The Government of the Future, Here Today
Thirteen
Federal Semifinalists for Innovations Awards
Offer e-Government at its Reinventing Best
By Charles
Rombeau
June 28, 2000
The use of information technology was predominant in an overwhelming majority of the 21 federal government initiatives named as semifinalists for this year’s prestigious 2000 Innovations in American Government Awards program. Thirteen of the 21 projects are already completely accessible on the World Wide Web. From search agents to software downloads, these initiatives, and their web sites, are setting the standard for the new e-government in the making.
Although most federal agencies provide at least some level of web services, these innovative web-centered programs — selected in part as models for others -- are providing better quality government services to citizens at lower costs.
The 21 federal programs are among a total of 96 government jurisdictions named as semifinalists from among 1,300 applications. The 96 range in size from large federal agencies to small rural counties.
Started in 1986, the Innovations Awards are sponsored by the Ford Foundation and administered by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government. The awards recognize government initiatives that are original and effective. The rigorous selection process is based on four criteria that are used to evaluate each application: originality of the approach; effectiveness in addressing important problems; value of services to clients; and the potential for replication in other jurisdictions.
In early September, the National Selection Committee will name 25 finalists.
On October 13, 2000, they will announce the ten winners who are then awarded
$100,000 each from the Ford Foundation. The remaining 15 finalists will
each receive $20,000.
Here are the websites of 13 of the 21 federal semifinalists:
Census Bureau
Department of
Commerce
The Bureau of the Census, at the millennium, is re-examining its responsibilities
for making its trove of societal data accessible to users. American FactFinder
provides versatile, pervasive access to its wealth of societal data, without
tedious manual searching of immense paper documents or CD-ROM compilations.
Brownfields
Economic Redevelopment Initiative
Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response
Environmental
Protection Agency
The Brownfields Initiative empowers citizens and encourages innovative
methods of cleaning and safely reusing blighted properties. It reflects
a new model of environmental protection which creates economically viable,
environmentally sound, self-sustaining communities.
Community
College Institute
Office of Science
Department of
Energy
The Community College Institute was created to provide the largest population
of undergraduate students in our country with science/technical experience
that would bring them into the mainstream of the workforce. This goal
was accomplished by incorporating new Internet technologies, grassroots
recruiting, and on-going communications among students, faculty, laboratory
scientists, and DOE program managers.
Enterprise
Initiative
Forest Service
Department of
Agriculture
The Forest Service has proven it can transform the way it works. Applying
solid business principles, it has implemented an innovative program that
engenders increased efficiencies and market-based incentives, benefiting
management and employees.
Environmental
Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking
Office of Environmental Information
Environmental
Protection Agency
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT)
is an interagency program that works with communities to provide residents
with current and reliable local environmental information. EMPACT projects
provide information to millions of people in the United States enabling
them to make informed decisions about activities and behaviors as they
relate to environmental conditions and concerns.
Environmental
Technology Verification Program
Office of Research and Development
Environmental
Protection Agency
By working with public and private sector partners to make credible environmental
technology information available to decision makers, the Environmental
Technology Verification Program enables more widespread adoption of improved
technology to meet the national goal of protecting human health and the
environment.
Fast
Track Program
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology &
Logistics) Department of Defense
Fast Track is a bold experiment in public-private collaboration to enable
small companies to develop commercially successful new technologies.
HOPE
VI Mixed-Finance Public Housing
Public and Indian Housing
Department of
Housing and Urban Development
HOPE VI is transforming the fundamentals of public housing in the United
States by using public and private development resources to replace the
bleak, isolated public housing of the past with attractive new mixed-income
communities. HOPE VI partnerships help residents achieve self-sufficiency
and spur housing authorities to higher standards of housing design, finance,
and management.
Interactive
Software Advisors
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Department of
Labor
The Advisors are a suite of expert software programs available for free
on OSHA’s web site. They enable businesses to answer a few simple
questions and receive reliable answers on how volumes of government regulations
apply to their unique workplaces.
Partnership for a Sustainable Campus
Office of Administration & Resources Management
Environmental
Protection Agency
In building its largest facility outside Washington, the EPA decided to
create a model of sustainable design and construction. The result is a
state-of-the-art, sustainable campus that provides tremendous educational
opportunities, encourages market development of more sustainable products
and services, and demonstrates that environmental and economic objectives
can be met without compromising quality.
Service
First
Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior
Service First merges the services of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service at the local level. It is a model for how several natural resource agencies and jurisdictions may overcome significant statutory, policy, and operational barriers to provide a single, common sense source of service to taxpayers and citizens, while protecting the integrity and productivity of government-owned lands.
Trademark
Electronic Application System
Patent and Trademark Office
Department of
Commerce
The Patent and Trademark Office provides access to a comprehensive, interactive
web-based electronic application that enables all users, from those with
little trademark knowledge to experienced attorneys, to file for federal
trademark registrations on-line.
Youthbuild
Office of Community Planning and Development
Department of
Housing and Urban Development
The Youthbuild program offers a comprehensive approach to ending joblessness
by combining academic and vocational training for high school dropouts
while producing homes for low-income persons.
For More Information
The John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Council for Excellence in Government
Related Resources
Twenty-One Federal Initiatives Named Semifinalists for Innovations Awards
Compiled by Charles Rombeau. Charles is an intern with the communications team of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. E-mail questions or comments to Charles.Lee.Rombeau@npr.gov.