Directive # 3, Public Review Process

1.0 Public Review of Standards Proposals

1.1 Preparing Proposals for Public Review

1.1.1 Subcommittee and Working Group Responsibilities

a. Submit to FGDC Secretariat: an electronic version of the proposal

b. Other responsibilities:

post announcement of the standard's proposal on the subcommittee or working group homepage or link to the announcement on the FGDC homepage

mail an announcement to organizations/persons not on Secretariat's mailing distribution list

announce review of standards proposal on relevant discipline specific Internet discussion lists or e-mail lists (those not included on Secretariats distribution list)

place press releases and articles in relevant discipline specific publications and journal (those not included on Secretariats distribution list), time permitting

announce and promote the public review of the standards proposal through public meetings, workshops, conferences, etc, time permitting.

1.1.2 FGDC Secretariat Responsibilities

a. create and submit Federal Register Notice

b. mail standards proposal to organizations/persons on Secretariat's distribution list (includes state councils, chairs of all FGDC subcommittees and working groups, general GIS standards organizations and professional societies)

c. announce review of standards proposal on general GIS Internet discussion lists and e-mail lists

d. place press releases and articles in general GIS publications and journal (GIS World, GeoInfoSystem, PE&RS, Federal Computer Week, and Government Computer Magazine), time permitting

e. announce and promote the public review of the standard through public meetings, workshops, conferences, etc, time permitting.

1.1.3 SWG Responsibilities

a. place an announcement and the standards proposal on the SWG home page

1.2 Adjudicating Public Review Comments

1.2.1 Subcommittee and Working Group Responsibilities

a. all comments are reviewed and discussed, and appropriate revisions are made to the standards proposal based on the comments received
b. responses to comments by the subcommittee/working group are documented; comments shall be divided into the following categories:
  1. Non-substantive - comments that do not require a response, such as those saying you did a great job or that you didn't do such a great job, but do not provide specific instances
  2. Substantive comments - comments that require a response; these may be further subdivided as the subcommittee or working groups sees fit
c. public review comments and subcommittee/working group responses to comments are incorporated into a comments document to be submitted, along with the revised proposal, to the SWG for a final review
1.2.2 FGDC Secretariat Responsibilities
a. receive comments from public review and forward them to subcommittee/working group
b. maintain file copies of all submitted comments
1.2.3 SWG Responsibilities
a. review revised proposal and comments document and make final approval

2.0 Public Review of Standards
2.1 Preparing Standards for Public Review

2.1.1 Subcommittee and Working Group Responsibilities
a. Submit to FGDC Secretariat:

an electronic version of the standard and two publishable quality hard copies ready for printing (see Directive #8: Printing and Distribution of FGDC Standards)

one hardcopy and an electronic version of the Federal Register Notice; instructions and examples can be obtained from the FGDC Secretariat; 90 day minimum review period

one hardcopy and an electronic version of a letter to reviewers that provides a short description of the standard, any issues that need to be addressed during the review, and information on how to obtain the standard and submit comments

mailing labels of organizations/persons to receive hardcopy distribution in addition to those organizations/persons on the mailing distribution list of the secretariat (only if you would like Secretariat to distribute)

b. Other responsibilities:

post announcement of the review on the subcommittee or working group home page or link to the announcement on the FGDC homepage

mail standard to organizations/persons not on secretariats mailing distribution list (if you do not want secretariat to distribute)

announce review of standard on relevant discipline specific Internet discussion lists or e-mail lists (those not included on secretariats distribution list)

place press releases and articles in relevant discipline specific publications and journal (those not included on secretariats distribution list)

announce and promote the public review of the standard through public meetings, workshops, conferences, etc.

2.1.2 FGDC Secretariat Responsibilities

a. provide an example Federal Register Notice and formatting instructions on request
b. submit Federal Register Notice for printing through proper channels
c. send standard out for printing
d. post electronic version of standard on FGDC web site
e. mail standard to organizations/persons on secretariat's distribution list (includes state councils, chairs of all FGDC subcommittees and working groups, general GIS standards organizations and professional societies)
f. announce review of standard on general GIS Internet discussion lists and e-mail lists
g. place press releases and articles in general GIS publications and journal (GIS World, GeoInfoSystem, PE&RS, Federal Computer Week, and Government Computer Magazine)
h. announce and promote the public review of the standard through public meetings, workshops, conferences, etc.

2.1.3 SWG Responsibilities

a. place announcement of the public review on SWG home page
b. link SWG home page announcement to electronic version of standard on FGDC public ftp site

2.2 Adjudicating Public Review Comments
2.2.1 Subcommittee and Working Group Responsibilities
a. all comments are reviewed and discussed, and appropriate revisions are made to the standard based on the comments received
b. responses to comments by the subcommittee/working group are documented; comments shall be divided into the following categories:
  1. Non-substantive - comments that do not require a response, such as those saying you did a great job or that you didn't do such a great job, but do not provide specific instances
  2. Substantive comments - comments that require a response; these may be further subdivided as the subcommittee or working groups sees fit
c. public review comments and subcommittee/working group responses to comments are incorporated into a comments document to be submitted, along with the revised standard, to the SWG as the next step in the standards approval process
2.2.2 FGDC Secretariat Responsibilities

a. receive comments from public review and forward them to subcommittee/working group
b. maintain file copies of all submitted comments

2.2.3 SWG Responsibilities
a. review revised standard and comments document and make recommendation to the Coordination Group for final endorsement

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