From: "L. Detweiler" <ld231782@longs.lance.colostate.edu>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 23:28:21 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: ACE Introduction
Message-ID: <9312020724.AA16931@longs.lance.colostate.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



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Date: Thu, 2 Dec 93 01:09:03 EST
Subject: Your Request 
From: Americans Communicating Electronically@ra.esusda.gov.    
(info@ace.esusda.gov)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------

AMERICANS COMMUNICATING ELECTRONICALLY (ACE)

Thank you for your electronic mail message.  This note acknowledges
receipt of your message to info@ace.esusda.gov.

WELCOME

Welcome to ACE--Americans Communicating Electronically!

ACE is a team of volunteer citizens, from inside and outside
federal government, dedicated to open access to information
and learning from every home and community across the Nation.

Your initial message to us signals your interest in making this
exciting experiment a reality for all Americans.  Your
participation is vital to the success of this project!

WHO ARE ACE MEMBERS?

Who are the pioneers in launching ACE?  They include:  the White
House, the Department of Agriculture, National Archives, Commerce,
Defense, Education, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency,
Government Printing Office, General Services Administration, Health
and Human Services, House of Representatives, Interior, Justice,
Labor, National Science Foundation, Small Business Administration,
U.S. Senate, State, Transportation and numerous associations and
organizations.  Several states, including many universities and
colleges, are also part of the ACE team.

WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM ACE?

The ACE Experiment is coming on line in stages.  During Stage One,
selected agencies in the Departments listed above will participate.
A single electronic mail address will be used to receive incoming
messages from citizens.  These messages will be forwarded
electronically to the appropriate ACE agency contact for action.
Citizens will receive responses, either electronically or through
conventional means within "48 hours" of their request.

During Stage Two, a directory of U.S. Government agencies and
online databases that can be accessed directly by electronic mail
will be accessible by citizens.  Also, available on line, will be
frequently asked questions, policy and issue papers, and speeches.
You will be able to browse this information at your leisure.

Future stages will build on what we learn!  ACE is already
finalizing plans to pilot test "Interactive Citizen Participation
Centers" in local communities where people can electronically
access U.S. government information when they grocery shop or visit
the local library.

Your feedback as we roll out these stages will be critical in
helping us learn to improve this exciting, interactive
communications.


Working together, we can make it happen!


HOW CAN I, MY NEIGHBORS, MY COMMUNITY, MY ORGANIZATION-- JOIN ACE?

To join ACE, send an electronic mail message to:

       letters@ace.esusda.gov

Describe how you would like to volunteer.  Can you help others learn
how to use the network?  Can you provide a facility where citizens
can come to access the network?  Can you help form a group of
citizens that would like to establish an interactive participation
center?


WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

We expect to receive a large volume of electronic mail.  You, and
your message, are important to us.  So important, we'd like some
additional information about you.  Please provide us your
conventional address (name, street address, city, state, zip, phone
and fax) as well as your electronic mail address.

HOW CAN YOU GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM ACE?

Send your query to the Internet Electronic Mail Address listed
below:

- - Information request for a specific item (This notice):

  info@ace.esusda.gov

- - Letter of inquiry of a more general nature:

  letters@ace.esusda.gov.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THE ACE SERVER

We currently have information on the National Initatives
available for access in various ways. To find out more on what 
is available, Send a message to the following addresses.

NAFTA 					nafta@ace.esusda.gov
Health Security Act			health@ace.esusda.gov
National Performance Review		npr@ace.esusda.gov
National Information Infrastructure	nii@ace.esusda.gov

Each one of these has information on how to access the documents 
for your areas of interest.


The ACE project is an exciting one!  It's an opportunity for
people, inside and outside government, to become involved.
Involved,--not just in re-inventing today's government, but in
charting tomorrow's future together!


AMERICANS
COMMUNICATING
ELECTRONICALLY



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