Creating the Front Door to Government: A Case Study of the Firstgov Portal

Firstgov is the U.S. federal portal to government information and services. It was conceived by the Clinton administration in June of 2000 and launched in September 2000. A case study of the development of Firstgov indicated that top-level leadership, a small and committed project team, and the very condensed timeframe of the project were factors that contributed to the success of the portal. Another reason cited for the success of the Firstgov development was the U.S. federal information policy environment, a robust and evolving framework creating the climate for electronic government. An unusual feature of the project development was the donation of the Inktomi search engine for three years, an event that further enabled Firstgov to open its door on time and on budget. The portal continues today with funding and resources designed to ensure its future.