Governor's Technology Awards

Roanoke County
Roanoke County Website

Winner
Category: Online, Not in Line

Executive Summary:

The new Roanoke County web presence is a ground-up overhaul of content, features, services and layout of our primary public-facing website. Eighteen months of preparation, citizen engagement and multiple levels of review and modification went into the finished product. The new site has fresh, relevant content, newly integrated services and a brighter, appealing layout that has proven to be very popular and user-friendly.

Contact for more information:
Bill Greeves
Director of CommIT
County of Roanoke, VA
bgreeves@roanokecountyva.gov

Diana Wilson
Assistant Dir of IT
County of Roanoke, VA
dwilson@roanokecountyva.gov

 

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
myDMV Account

Winner
Category: Online, Not in Line

Executive Summary:

The project focused on two areas to reduce costs and increase online conversions: 1) create a system allowing citizens to sign up to receive email reminders for vehicle registration renewals and 2) enhance the agency's PIN process to allow customers to sign up and receive their PINs instantly, rather than requiring PINs to be delivered via U.S. mail.

These efforts were combined into a new vision for an improved customer experience, resulting in an online customer self-management system that exceeded the goals of the separate projects; allowing customers to better manage their products and services. By establishing an online myDMV Account, customers:

• set up and manage their customer PIN

• sign up to receive DMV eNotifications, and

• verify or change their address on record.

These improvements have a direct impact by moving customers online, increasing customer service and self management while reducing expensive operational costs and office visits.

Contact for more information:
Charles Sheldon
Webmaster, Department of Motor Vehicles
charles.sheldon@dmv.virginia.gov

 

The following entries were awarded honorable mentions in the "Online, Not in Line" category.

 

City of Richmond
MPACT project

Honorable Mention
Category: Online, Not in Line

Executive Summary:

The City of Richmond acquired software-as-a-service from SeeClickFlix to address MPACT (Mayor’s Participation Action and Communication Team) business need. The project goal is to proactively encourage community involvement in Building a Tier One City. The main focus is to expeditiously address service requests/issues from citizens regarding conditions that detract from aesthetic qualities of the City.

Citizens can report service requests online through www.richmondgov.com which are made publicly available. The system then generates an email notification to the relevant City agency. City agencies have access to a dashboard that allows them to acknowledge open issues and close issues when work is completed. After each action taken by the agency, citizens are automatically notified via email.

The MPACT initiative has resulted in improved customer service, while decreasing telephone inquiries to the 311 Call Center. Citizens can also report MPACT issues through mobile phone applications - Android, iPhone and Blackberry.

Contact for more information:
Subhashini Narra
Project Leader
City of Richmond, Department of Information Technology
Subhashini.Narra@richmondgov.com

 

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Hunt Fish VA

Honorable Mention
Category: Online, Not in Line

Executive Summary:

Recognizing the proliferation of mobile technology and the ever increasing use of smart mobile devices to access internet services, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) partnered with Virginia Interactive (VI) to "mobilize" the agency's online hunting and fishing services and information on two fronts. The first was to format online hunting and fishing licensing specifically to be viewed with any internet ready mobile device. The second is an exciting new mobile application ("app") called Hunt Fish VA that provides a number of useful tools for sportsmen and allows users to search for a wide variety of Virginia hunting and fishing related information directly from their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, from anywhere, at any time. The app is available as a free download in the Apple's iTunes service.

Contact for more information:
Lee Walker
Agency Outreach Director
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF)
Lee.Walker@dgif.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Department of General Services
eVA Report and Resource Center

Honorable Mention
Category: Online, Not in Line

Executive Summary:

eVA’s Report and Resource Center uses LogiXML to provide at-a-glance visibility into the huge volume of goods and services Virginia government agencies buy every year. It replaces a reporting tool that was outdated and absent capabilities for graphical presentation of the data. Consequently, understanding the data story could be difficult for some audiences. The eVA Report and Resource Center graphically depicts data representing historical purchasing trends. It supports advanced querying capabilities against data that is updated daily and provides a platform for the Commonwealth to provide even greater transparency into what agencies buy, from whom, and at what cost. Since implementation, the eVA Report and Resource Center has enjoyed an enthusiastic response from the hundreds who have attended statewide outreach and training activities. They have praised the depth and transparency of purchasing information available to any user anywhere.

