Kinko's and IBM team up for National Clinton Administration survey on people and government in the information age.

VENTURA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 1995--Kinko's, the nation's largest retail chain of document and reproduction centers, has teamed with IBM to provide public access to a Clinton Administration national electronic open meeting.

The forum, entitled "People and Their Governments in the Information Age," will take place May 1 - 14, 1995, to solicit feedback about the type of services and benefits Americans would like to receive electronically from all levels of government.

More than 114 Kinko's branch offices across the country will serve as Public Access Sites to allow individuals without access to the Internet to participate in the survey. IBM is providing the IBM Internet Connection and the IBM Global Network for connection to participating Kinko's stores.

As announced at a news conference in Washington D.C., Friday, the meeting was created to encourage public discussion about the changing roles of all levels of government, from federal to local. The also forum will seek public opinion on the responsibilities of industry, academic communities and the general population in creating an electronic government.

"Kinko's is proud to be part of this unprecedented effort to survey the opinions of Americans," said Dan Frederickson, Kinko's president. "By giving the public the ability to participate directly with the government, we hope that this survey will enhance the availability and delivery of information and, ultimately, build a more responsive government."

"IBM is pleased to participate in this exciting new dimension of electronic services to citizens," said John M. Whiteside, general manager, IBM Global Network. "This initiative in nationwide public dialogue is another example of new forms of communication that are being made possible by using the Internet through service providers like the IBM Global Network."

Over 14 days, the electronic meeting will solicit feedback on five topic areas. Each of the five topics areas will be hosted by a government expert who will initiate and take part in the discussion.

Services -- issues ranging from providing business licenses to

offering emergency assistance and health care;

Benefits -- the delivery of a wide range of government

benefits, including Social Security, food stamps

and small business grants;

Information -- ways to make information more easily available

to the public, from declassified secrets and

satellite maps to economic statistics and

Census data;

Participatory Democracy -- ensuring every American's chance to be

heard in a democracy; and

Technology -- developing adequate electronic systems within the

government while maintaining security and reliability.

Individuals can take part in the conference by replying to introductory statements on each of the topic areas, posting their own statements or comments, and replying to the submissions of other participants.

"Through this national open meeting, we hope to spur public discussion and vigorous debate on how government can improve delivery of services and benefits, and availability of information, and increase citizen participation in our democratic process using information technologies," said Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown.

The event is sponsored by the Clinton Administration's Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the National Technical Information Services (NTIS)'s FedWorld, the National Performance Review (NPR) and the U.S. Government Print Office.

For more information on the "People and Their Governments in the Information Age" open electronic meeting, or to receive a schedule of government officials' participation by topic area, call toll-free 800/881-6842. To find the nearest Kinko's Public Access Site, interested participants can call the Kinko's toll-free help line at 800/2KINKOS (254-6567).

The IBM Global Network is the world's largest integrated data, voice and video network, serving 25,000 customers in nearly 100 countries worldwide. The network currently provides high-speed Internet access points in 177 cities and 21 countries, and by year's end will offer services in 450 locations in nearly 40 countries. The IBM Global Network is provided in the United States by Advantis.

IBM's Networking Software Division in Research Triangle Park, N.C., developed the IBM Internet Connection and the Internet Connection included in the OS/2 Warp software bonus pack. These simple-to-use software packages, and others yet to come, draw on IBM's Internet expertise which includes helping to create the Internet.

Kinkos, which is privately held and open 24 hours daily, is recognized as one of the top service companies in the United States. It was founded in 1970 and has headquarters in Ventura. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.

OS/2 is a registered trademark of IBM Corp.

CONTACT: Fleishman-Hillard

Rob Williams, 213/629-4974

or

Kinko's

Laura McCormick, 805/652-4129

or

IBM

Linda Wizner, 813/878-5472