[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24325-24326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12015]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): Application Notice
Establishing the Closing Date for Transmittal of Applications Under the
FGDC National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Framework
Demonstration Projects Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996
AGENCY: Geological Survey, Interior.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for competitive cooperative
agreement awards for fiscal year 1996.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of the FGDC National Spatial Data Infrastructure
(NSDI) Framework Demonstration Projects Program task is to facilitate
and provide resources for the development and implementation of the
NSDI framework concept. Under this FY 1996 program announcement,
applications are to be directed towards projects that test the
framework concept. These projects will demonstrate the sustained
ability, over a geographic area, to supply data to the greater
geospatial data community from locally available data sources through
the implementation of the framework process. These projects will
provide practical examples in implementation, suggest innovative
alternative approaches to accomplish the goals outlined in the
framework report, and indicate topics for future research and
development. Applicants are being sought who are establishing long-term
organizational structures, and cooperative arrangements with other
organizations in sustained efforts to
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build, maintain, and disseminate framework data resources.
Outcomes of these projects will include information that will
provide guidance on policies and practices for the establishment of
operational framework sites. The projects will also act as examples of
applied framework for other implementers and as starting points for
future framework research and development.
The deliverable will be a report from the project site describing
the successes and failures in implementing the framework concept;
alternatives that were developed; descriptions of institutional and
technical practices; evaluations of user satisfaction; and suggestions
for future efforts.
Authority for this program is contained in the 1996 Congressional
Act entitled ``Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriation Act
of 1996'' that furnishes the appropriation for the Department of the
Interior as well as other agencies. Applications may be submitted by
State and local government agencies, educational institutions, private
firms, private foundations, and Federally acknowledged or state-
recognized Native American tribes or groups. Each project must involve
two or more organizations.
DATES: The program announcement and application forms are expected to
be available on or about May 29, 1996. Applications must be received on
or before June 28, 1996.
addresses: Copies of Program Announcement 1434-HQ-96-PA-00003 may be
obtained by writing to Patrick N. Robertson, U.S. Geological Survey.
Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, Mail Stop 205A, 12201
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 22092, facsimile telephone
number (703) 648-7901.
for further information contact: Patrick N. Robertson, U.S. Geological
Survey, Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, Mail Stop 205A,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 22092, voice telephone
number (703) 648-7368, facsimile telephone number (703) 648-7901.
supplementary information: Applications of digital geospatial data vary
greatly, but users have a recurring need for a few common themes of
data. The framework concept outlined in the report ``Development of a
National Digital Geospatial Data Framework'' (April, 1995) proposes a
means by which the geospatial data community can work together to
produce and maintain commonly needed data for national, regional,
state, and local analyses. The report and additional information about
the framework are available from the FGDC Secretariat. The materials
can be retrieved from the committee's World Wide Web page at http://
www.fgdc.gov, or by contacting the committee by mail at the U.S.
Geological Survey, 590 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092; by
Internet at gdc@usgs.gov; by facsimile at (703) 648-5755; or by voice
telephone at (703) 648-5514. There will be up to 4 awards each not
exceeding $125,000. The awards will be cooperative agreements and not
contracts.
Within the geospatial data community, multi-agency, and multi-
sector partnerships are being established in local and regional areas
to collaboratively leverage resources and funding, and coordinate data
collection, utilization, and access. The framework concept builds on
these activities by identifying a basic information content, and the
technical, operational, and business contexts by which a distributed,
collaborative data collection and maintenance effort for the framework
would operate. The information content proposed for framework consists
of geodetic control, digital orthoimagery, elevation, transportation,
hydrography, governmental units, and cadastral data categories.
While the framework concept has been well received by the
geospatial data community, questions remain as to its practical
implementation, and the modifications in approach that will be
necessary as the concept is tested. This program is a means by which
the FGDC facilitates, and provides resources, for the development and
implementation of the NSDI Framework concept.
This program will fund the development and testing of institutions
and technology needed for framework operations. Proposals should be
from multiple parties in geographic areas that have data to share for
at least a subset of the framework data content. Project activities may
include establishment of the following institutional roles: evaluating,
developing and implementing technical standards; coordinating data
creation, maintenance, and dissemination for a geographic area;
ensuring updates of framework data from local data contributions;
developing data quality certification policies; and ensuring data
integration among themes, and geographic areas. Technical development
and applications may include the following: permanent feature-based
identification; the support of multiple resolution data; mechanisms for
maintaining the users' data investment when updating their data holding
from the framework; processes for gathering and evaluating user
satisfaction to the framework; and the evaluation of methods for
implementing metadata (including data quality information) required for
the framework data.
Dated: May 3, 1996.
Richard E. Witmer,
Acting Chief, National Mapping Division.
[FR Doc. 96-12015 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]
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