Contact for more information:
Ron Bell
Director
Department of General Services, Division of Purchases and Supply
ron.bell@dgs.virginia.gov

 

Counties of Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth and Washington and the City of Bristol
MERG: Mountain Empire Regional GIS

Winner
Category: Cross-Boundary Collaboration

Executive Summary:

MERG is a collaborative regional project involving five (5) counties and one (1) city: Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Washington and the City of Bristol, VA. The MERG project has created a secure and accessible regional data repository which includes data, web mapping and map services. It streamlines the process for data sharing among localities and the state through development of a regional GIS data replication system in near real-time. It significantly improves public safety in a large region of the state, and is the largest regional geographic data repository project in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Contact for more information:
Nadine S. Culberson
Deputy County Administrator
Washington County, VA
nculberson@washcova.com

Kathie Noe
County Administrator
Scott County, Virginia
knoe@scottcountyva.com

 

City of Lynchburg
Work and Asset Management System

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver

Executive Summary:

The City of Lynchburg implemented an enterprise Work Management System (WMS) to address several critical needs regarding: management of work orders, tracking and management of assets and related costs, and sharing of work request-related information across multiple City departments.

The Public Works Department was using an obsolete and unsupported system. The Utilities Department had no reliable system for maintaining information related to its 100+ year-old water and waste-water systems. The City’s 311 call center (branded as “Citizens First”) was also using a legacy system that was outdated, with no vendor support.

In addition, calls received by Citizens First related to building or property code enforcement complaints had to be manually re-entered into the system utilized by the Community Development Department.

To address the above needs, the City implemented its enterprise WMS. It is now used by most major operating departments to track work requests, assets, and related management information.

Contact for more information:
Mike Goetz
Director of Information Technology
City of Lynchburg,VA
mike.goetz@lynchburgva.gov

 

Virginia Department of Social Services
SMILE and Check 21

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver

Executive Summary:

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) partnered with Protech Solutions and Wells Fargo to incorporate an Image Cash Letter Presentment enhancement (a.k.a. Check21) to the current child support payment processing application entitled SMILE (Support Money Impacts Lives Every day). Prior to implementation, all VDSS Child Support payment checks were manually encoded, batched and physically delivered to our depository bank, Wells Fargo, by a courier service. This former process presented risks such as the possibility of a loss of funds, and interception of payor’s banking and personal information. With Check21, the checks are scanned, the images are sent to Wells Fargo electronically and the original checks destroyed; thus reducing the associated risks.

The agency aimed to increase overall efficiency of payment processing by:

• Reducing courier costs

• Increasing security of deposits

• Reducing check float time

• Extending deposit deadline

• Streamlining deposit reconciliation process

• Achieving FTE savings

Contact for more information:
J. R. Simpson
Chief Financial Officer
Virginia Department of Social Services
j.r.simpson@dss.virginia.gov

Peter Finn
State Disbursement Unit Director
Virginia Department of Social Services
peter.finn@dss.virginia.gov

 

The following entry was awarded honorable mention in the "IT as Efficiency Driver" category.

 

Albemarle County
eProcurement

Honorable Mention
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver

Executive Summary:

During late 2010 and early 2011 the Finance Department of Albemarle County worked with the Information Technology Department and others to deploy a cost effective and efficient eProcurement system to support Local Government Agencies, the School Division, and the Regional Emergency Communications Center and Jail.

The Finance Department was managing mountains of paperwork hand-delivered from the various agencies; the new system has vastly improved the Procurement and Purchasing process and further helps enforce Procurement and Purchasing Policy.

Contact for more information:
William M. Letteri
Assistant County Executive
Albemarle County Finance and IT Departments
Pbletteri@albemarle.org

 

Henrico County
Online Development Plan Review System

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

Henrico County created a modern-day internet application - the Online Development Plan Review System to improve the effectiveness of its development review process and maintain strong economic development. This system was designed to interact with the county's established development review tracking software, Tidemark Advantage. The program has enhanced the overall efficiency of disseminating agency review comments for development projects. It relies on internal staff to populate the program with their respective comments, which in turn, are sent out as instant e-mail notifications to all stakeholders including other reviewing agencies, developers and interested citizens. The instant e-mail notifications have added a layer of transparency for the development community and the general public who can now better monitor development projects around the county. The implementation of this system has become a true example of how government and the private-sector can work together to solve common problems and enhance service.

