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- What is eGovernment anyway?
eGovernment is the exchange of value, including services, programs and information, through an electronic medium, and includes interactions and relationships between:
- Government and citizens
- Government and public and private entities
- Government and employees
- What will eGovernment really do for USDA?
eGovernment is a fundamental transformation of the way USDA does business and it involves
everyone. eGovernment will enable USDA to:
- Better fulfill its mission
- Enhance the Department's citizen focus
- Unify, simplify, and reduce redundancy in the delivery of services, information, and programs
- Increase efficiency, effectiveness and accountability
- How will eGovernment enable USDA to do that?
- eGovernment will improve citizen's knowledge of, access to, and the delivery of, USDA information, programs, and services
- It will enhance collaboration with public and private entities to more effectively and
efficiently develop and deliver USDA information, programs, and services
- eGovernment will involve and empower employees to perform successfully
- Who is affected by eGovernment?
- USDA Employees
- Mission Areas, Agencies and Staff Offices
- Headquarters and the field including locations abroad
- USDA customers and general public
- USDA Industry and Business Partners
- State, Local, and other Federal Governments
- Domestic and International nonprofits
- Educational institutions
- Business and Trade Associations
- What's really driving this eGovernment initiative?
Citizens, nonprofits, industry and other business partners increasingly expect information and services to be available quickly, easily, and around the clock. They want easy payment and one-stop integrated services. From shopping online to their local ATM, citizens are getting this level of service from the private sector and now demand it from their government.
- Market and Industry Pressure
- Focus on marketing and trade expansion
- Food security threats demand rapid information transmission
- New market making functions
- Protecting farmers, rural communities, and poor families
- Citizen and Partner Expectations
- Farmers, rural communities and low-income families are increasing their use of electronic alternatives
- Business Partners need trusted information sources and ability to collaborate quickly
- Legislative/Executive Priorities
- President's Management Agenda, Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), the Freedom to E-File Act, the Clinger-Cohen Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act PRA)each provide pressures for Department and its agencies to be responsive to stakeholder demands
- Secretary Veneman's Food and Agricultural Policy: Taking Stock for the New Century
- Technology Innovations
eGovernment is enabled by a wide range of electronic, multimedia and digital solutions (technology). Such as:
- The Internet
- Personal Digital Assistants (i.e. Palm Pilots)
- Handheld Wireless Devices
- Machine to machine devices (i.e. Smart Tags)
- Digital Computer chips
- 1-800 numbers and Interactive Voice Response Systems
- Are there any examples of eGovernment at USDA now?
Yes! USDA has several eGovernment success stories including:
- Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for receiving food stamps - touching millions of lives
every day and optimizing the use of Federal, state and local dollars to ensure nutrition
programs serve those in need at the lowest possible cost
- Recreation.gov and Nutrition.gov offering interagency partnerships to improve the health
and well-being of the American people by making government information easily accessible,
easy to use, and in one place
- Robust agency Home Pages connecting employees, citizens, and business partners 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week
- Various online transactive applications promoting both accessibility and convenience
- Public data collections and surveys online reducing burden as well as expediting results
and analysis to aid in decision-making and policy formulation
- eLearning, distance learning, and videoconferencing technologies used to educate, train
and foster teamwork
- And many more!
- Who is monitoring the implementation progress of eGovernment at USDA?
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
- Congress
- General Accounting Office (GAO)
- How can I find out more about eGovernment at USDA and how can I get involved?
- Contact your eGovernment Working Group Representative
- Email the USDA eGovernment Team with a comment, question or suggestion at
egov@usda.gov
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