the policy for INK. The board includes the Kansas Secretaries of State, Transportation and Revenue; the president of Kansas, Inc.; a representative from the Kansas Association of Libraries; and private Kansas citizens representing user groups. The board ensures information in the public domain is administered for the public good.

Public-Private Partnership

• The Information Network of Kansas, Inc. contracts with Kansas Information Consortium, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIC Inc., to be the network manager.
• NIC Inc., the leading eGovernment solutions provider, has similar agreements with many states.
• KIC provides state agencies with Web hosting, maintenance, application development and marketing support.
• KIC’s offices are located in the state capitol city, in downtown Topeka, Kansas.
• Primary funding for the portal comes from modest convenience fees and subscription fees for a select set of commercially-valuable information and services.
• Kansas.gov has not replaced the traditional methods of obtaining any government records or services. If any record or service is normally available for free, it can continue to be obtained for free through traditional methods of delivery.
• Most of the fee-based online services are geared toward business users. Research has shown businesses are willing to pay a fee for instant access to records that might otherwise take weeks to obtain.