NBII Implements HiSoftware Solutions to Improve Web Site Usability and Accessibility.

Automated solution enables government organization to save time in monitoring and maintaining 270 partner organization Web sites

NASHUA, N.H. -- HiSoftware (www.hisoftware.com), a leading provider of software, services, and managed operation solutions that monitor and optimize Web content governance, quality and regulatory compliance, today announced that the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) has selected HiSoftware's solutions to monitor search, accessibility, privacy, structure and traffic management issues for NBII Web sites and its partner sites. HiSoftware's solutions will enable the NBII to control its Web site's growth and diversification, and to effectively manage content quality across its 270 partner organizations.

"The NBII wanted to maintain a common look and feel across the partner sites, while also incorporating government regulation compliance," said Mike Frame, NBII Technology Director. "Most government organizations do this manually, but we needed an automated process that was both more accurate and less time consuming. The broad capabilities of HiSoftware's solutions made them the front runner in our search."

The NBII was tasked with developing a corporate Web policy to ensure that its site, as well as partner sites, adheres to government accessibility mandate Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires that all electronic technology used by the government is accessible to users with disabilities. The NBII was also challenged with optimizing its Web pages for searchability, and monitoring partner sites for usability. With 270 partner organizations located around the country, one of the NBII's biggest challenges is managing solutions for content quality test management across a wide variety of decentralized locations.

HiSoftware President and CEO, Kurt A. Mueffelmann, said, "With more than 400 million pages of federal agency Web sites, keeping track of every page is a daunting task. As a result, much of the data available on these sites are not accessible or usable. The NBII is ahead of the technology curve in working to ensure that the vast amount of data found on its Web site and on partner sites meet the highest standards in quality, accessibility, privacy and searchability."

The NBII is using HiSoftware's solutions to create, monitor and maintain metadata-based search criteria across the NBII's document and resource collections, resulting in a dramatic improvement for search relevancy. HiSoftware's solutions are also helping the NBII to ensure the organization's Web site and those of its partners meet corporate standards for accessibility, privacy, searchability and usability. HiSoftware solutions provide the NBII with a server-side remote application that allows developers to test their content for conformance with standards.

About the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)

The U.S. Geological Survey coordinates and operates the NBII, a Web-based program that links diverse, high-quality biological databases, information products and analytical tools. Among those who might use the NBII Web site are public agencies that need access to biological data for managing public lands, private sector groups that need to understand such things as the impact of metropolitan growth on ecological resources, and scientists who need access to the highest quality data to design and direct their research. Additionally, others with the need to access information in the NBII's databases include educators who need the most relevant and stimulating materials to motivate and enlighten students, and private citizens who need unbiased information on regional and local trends and the role of humans on the environment.

About HiSoftware

Founded in 1998, HiSoftware is a leading provider of software, services, and On-Demand solutions that test, repair, monitor and enforce Web content, quality and regulatory compliance. The company's solutions empower content developers, Web site architects and executives to work collaboratively to create and manage corporate Web standards for accessibility, privacy, security, search engine optimization (SEO), site quality and performance, branding, competitive intelligence and application transaction testing. HiSoftware's customers boast many of the world's largest public and private sites including U.S. and international government agencies and Global 2000 companies such as Gateway, HP, California State University, U.S. Department of Transportation and Microsoft. For more information about HiSoftware visit www.hisoftware.com.