NIC Inc. (EGOV) is a provider of outsourced e-government portals. The company builds and manages official government Web sites and e-government services for 21 states and hundreds of local government in the United States. NIC designs, manages, and markets e-Government services on behalf of state and local governments and establishes local offices to provide solutions for 2,800 agencies.

NIC announced last month that the company has joined the Connected Nation Partner Program in its efforts to improve broadband Internet availability and provide expanded access to online government services to rural areas. Connected Nation, a national, non-profit 503(c) organization, is widely recognized as the nation’s model for improving digital inclusion. Connected Nation expands access to and use of broadband Internet and the related technologies that are enabled when communities and family have the opportunity and desire to connect.

As part of the partnership, NIC will support Connected Nation’s efforts to get better online access and services to more people and students currently underserved. This partnership was piloted in the successful ConnectKentucky initiative in which NIC, the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and Connected Nation jointly identified 65 counties without a web presence. Each county was presented with an e-strategy, including a county website. Seventy new county websites were launched in a span of six months, bringing new, convenient services to the businesses and citizens of these counties.

Let us hear your thoughts below: