We at GovExec.com have spent countless hours scientifically scouring the Web to find a handful of elite federal Web sites worthy of the honorable title "Best Feds on the Web."
OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but we certainly did give it our best shot. The process we used to make our choices for the top federal sites was somewhat less than fully scientific, and since there are literally thousands of feds on the Web we were destined to miss a few good ones. What follows, however, is a listing of the sites we thought went above and beyond the typical "home page."
Some of the better known and flashier federal sites didn't make the list because we felt they didn't go the extra mile to serve their customers. On the other hand, you may be surprised at some of the niche sites that did make the list because of their innovative online efforts.
Following are the review criteria we used. Best Feds on the Web must:
- Provide excellent customer service to the public by having a well-designed site that includes a large amount of useful information;
- Use the Web to improve business practices in their agencies or across government; and
- Make use of new technologies that other federal sites should consider emulating.
And now, this year's winners, in no particular order:
Army and Air Force Exchange Service
This highly developed electronic commerce site enables service members to order everything from military uniforms to CD players to Mother's Day bouquets, all from the convenience of their desktops. AAFES customers (active duty military members, retirees, reservists and their dependents) can even be notified of sales and special events via e-mail if they choose. It's like having a department store at your fingertips.
This easy-to-navigate, well-organized site leads veterans concerned about Gulf War illness in the right direction to get help. GulfLINK users can search a collection of recently declassified military and intelligence documents to retrieve information about the syndrome and find out what the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs are doing to help veterans. The current news section keeps veterans abreast of the latest developments.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
All you have to do is take one look at this site's button bar (a replica of a dashboard) and you know you're in for a treat. NHTSA goes out of its way to provide the most up-to-date, comprehensive information on traffic safety. One of the site's slickest features is a recall database, in which a driver can enter the year and make of their car and receive information on specific defects. Also available is an online form for drivers to submit vehicle problems and questions to NHTSA officials.
What we really liked about this site was its Medicare Compare feature, an interactive database for Medicare beneficiaries and people involved in their care. The database provides easy access to information about Medicare managed care plans, including premiums and types of services provided. Users can select two plans to view a side-by-side comparison of services, copayments and benefits.
This site certainly isn't flashy. In fact, the flaming logo on the front page is downright annoying. But IT Policy On-Ramp does what it's supposed to do: promote the strategic management and effective use of federal information technology. From its comprehensive Year 2000 directories to its federal Webmaster information exchange area, this site is everything a federal IT professional needs to survive.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
OK, we admit, this site just plain tugged at our heart strings. One look at the Missing Pets Network, complete with pictures and descriptions of lost and found animals, and we were smitten. But the rest of the site is just as useful. Animal and plant lovers can find out just how to go about importing a pet bird or which flower bulbs can be brought in from Canada and the Virgin Islands.
This sharp-looking site is, in our view, the cream of the military's crop. Not only are the photos and graphics crisp, but the information is current and comprehensive. Visitors can easily find information on the latest Air Force job openings and upcoming Air Force events. Air Force Link's images section is quite impressive as well, with photos of everything from a C-130 taking off to a chief master sergeant receiving his anthrax vaccination.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
This Department of Education site has little pizzazz, but it's truly innovative. In just a little more than an hour, a student can complete and submit a federal financial aid form online. Once that happens, the Education Department responds in as quickly as one week. Before the Internet came along, the student aid application process could take several weeks.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
When a natural disaster hits home, you want information and you want it fast. FEMA.gov provides it easily in its Disaster Assistance Section. Its Q&A format addresses key issues for disaster victims, such as "Where can I get food and water?" or "How can I get in touch with my family?" If a user fears an impending disaster, he or she can click on the Weather Warnings section and find up-to-date flood and tornado warnings. It's too bad Dorothy didn't have Internet access in "The Wizard of Oz."
Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD's site, unlike those of some other departments and agencies we won't mention, goes beyond press releases and puffery. Every day HUD.gov features a new message to inform its users. Customers curious about how to go about buying a home can find out details and even use a calculator to determine an affordable mortgage. And those who feel they have been discriminated against in trying to obtain housing can submit a complaint on-line.
No list of Best Feds on the Web would be complete without a mention of NASA, which was one of the first agencies to understand the value of the Web in reaching out to the public. NASA provides more information for students and teachers on its multitude of sub-sites than any other federal agency. Examples include Women of NASA, which features biographies of and chat sessions with some of the agency's leading female scientists. NASA's Mars Global Surveyor site features images of the so-called "Face on Mars" and animations showing the spacecraft's relation to Mars. Overall, NASA on the Web is a must-bookmark for space lovers.
This General Service Administration site compares favorably to some of the best private sector online shopping sites. With just a click of the mouse, federal employees can use government credit cards to fill many of their purchasing needs. The site will eventually list all 4 million products and services available from the Federal Supply schedules, but right now the number of listings is under 400,000.
Looking for a quick weekend getaway, but don't know where to go? Recreation.gov, a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service and the National Park Service, will do just about everything but drive you to your destination. Simply pick the state where you want to go and your activities of interest and this site lists all of the possibilities. Still not satisfied? The National Weather Service provides weather information for your destination and the U.S. Geological Survey can provide a map of the area online.
Sure, this site takes some knocks for its campy attempts at humor on ersatz newspaper front page, but "The Digital Daily" is a tax procrastinator's dream. You can download any IRS tax form or publication off this site and within seconds you're calculating your deductions. Sure, the days of pointing and clicking to file your taxes online haven't really arrived yet, but take a look around government's Web sites and see if you don't think this is one of the most useful you find.
This site provides free electronic access to a wealth of important information published by the government. The site offers government information databases for on-line use, individual federal agency files available for download, tools to assist in finding federal information and user support. Through just this one site, you can access the Federal Register, the Congressional Record, the Commerce Business Daily and many more publications. It doesn't get more convenient than that.
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