Currently in the U.S., approximately 90 percent of all government services are still delivered in a face-to-face mode. With the proliferation of the Internet among government agencies and citizens, it is now possible to offer new services, integrated services, and self-service in ways and places never before possible.

The ability to transact business or have an actual say in government in an electronic environment could bring the benefits of disintermediation, a more productive and less costly method of service and information delivery. The public could benefit from information and services that are directly accessible and available all the time, without the intervention of a public employee. Such service models, however, require new methods of authentication, recordkeeping, security, and access. They need to be supported by analyses of cost-effectiveness that take into account more than the costs and effects internal to the government. They need to recognize that not all citizens will be able or willing to interact with government in this new way, and that multiple points and methods of service will be required in many instances.

• Who benefits from "one-stop" service models and how should those benefits be measured? Similarly, what are the costs and who pays them?
• How can services be made available to those who can't or won't use electronic means?
• What are appropriate risk management methods for making the transition from traditional to electronic services?
• What criteria should determine whether value- added services should be provided by government or by the private sector?