Contact for more information:
R. Joseph Emerson, Jr.
AICP, Director of Planning
Department of Planning and Department of Information Technology
Count of Henrico, VA
eme@co.henrico.va.us

Jean M. Moore
Assistant Director of Planning
Department of Planning and Department of Information Technology
Count of Henrico, VA
moo24@co.henrico.va.us

 

Virginia Tech
Accelerate Virginia

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

The eCorridors program at Virginia Tech has launched a statewide effort, called AccelerateVirginia, to engage and educate the public and raise awareness about broadband availability in Virginia using targeted campaigns to collect consumer Internet service details. The electronic marketing campaign leverages GIS tools for collecting information volunteered from end users through an enhanced version of the eCorridors speed test application and a new web portal called Accelerate Virginia, with an associated broadband speed test map for the state of Virginia geographical area.
www.acceleratevirginia.com

In addition, eCorridors is producing value added mapping products and report generation tools such as that found at http://www.ecorridors.vt.edu/maps/broadbandmap/includes/printableresults.php?id=6138. As an economic development tool, Accelerate Virginia can be used to assess availability, affordability, and quality of Internet services in regions and communities wishing to attract clean industry businesses, and the associated creative workforce, to locate in Virginia communities.

Contact for more information:
Jean Plymale
Project Manager
AccelerateVirginia
vplymale@vt.edu

Brenda van Gelder
Executive Director
Virginia Tech eCorridors Program
bneidigh@vt.edu

 

The following entries were awarded honorable mentions in the "Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development" category.

 

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Virginia Grown Mobile Application

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

Locating delicious Virginia Grown products is as easy as asking for them when you visit your neighborhood grocer or you can search for on Virginia Grown Mobile, where you’ll find a wide variety of fresh, nutritious products, fresh from the farm. The power of the Virginia Grown website is placed into the hands of Virginia’s citizens by the creation of the Virginia Grown mobile application for Windows Phone 7.

This mobile application provides a fast and user-friendly route to locally grown and produced items and bridges the gap between Virginia’s founding industry, agriculture, and today’s modern tech-savvy, socially conscious consumer with a taste for fresh, locally grown foods.

This free mobile application helps bridge the gap between Virginia’s agriculture and today’s consumer by providing a fast and user-friendly route to locally grown and produced items.

Contact for more information:
Charles Green
Director of Marketing
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
charles.green@VDACS.VIRGINIA.GOV

 

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
EZ Fleet

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

EZ Fleet saves time and money by allowing customers to easily conduct their own title and registration transactions. Through EZ Fleet, customers can maintain their fleets without leaving their offices and get their vehicles on the road right away. EZ Fleet gives customers the ability to easily and efficiently process large amounts of titles and vehicle registration renewal transactions. In addition to the convenience, customers receive a $1 discount per vehicle for processing their renewal transactions online and avoid the $5 fee for in-person transactions.

EZ Fleet is also a win for the Commonwealth. It solved DMV's problem of aging equipment, eliminated an annual telecommunications bill, reduces DMV staff time, and promotes Virginia as business-friendly.

Contact for more information:
William Childress
Director of Vehicle Services
Department of Motor Vehicles
William.Childress@dmv.virginia.gov

 

City of Danville
Fire Department Technologies

Winner
Category: Innovation in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Danville Fire Department (DFD) had a long history of paper-and-pen record keeping and aversion to change. One manual process -- annual preplans -- came to light when DFD began using the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS). DFD employees, even those who had resisted technology in the past, realized that perhaps technology could improve their jobs in other ways.

What started as a desktop web application for managing preplans evolved into a deployment of in-vehicle Toughbooks and multi-modem devices which automatically map dispatches as they are received and display associated preplan and GIS information. Gradually, interfaces were created to expose data not previously shared between departments. Best of all, the laptops are finding new uses in the field for state EMS reporting and data collection. Technology has taken hold in DFD!

Contact person for more information:
Inez Harville
IT Director
City of Danville
harvilleij@ci.danville.va.us

 

Fairfax County
Placing Government in the Palm of Your Hand

Winner
Category: Innovation in Local Government

Executive Summary:

With the explosive growth in mobile technology and consumer use of smart devices, Fairfax County Government is beginning to reshape its public’s experience with use of governmental information and services on mobile devices like iPhone/iPad, Android and Blackberry. In enhancing the County’s long standing goal that citizens should access their government 24/7 without walls, door or clocks, Fairfax County now places government in the palm of their hands with the introduction of mobile apps. Fairfax County Government’s mobile app:

• Enable citizens instant connectivity to their government

• Provide them the benefit of getting services and information from anywhere at anytime by delivering information in a more conveniently accessibile platform

• Enhances the adoption of online governmental services by citizens by reaching a larger and wider user base.

