This OMB Circular A–16 supplemental guidance provides the foundation for a portfolio management approach to nationally significant  geospatial data themes and associated datasets under the auspices of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–16.  This guidance is directed to Federal agencies designated by OMB as theme leads who work with their partners to develop, maintain, and manage these nationally significant <Add link to lexicon, NDT-1> geospatial data themes and associated datasets.  This guidance clarifies roles, responsibilities, and management processes to help lead agencies more systematically and effectively implement their responsibilities as set out in OMB Circular A–16.  It sets the framework for a lifecycle-based portfolio management and reporting process intended to increase the transparency of the development and maintenance of nationally significant datasets.  It provides a standard lexicon for use in this process.  It offers a decision process for adding, modifying, or deleting specific themes or datasets from appendix E of OMB Circular A–16 based on alignment with long-term national strategies or goals, specific business requirements, benefits, and costs.

For the purposes of this guidance, the portfolio consists of the available geospatial assets that can be brought to bear to address a business need.  These assets include data, funding, infrastructure, hardware and software applications, personnel, services, and products.  Geospatial portfolio management is the process of tracking, maintaining, expanding, and aligning or realigning these assets to address the business needs of an enterprise.  To understand what assets exist, and to ensure their quality and usability, geospatial data must be—

• Reliable – coordinated by a recognized national steward
• Consistent – supported by defined and understood content definitions to ensure their integrity
• Current and applicable – maintained regularly and adaptable to current needs
• Resourced – established and recognized as an enterprise investment

While geospatial portfolio management is broader and more detailed than just these four data conditions, they comprise the foundation upon which geospatial portfolio management is based.  This supplemental guidance focuses on the geospatial data aspects of geospatial portfolio management, and specifically applies to the geospatial data themes that fall under OMB Circular A–16.

The supplemental guidance describe the basic framework needed for OMB Circular A–16 geospatial portfolio management—a framework that will also serve as the basis for separate guidance on reporting to the OMB.  The information covered includes the following:

• Roles and responsibilities related to OMB Circular A–16 are defined for Federal agencies involved in geospatial activities.  This section clarifies leadership and stewardship roles to minimize or eliminate confusion, facilitate communications and partnering between Federal agencies and other stakeholders, and enhance portfolio management accountability and transparency.  FGDC Representation and Theme Lead Responsibility Table provides a high-level matrix that identifies the Federal agencies and bureaus that participate in geospatial data management and the entities with which each is associated.
• A lexicon of geospatial terminology promotes consistent use of a standard geospatial nomenclature across the Federal Government to facilitate communication and increase operational consistency.  The Lexicon of Geospatial Terminology is a living document intended for widespread use and will evolve over time.  A separate glossary containing the acronyms  used in this supplemental guidance is included.
• Geospatial data lifecycle stages are described consistent with the approach for Federal agency information asset management improvement incorporated in OMB Circular A–130 (section 4).  The approach lays the groundwork for what will evolve into lifecycle-based guidance for interagency geospatial portfolio management of nationally significant datasets.  Key stages of the data lifecycle are defined, and decision points and processes that occur within each data lifecycle stage are identified and described.
• National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) geospatial data theme principles  define the characteristics of geospatial data themes and serve as guidelines for their inclusion as a theme in OMB Circular A–16.  These principles are a precursor to establishing a predictable and repeatable process for designation and management of geospatial themes under the auspices of OMB Circular A–16 and listed in its appendix E.  Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD–7) provides additional background information.

This supplemental guidance does not alter OMB Circular A–16.  It was developed as a supporting document by the FGDC Steering Committee under authority granted to the committee by Executive Order 12906 and OMB Circular A–16.  The document has received broad Federal, stakeholder, and OMB review.  All members of the FGDC are expected to comply with this supplemental guidance.

Relationship of This Supplemental Guidance to OMB Circular A–16

These pages expands upon and seeks to clarify some of the language contained in OMB Circular A–16.  Section 8 of OMB Circular A–16 establishes roles and responsibilities that promote coordinated geospatial theme portfolio management.  The supplemental guidance complements section 8 and provides further clarification by providing high-level matrices relating to roles and responsibilities.  Appendix D of OMB Circular A–16 defines terms used elsewhere in the document.  The Lexicon of Geospatial Terminology  of this supplemental guidance increases the number of terms defined to provide a more expansive geospatial vocabulary.  The lexicon is not exhaustive and will continue to evolve and expand as more terminology is added to common usage in this field.  Consistent with the approach of OMB Circular A–16 to improve the management of Federal agency information assets, the stages of the geospatial data lifecycle are clearly described in the supplemental guidance.  These stages are intended to be the underlying set of assumptions by which datasets associated with themes under the purview of OMB Circular A–16 will be developed and managed.  Appendix E of OMB Circular A–16 details the lead Federal agencies with responsibilities for NSDI spatial data themes.  This supplemental guidance details a process for adjusting, adding or removing geospatial themes under OMB Circular A–16 and provides the overarching goals for each theme.

In addition, appendix A of OMB Circular A–16 includes a list of other authorities that “provide requirements or guidance pertaining to management of data and Federal information assets related to geographic locations.”