Geospatial Line of Business Work Groups

The Geospatial Line of  Business (Geo LoB) was organized around seven  Work Groups. FGDC had been assigned responsibility for these work groups by the OMB.  The Geo LoB Work Groups focused on cross-agency geospatial issues related to geospatial policy, business requirements, and business management processes.  In May 2010, these groups were retired in preparation for standing up the ad-hoc work groups that developed the initial approach and content for the Roadmap for Modernization for the Geospatial Platform.

Work has continued on a number of the Geo LoB work group topics.  For example:

• Common Services, Geo-Enabled Business, and Shared Infrastructure are foundational to the Geospatial Platform. They are part of the Roadmap  for Modernization and Draft Business Plan.
• Lifecycle Management and Performance Management are the basis for Portfolio Management  and have been codified in the OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance. Technical Architecture issues are  addressed as requested by the Coordination Group. The Architecture & Technology working group has been reinvigorated to work on the Technical Architecture of the Geospatial Platform.

The Common Services Work Group 

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and expand cross-agency procurement opportunities related to geospatial services and data sharing
• Identify existing Federal MOUs/SLAs/ELAs related to data sharing 
• Promote use of existing Federal agency tools, services, and data that could benefit other agencies
• Identify/build a common Federal geospatial technology, data, and services architecture through a Federal portfolio

Accomplishments FY 08-09 

• Geospatial Software Solutions Repository Requirements Specifications and deployed host of reusable tools (GeAR)
• Developed and released SmartBUY Request for Quotations
• Hosted vendor day workshop that was widely attended by over 100 participants, to provide information on the Geospatial SmartBUY 
• Award of a SmartBUY Blanket Purchase Agreement for geospatial software enterprise license agreements
• Roll-out Kit for implementation of SmartBUY and Memoranda of Understanding

Accomplishments FY 10 

• Established multi-agency Enterprise License Agreements template
• Updated and Published SmartBUY Rollout Kit Website
• Completed Survey of Federal Agency Geospatial Requirements to identify agency needs and gather requirements and analysis of agency responses
• Completed 3 Metadata Editor factsheets

Geo-Enabled Business Work Group 

Responsibilities

• Communicate the value of geospatial approaches to business processes, especially to audiences that have had limited experience with geo-enabled decision-making
• Communicate the value and encourage use of geospatial solutions among Federal business managers
• Communicate and highlight geospatial collaboration opportunities, geospatial needs, and geospatial best practices 

Accomplishments FY08-09

• Displayed the FGDC booth and highlighted the Geo LoB at the Esri International User Conference (IUC), 2008
• Created and displayed a comprehensive look at the activities of the Geo LoB at Esri Federal User Conference, 2009
• Develop a Summary of Geo-Enabled Examples from Federal Government: Survey of Lessons Learned and Common Practices
• Published 9 factsheets regarding geospatial and geo-enabling tools, services, and applications used in the Federal Government

Accomplishments FY10

• Developed Geo-enabling Curriculum  (posted on FGDC website)
• Published article in ArcUser magazine supporting agencies in geo-enabling their programs 
• Published 7 factsheets regarding geospatial and geo-enabling tools, services, and applications used in the Federal Government
• Developed content and materials in support of FGDC presence at the Esri IUC

Grants & Contracts Work Group 

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement common grants language for geospatial information and services
• Develop and implement language requirements for Federal geospatial contracts

Accomplishments FY08-09

• Drafted the Pre-Decisional Grants/Cooperative Agreements and Contracts Policy Guidance Document, to be published on the FGDC website
• Created Grants Policy Document using OMB 2 CFR template, and submitted it to the Pre-Award Sub-Committee and the Grants Policy Committee (GPC)
• Drafted Contracts Policy Document using OMB FAR Attachment document template 

Joint Business Case Work Group

Responsibilities 

• Align the OMB Exhibit 300 to the Geo LoB including agency contributions, tasks and or task modifications, and OMB Exhibit 300 revisions. 
• Evaluate task priorities as they relate to overall funding per task

Accomplishments FY 08 

• Improved FY 08 Exhibit 300 score to passing
• Developed compliant Earned Value Management (EVM) reports

Lifecycle Management Work Group  

Responsibilities

• Evaluate existing geospatial data lifecycle management frameworks and, based on this assessment, develop standard terminologies and processes for the geospatial data lifecycle
• Define and establish A-16 data steward responsibilities and performance measures that relate to and conform to the recommended geospatial data lifecycle 
• Document and distribute best practices for each phase of the geospatial data lifecycle. As appropriate, the work group will work with the Common Services Work Group to develop service level agreements with agencies that are proficient at specific lifecycle phases 
• Inventory and evaluate datasets being developed under A-16 and assess whether the current list of A-16 data themes and data layers reflects stakeholder needs  
• Develop guidance around management of and reporting on A-16 themes and datasets

Accomplishments FY08-09

• Identified initial inventory of Federal geospatial datasets
• Developed Geospatial Data Lifecycle and Lexicon of Geospatial Terminology
• Developed and submitted OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance to OMB for endorsement
• Revised OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance per OMB feedback
• Evaluated 3 Federal datasets against the geospatial data lifecycle

Accomplishments FY10 

• Evaluated 5 datasets against the geospatial data lifecycle
• Published detailed OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance, which was unanimously endorsed by FGDC SC and endorsed and released by OMB 
• Developed  list of 17 NGDA themes
• Revised inventory of Federal geospatial datasets and mapped datasets to NDGA themes

Performance Management Work Group 

Responsibilities

• Provide the mechanism for reporting and accountability within the LoB for tasks and objectives
• Review and update FGDC guidance documents and to enhance agency accountability and pursuant to OMB Circular A-16

Accomplishments FY 08-09

• Successfully transitioned FGDC Task Force responsibilities to the FGDC CG
• Performance Management Plan

Accomplishment FY 10

• In conjunction with the  Lifecycle Management Work Group, developed the OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance 

Technical Architecture Work Group 

Responsibilities

• Develop requirements and recommendations for technology and telecommunications infrastructure pertaining to the delivery of geospatial services.  .
• Provide enhanced guidance on common services deployment, SLA quality of service characteristics and acquisition metrics for shared common services, including cloud computing

Accomplishments  FY08-09

• Finalized and Published FEA Geospatial Profile, Version 2.0
• Finalized Geospatial Segment Architecture Guidance
• Developed, published, and hosted a beta version of the Geospatial Applications Registry (GeAR) 

Accomplishments  FY10

• Investigated and documented operational demands and requirements of cloud computing for a geospatial cloud “sandbox” project  supporting geospatial data, services, and applications