Information and links on how citizens can download the county's official app for emergency information, news headlines, one-touch calling through our contact directory, GPS maps, news headlines, social media links, transportation resources and more at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/mobile/

Contact for more information:
Greg Licamele
Public Information Officer for Integration & Engagement
County of Fairfax, VA
greg.licamele@fairfaxcounty.gov

 

Page County
Interactive Address Atlas for Emergency Services

Winner
Category: Innovation in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Interactive Address Atlas for Emergency Services is a location-based backup tool designed for emergency responders and managers when GIS/Mapping software is not functional or when personnel prefer to use a simpler interface for general information. The design of the interactive atlas focuses on three areas: small, simple and intuitive. The atlas itself is compact at only 350 MB with aerial imagery, roads address points, landing zone locations and fire hydrant locations throughout the county and within the three towns (Luray, Stanley, Shenandoah). The interface is simple and intuitive: users may find location-based information by simply clicking with the mouse or track pad.

Contact for more information:
Amy Ozeki
GIS Coordinator
aozeki@pagecounty.virginia.gov

 

The following entry was awarded honorable mention in the "Innovation in Local Government" category.

 

City of Richmond
Neighbor to Neighbor Volunteer Application Process

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovation in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Neighbor To Neighbor application is an online system that is completely paperless and has increased the number of volunteers. The easy use and access of the web site has increased the number of visitors which means the awareness to citizens of volunteer opportunities has been drastically increased.

The Neighbor to Neighbor project is a compilation of 1) a Web site informing the citizens of the volunteer opportunities and to promote volunteerism in the City. 2) An external web application to capture volunteer identification and contact information in addition to skill-sets and availability. 3) An administrative system to provide program managers the ability to monitor the process of vetting applicants and the ability to match volunteers to needs.

Contact person for more information:
C.Rajesh Kumar
Project Leader
City of Richmond, Department of Information Technology
rajesh.kumar@Richmondgov.com

 

Virginia Department of Education
Interactive Chinese Language/Culture Game Module

Winner
Category: Innovation in K-12 Education

Executive Summary:

In 2010, the Virginia Department of Education's online virtual school program, Virtual Virginia, collaborated with award-winning Alelo Inc. to develop and pilot a Chinese I course module that incorporates state-of-the-art instructional design and patented agent technology for socially intelligent virtual humans to interact with the learner in dynamic, immersive scenarios. Automated speech recognition and rich multimedia content also contribute to immersing students in an authentic learning environment. The pilot module covered a segment of the first-year Chinese curriculum addressing numbers, dates, and times and was met with a positive response from students who cited the interactive exercises and language instruction as some of their favorite activities. The vision is for a full language and culture course to be developed.

Contact for more information:
Sara Marchio
Special Projects Coordinator
Virginia Department of Education
Sara.Marchio@doe.virginia.gov

 

Virginia State University
Digital at the Core

Winner
Category: Innovation in Higher Education

Executive Summary:

Virginia State University’s Reginald F. Lewis School of Business (RFLSB) has developed a new, integrated business curriculum that focuses heavily on technological participation and digital content. The School made history by becoming the first school in the country to deliver the core curriculum in a predominantly digital format. Beginning in the Fall of 2010, the School of Business piloted a process approach to delivering nine core courses by using open-source textbooks through a license approach costing $19.95/license. The fee covers ALL of the digital products - including the digital downloads, - .pdf files of each chapter, complete digital textbooks in either MOBI or ePub formats, MP3 audio chapters, MP3 study guides, study guides, quizzes, and flashcards, - all in digital formats. Unlike e-texts, when students download these products, they are theirs to have forever and they are able to print them without any charge. There is no expiration on these digital downloads.

Contact for more information:
Mirta Martin
Dean, School of Business
Virginia State University
mmartin@vsu.edu

 

The following entries were awarded honorable mentions in the "Innovation in Higher Education" category.

 

Piedmont College and Albemarle County IT Department
IT Intern Program

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovation in Higher Education

Executive Summary:

During 2010/2011 Piedmont Virginia Community College placed IT Interns with local businesses and government agencies. This submittal focuses on the cooperative program between PVCC and the County of Albemarle.

These IT internships are funded through the ComET Project, a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant awarded to PVCC for the dual purpose of improving student recruitment and retention in technology programs and strengthening relationships with technology employers in the PVCC service area. These interns increase the pool of skilled electronics, computer, and IT technicians needed in Central Virginia. Successful interaction with employers and the development of applied skills helps students to grasp the forthcoming pay-off of their educational plans. Interns gain valuable hands-on experience which provides them with the skills necessary to compete for full-time positions with technology employers upon graduation.

Through use of the program during 2010/2011, The County of Albemarle received at least $16,200 in measurable cost-savings.

