Mississippi e-Government program saves $3.2 million

Mississippi’s e-government program has saved the state $3.2 million since 2011 while garnering the state’s primary Web portal – ms.gov – 16 national awards over the past two years.

The e-government program, a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Information of Technology and Mississippi Interactive, revolves around mobility with an emphasis placed on the fast-growing tablet and smartphone audiences.

“I am pleased to see our e-government mature and provide for efficiencies and cost savings for our state agencies and citizens,” said Dr. Craig Orgeron, Mississippi’s chief information officer. “Our research indicates more citizens accessing ms.gov from their mobile devices.”

According to Orgeron, Mississippi has seen a number of milestones in its e-government program.

• The state has launched six mobile applications in 2013. The State of Mississippi now offers more official mobile apps than Texas or New York
• Thirteen agency and locality websites were redesigned through the e-government program this year
• More than 16,000 push notification alerts were sent to users of the MDOT Traffic mobile applications
• Thirty-eight official Mississippi entities use the e-government payment processor to securely process self-funded online, point-of-sale, and mobile payments
• Mississippi Department of Revenue field agents have the ability to take delinquent tax payments on-the-go through an newly developed mobile application
• Launched six applications for the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in the past 24 months. These applications include:
  • Over-the-counter Payments for Quail Hollow Golf Course
  • Hunting and Fishing Licensing Suite
  • Boat Registration Renewals
  • WFP iPhone and Android Mobile Apps
  • Public Record Request Application
• Processed more than 71,000 transactions totaling more than $5.3 million in hunting and fishing revenue for WFP in 2012.
• Redesigned the Public Employees Retirement System website to be mobile optimized for optimal viewing on any device. Launched in November 2013, the site currently averages 4,000 users per month.
• Launched the Feed, Fertilizer, Lime, Soil/Plant Amendment Registration Suite application for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce in July 2013. This suite of services encompasses nine separate applications, and is the most complex application MDAC has launched.
• In partnership with the Driver’s Services Division of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), launched the first mobile app for the Department. The Driver’s Practice Test iPad has been downloaded over 14,000 times, making it the highest downloaded application for the portal.
• The Hunting and Fishing Licensing Suite recently received a Digital Government Achievement Award in the Government-to-Citizen category due to the new efficiencies created, mobile responsiveness used throughout the application and the seamless tie-in with department’s first mobile apps.
• In 2013 created an entire online presence for the Board of Registered Professional Geologists. Services included a complete website redesign, online item purchase and license renewals, and a board election application.
• This year the City of Ripley, Miss., began accepting online payments for various utility payments.  The city now also accepts credit cards at six walk-in locations.

• Over-the-counter Payments for Quail Hollow Golf Course
• Hunting and Fishing Licensing Suite
• Boat Registration Renewals
• WFP iPhone and Android Mobile Apps
• Public Record Request Application