NIC Inc.’s self-funded approach to government portal operations must be working to the satisfaction of Iowa officials since the state just inked a new multiyear contract with the company.

Iowa Interactive, an subsidiary of the e-government firm NIC, won a five-year contract to continue managing Iowa’s official government portal. The deal will probably net NIC about $7 million, a company spokesman said.

Iowa Interactive signed its original multiyear contract with Iowa in 1997. After fulfilling that contract, the state issued a competitive bid for e-government portal services in November.

Mollie Anderson, director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, approved the contract March 31.

The self-funded business model is a way for Iowa to keep operational costs low and ease the burden on taxpayers, said John Gillispie, Iowa’s chief information officer. “We plan to introduce many new online services and are eager to leverage our successful relationship with Iowa Interactive and NIC,” he said.