Contact for more information:
Dr. Frank Friedman
President
Piedmont Virginia Community College
ffriedman@pvcc.edu

William Letteri
Assistant County Executive
Albemarle County
bletteri@albemarle.org

 

Tidewater Community College
Student Loan Education and Counseling

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovation in Higher Education

Executive Summary:

While many colleges are actively discouraging their students from taking out federal student loans to pay for their education, Tidewater Community College (TCC) has taken the lead in educating its students on the implications of financial aid debt. Through the innovative use of business process planning and digital technology, TCC helps students borrow responsibly and make sound investments in their education. TCC's leadership in this area has been recognized by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and both local and national media. USA Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, NBC Nightly News, and Fox News are some of the media that did features on TCC’s new loan process. http://www.tcc.edu/news/press/TCCinTopNewsStories.htm

Contact for more information:
Richard F. Andersen
Vice President for Information Systems
Tidewater Community College
randersen@tcc.edu

Phyllis Milloy
Vice President for Finance
Tidewater Community College
pmilloy@tcc.edu

 

Virginia Commonwealth University
WEAVEonline

Honorable Mention
Category: Innovation in Higher Education

Executive Summary:

WEAVEonline is an innovative web-based tool that was developed at Virginia Commonwealth University. This technology helps manage accreditation, assessment, planning, and quality improvement processes for colleges and universities and has been a transformational addition to the higher education community toolbox. It allows colleges and universities to automate the capture and analysis of information to support continuing improvement efforts in individual programs and services throughout the institution. WEAVEonline has been implemented at many Virginia higher education institutions including Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Longwood, Roanoke College and others. WEAVEonline has been instrumental in improving efficiency in administration through innovative Information Technology.

Contact for more information:
Francis Macrina, Ph.D.
VP for Research at VCU
macrina@vcu.edu

Ivelina Metcheva,Ph.D., MBA
Director
VCU Tech Transfer
ismetche@vcu.edu

Allen Morris, Ph.D., MBA
Assistant Director
VCU Tech Transfer
amorris5@vcu.edu

Wendy Reid, Ph.D.
Licensing Associate
VCU Tech Transfer
wmreid@vcu.edu

 

College of William and Mary, Old Dominion University and Virginia Institute for Marine Science
Chesapeake Bay Inundation Prediction System

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Modeling & Simulation Techniques

Executive Summary:

The Chesapeake Bay Inundation Prediction System (abbreviated as CIPS) was a collaborative effort between universities, industrial partner, and federal governments to develop a modeling system capable of making predictions of storm surge and inundation in the Chesapeake Bay during hurricanes and northeasters. Without proper warning, these extreme weather events can cause significant loss of life, disruption of infrastructure, and damage of property to the people of Commonwealth of Virginia. Using the parallel computing technology on the cluster computer machines (located at the College of William and Mary and Virginia Institute of Marine Science), the prototype of CIPS was successfully tested during Hurricane Isabel, 2003, Northeaster, November, 2009, and demonstrated in the recent Hurricane Irene, August 2011. The 30-hour (updated every 6 hours) real time forecast of wind, water level, and maximum surge provides invaluable information to the NWS and emergency managers to assess the situation in real time and minimize the damage by the natural hazard.

Contact for more information:
Harry Wang
Professor
College of William and Mary
hvwang@vims.edu

 

Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, Old Dominion University
Strategic Mortgage Default in the Context of a Social Network: An Epidemiological Approach

Winner
Category: Cross-Boundary Collaboration in Modeling & Simulation

Executive Summary:

The current economic crisis is, in large part, due to the collapse of the U.S. housing market. High rates of unemployment have caused many homeowners to (economically) default on their mortgages due to circumstances outside their control. Additionally, falling home prices and the prospect of being underwater for many years to come has caused countless others to voluntarily (strategically) default on their mortgage. While no one knows exactly how to measure when a strategic default, as opposed to an economic default, has occurred most studies strongly suggest that strategic defaults are on the rise. If this is the case, the recession currently experienced could become much more severe moving forward. We liken the increase in strategic default to the outbreak of a disease and incorporated epidemiology techniques into an Agent Based Simulation Model to propose solutions to the current real estate foreclosure contagion crisis plaguing the state’s economic health.

Contact for more information:
Dr. Michael J. Seiler
Professor and Robert M. Stanton Chair of Real Estate and Economic Development
Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center
Old Dominion University
mseiler@odu.edu

Dr. Andrew J. Collins
Research Assistant Professor
Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center
Old Dominion University
ajcollin@odu.edu

Dr. Nina H. Fefferman
Assistant Professor, Rutgers University
Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center
Old Dominion University
fefferman@aesop.rutgers.edu