94-16205. Proposed Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for Application Profile for the Government Information Locator Service (GILS)  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 5, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-16205]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: July 5, 1994]
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    National Institute of Standards and Technology
    [Docket No. 940680-4180]
    RIN No. 0693-AB29
    
     
    
    Proposed Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for 
    Application Profile for the Government Information Locator Service 
    (GILS)
    
    AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
    Commerce.
    
    ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: This proposed Federal Information Processing Standard 
    describes an application profile for the Government Information Locator 
    Service (GILS). This application profile is based primarily on the 
    American National Standard for Information Retrieval Application 
    Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Open Systems 
    Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992), developed by the National 
    Information Standards Organization. The Government Information Locator 
    Service (GILS) is a decentralized collection of servers and associated 
    information services that will be used by the public either directly or 
    through intermediaries to find public information throughout the 
    Federal government.
        Prior to the submission of this proposed FIPS to the Secretary of 
    Commerce for review and approval, it is essential to assure that 
    consideration is given to the needs and views of federal organizations, 
    vendors, the public, and State and local governments. The purpose of 
    this notice is to solicit such views.
        The proposed FIPS contains two sections: (1) an announcement 
    section, which provides information concerning the applicability, 
    implementation, and maintenance of the standard; and (2) a 
    specifications section which deals with the technical requirements of 
    the standard.
        Only the announcement section of the standard is provided in this 
    notice. Interested parties may obtain copies of the technical 
    specifications for this proposed FIPS for Application Profile for the 
    Government Information Locator Service (GILS) from Standards Processing 
    Coordinator (ADP), Computer Systems Laboratory, National Institute of 
    Standards and Technology, Technology Building, Room B-64, Gaithersburg, 
    MD 20899, telephone (301) 975-2816.
    
    DATES: Comments on this proposed FIPS must be received on or before 
    October 3, 1994.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed FIPS should be sent 
    to: Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, ATTN: Proposed FIPS for 
    GILS, Technology Building, Room B154, National Institute of Standards 
    and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
        Written comments received in response to this notice will be made 
    part of the public record and will be made available for inspection and 
    copying in the Central Reference and Records Inspection Facility, room 
    6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street between Pennsylvania and 
    Constitution Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Mr. Eliot Christian, U.S. Geological Survey, 802 National Center, 
    Reston, VA 22092, telephone (703) 648-7245, fax (703) 648-7069, E-mail: 
    echristi@usgs.gov.
    
        Dated: June 28, 1994.
    Samuel Kramer,
    Associate Director.
    
    Proposed Federal Information Processing Standards 
    Publication____________
    
    (date)
    
    Announcing the Standard for Application Profile for the Government 
    Information Locator Service (GILS)
    
        Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS) 
    are issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
    after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Section 111(d) 
    of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 as 
    amended by the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 100-235.
        1. Name of Standard. Application Profile for the Government 
    Information Locator Service (GILS).
        2. Category of Standard. Software Standard, Information 
    Interchange.
        3. Explanation. This standard describes an application profile for 
    the Government Information Locator Service (GILS). This application 
    profile is based primarily on the American National Standard for 
    Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol 
    Specification for Open Systems Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992), 
    developed by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO). 
    The Government Information Locator Service (GILS) is a decentralized 
    collection of servers and associated information services that will be 
    used by the public either directly or through intermediaries to find 
    public information throughout the Federal government.
        This GILS Profile specifies the use of ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992 in 
    information service applications and provides specifications for the 
    overall GILS application, including the GILS Core and other aspect of a 
    GILS server operating in the Internet environment. This GILS profile 
    will enable GILS client systems to interconnect and to interoperate 
    with any GILS server. This profile addresses intersystem interactions 
    and information interchange for the GILS, but does not specify user 
    interface requirements, the internal structure of databases that 
    contain GILS Locator Records, or search engine functionality.
        GILS servers will support search and retrieval by accepting a 
    search query and returning a result set or diagnostic messages. GILS 
    servers may also support browsing by accepting a well-known search 
    query and returning a list of Locator Records in brief display format.
        Some of the information resources pointed to by GILS Locator 
    Records, as well as the GILS server itself, may be available 
    electronically through other communications protocols including the 
    common Internet protocols that facilitate electronic information 
    transfer such as remote login (Telnet), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), 
    and electronic mail. The use of SMTP and MIME protocols or other 
    communications paths is outside the scope of the GILS Profile.
        The GILS Profile was developed by a group of industry and 
    government experts in ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992 implementations, system 
    implementations, and the organization of information. The 
    specifications included in the GILS Profile reflect the consensus of 
    this group based on its work and input from a range of stakeholders.
        4. Approving Authority. Secretary of Commerce.
        5. Maintenance Agency. U.S. Department of the Interior, United 
    States Geological Survey (USGS).
        Questions concerning this standard are to be addressed to the 
    Maintenance Agency: GILS Program, United States Geological Survey 
    (USGS), 802 National Center, Reston, VA 22092. Users of this standard 
    who need to be notified or changes that occur prior to the next 
    publication of the standard should complete the Change Request Form 
    provided in this publication and send it to: Standards Processing 
    Coordinator (ADP), Computer Systems Laboratory, National Institute of 
    Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. The NIST will issue 
    Change Notices on an as-needed basis.
        6. Related Documents.
        a. Federal Information Resources Management Regulations (FIRMR) 
    subpart 201-20.303, Standards and subpart 201-39-1002, Federal 
    Standards.
        b. Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 94-________, 
    Establishment of Government Information Locator Service.
        c. American National Standard for Information Retrieval Application 
    Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Open Systems 
    Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992).
        d. A list of additional references for the Application Profile is 
    contained in section 5, References, of the specifications.
        7. Objectives. The objectives of the Application Profile for the 
    GILS are to:
    
