Texas to launch statewide Internet portal

Texas has awarded a contract to create a statewide Internet portal and electronic

payment system so all state and local agencies can be accessed from one

World Wide Web site.

KPMG Consulting LLC is designing the Texas eGovernment Framework to have

six initial state agencies on the site soon after it debuts July 1. Other

agencies will follow.

KPMG Consulting will fund the development, but will recover losses from

a $1 to $4 transaction fee, said Gary Miglicco, KPMG's managing director

for state and local government consulting in the Southwest. After losses

are recovered, the state and company will split the fees.

Miglicco said the site is different than other states' because of its breadth.

"The state is providing a complete infrastructure for e-commerce, not a

single application," he said.

The original six agencies on the portal will be the Comptroller of Public

Accounts, the Natural Resource Conservation Commission, the Railroad Commission,

the Real Estate Commission, the Department of Insurance and the Department

of Licensing and Regulations.

Miglicco said some of the first services offered would be real estate agent

license renewals, insurance license renewals, off-field drilling permits

for the railroad division and sales tax payments for businesses, as well

as others.

The Web site's address has not been determined yet, but will be unveiled

in June, Miglicco said.

KPMG Consulting is a worldwide provider of Internet integration services.