HOME  |  CLIENT ACCESS  |  CONTACT US
FirstGov.gov
Highlights
   

Searches 30 million government Web pages

   

Creates of single portal to the U.S. government

   

Allows users to conduct government business online

   

Reduces stove-piping of information sources

2000 Hammer Award

GSA – FirstGov.gov (Launch)
 THE OBJECTIVE
In just 35 days, create FirstGov, the first Federal portal to provide the public with easy, one-stop access to all online U.S. Federal Government resources. Prior to FirstGov.gov, no comprehensive search engine existed for the vast amount of U.S. Government public information. Users accessed federal, state, local, and tribal Web pages individually. In addition, there was no design consistency across the many government Web pages.
 THE SOLUTION

The President's Management Council (PMC) sponsored FirstGov to create a Web site that represented a showcase for electronic Government efforts. FirstGov.gov initially focused on simply providing information access, then expanded to transactional capabilities.

Working under a 35-day deadline, Aquilent created an initial user interface and Web site design for FirstGov.gov. The Web site incorporates the following features:

  • Categorized interface and information architecture, which allows quick-and-easy information searches
  • Topical index and links to state and local governments
  • Content management framework, which facilitates information management and streamlines workflow processes

The site was specifically designed for intuitive navigation, fast loading, ease of use, and Section 508 compliance.

Finally, Aquilent developed and executed a site branding and promotion plan, which incorporated online media, public relations, and private sector activities.

 THE PAYOFF

FirstGov.gov offers a fast and powerful search engine that disseminates public information quickly and inexpensively. A topical browsing index facilitates site navigation. The site allows:

  • Average of 226,000 searches per day (100 million potential)
  • Potential of 200,000 simultaneous users
  • Access to 30 million pages of non-classified, government documents

In addition to establishing a comprehensive window to the federal government, FirstGov.gov provides access to approximately 16 million state and local government Web pages.

A September 2000 Webcast by former President Clinton demonstrated the scope of this effort. He remarked, "FirstGov will serve as a single point of entry to one of the largest, and perhaps the most useful, collections of Web pages in the entire world."

 OTHER GSA CASE STUDIES