    --Enable users to identify, locate, and access or acquire publicly 
    available Federal information resources, including electronic 
    information resources.
    --Provide a uniform approach to providing information locator services 
    to the public.
    --Enable every agency to establish standards-based network-accessible 
    locator records.
    
        8. Applicability.
        a. This standard is recommended for use by Federal agencies in the 
    development and establishment of information locators, i.e., 
    information resources that identify other information resources, 
    describe the information available in those resources, and provide 
    assistance in how to obtain the information.
        b. This standard is required for use by Federal agencies in those 
    information locators that are established and maintained as part of the 
    Government Information Locator System (GILS) pursuant to the 
    requirements of OMB Bulletin 94-________ and other applicable, law, 
    regulation, and policy.
        c. The GILS Core requirements of this standard apply to those GILS 
    locator records which:
    
    --Describe information resources maintained by the Federal government;
    --Comply with the defined GILS Core Elements;
    --Are mutually accessible through interconnected electronic network 
    facilities without charge to the direct user; and
    --Are designated by the agency to be part of the Federal government 
    GILS Core, pursuant to OMB Bulletin 94-________.
    
        9. Specifications. The Application Profile for the Government 
    Information Locator System, (affixed).
        10. Implementation. The implementation of this standard involves 
    three areas of consideration: development and acquisition of GILS 
    implementations, validation, and interpretations of the standard.
        10.1  Development and Acquisition of GILS Implementations. This 
    standard is effective ____________ (6 months after approval by the 
    Secretary of Commerce).
        10.2  Validation. Validation of GILS implementations is not 
    required at this time. Testing for conformance to this standard is at 
    the discretion of the agency. Agencies may select the tests to be 
    administered and the testing organizations that administer the tests.
        10.3  Interpretation of this standard. Resolution of questions 
    regarding this standard will be provided by NIST. Questions concerning 
    the content and specifications should be addressed to: Director, 
    Computer Systems Laboratory, Attn: FIPS for GILS Interpretation, 
    National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, 
    Telephone: (301) 975-2833.
        11. Waivers. Under certain exceptional circumstances, the heads of 
    Federal departments and agencies may approve waivers to Federal 
    Information Processing Standards (FIPS). The head of such agency may 
    redelegate such authority only to a senior official designated pursuant 
    to Section 3506(b) of Title 44, U.S. Code. Waivers shall be granted 
    only when:
        a. Compliance with a standard would adversely affect the 
    accomplishment of the mission of an operator of a Federal computer 
    system, or
        b. Cause a major adverse financial impact on the operator which is 
    not offset by governmentwide savings.
        Agency heads may act upon a written waiver request containing the 
    information detailed above. Agency heads may also act without a written 
    waiver request when they determine that conditions for meeting the 
    standard cannot be met. Agency heads may approve waivers only by a 
    written decision which explains the basis on which the agency head made 
    the required finding(s). A copy of each such decision, with procurement 
    sensitive or classified portions clearly identified, shall be sent to: 
    National Institute of Standards and Technology; Attn: FIPS Waiver 
    Decisions, Technology Building, room B-154; Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
        In addition, notice of each waiver granted and each delegation of 
    authority to approve waivers shall be sent promptly to the Committee on 
    Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
    on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and shall be published promptly 
    in the Federal Register.
        When the determination on a waiver applies to the procurement of 
    equipment and/or services, a notice of the waiver determination must be 
    published in the Commerce Business Daily as part of the notice of 
    solicitation for offers of an acquisition or, if the waiver 
    determination is made after that notice is published, by amendment to 
    such notice.
        A copy of the waiver, any supporting documents, the document 
    approving the waiver and any supporting and accompanying documents, 
    with such deletions as the agency is authorized and decides to make 
    under 5 U.S.C. 552(b), shall be part of the procurement documentation 
    and retained by the agency.
        12. Where to Obtain Copies. Copies of this publication are for sale 
    by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of 
    Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. (Sale of the included specifications 
    document is by arrangement with the United States Geological Survey 
    (USGS).) When ordering, refer to Federal Information Processing 
    Standards Publication ________ (FIPSPUB ________), and title. Payment 
    may be made by check, money order, or deposit account.
    
    [FR Doc. 94-16205 Filed 7-1-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-LN-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
07/05/1994
Department:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Notice; request for comments.
Document Number:
94-16205
Dates:
Comments on this proposed FIPS must be received on or before October 3, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: July 5, 1994, Docket No. 940680-4180