[910] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Proposed OMB Circular A-130 Revisions, pt. 1
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Public-Access Computer Systems For)
Tue Aug 4 11:00:16 1992
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1992 09:53:45 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: Joe Ryan <JORYAN@SUVM.acs.syr.edu>
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROPOSED OMB CIRCULAR A-130 REVISIONS
{This is Part 1 of 2 parts}
From Discussions Held at the Seminar on Proposed Circular A-130
Strategic Information Resources Management
in the Public Sector Series (SIRM)
Arlington VA
June 10, 1992
Reported By:
Joe Ryan <joryan@suvm.acs.syr.edu>
Charles R. McClure <cmcclure@suvm.acs.syr.edu>
School of Information Studies
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13244-4100
Introduction
The following summarizes key policy issues and
recommendations from discussions on the Office of Management and
Budget's (OMB) proposed Circular A-130 revisions at a briefing
session sponsored by Syracuse University's SIRM series.
Participants were primarily senior government officials, Federal
librarians, and information policy makers.
After a half day briefing session on A-130 issues
participants were assigned to groups of 7-10 individuals. Some
effort was made to limit members from the same agency to one per
group. Group members were asked to identify five key issues and
policy recommendations concerning the proposed A-130 revisions.
The list below is a compilation of the resulting small group
reports and subsequent discussion. The list reports participants'
comments; no assessment of those comments has been done by the
compilers. A copy of this summary has been sent to the Office of
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs for their consideration and attention.
Key Issues
o Any Circular should be issued with a sensitivity to, and
awareness of existing and proposed legislation, circulars, and
other regulations.
o Of the issues to be addressed in Phase II of the OMB Circular
A-130 revisions to be issued this winter proposed changes in cost
recovery and accounting, other financial issues, and computer
security were of most immediate concern to workshop participants.
o Guidelines are needed to resolve the conflicting demands of
agency information dissemination: cost recovery needs of agency
provider; disenfranchisement of citizenry who cannot afford to
pay; potential for marketplace environment among Federal agencies;
prioritizing dissemination demands v. the agency's "true" (or at
least traditional) mission; does dissemination requirements exceed
scope of agency's mission?
o Policy statements should be flexible and transitional in
nature. Electronic information collection and dissemination is
likely to revolutionize the IRM practices addressed in Circular A-
130. Some feel that it may be too early to do any more than lay
out broad guidelines. Others strongly feel the need for specific
guidance now. Many feel the need for A-130 to address how
agencies should move older information technologies out as new,
electronic means were acquired. All agreed developments in this
area needed to be watched.
o What is the agency's role in information dissemination of the
Internet/NREN? Who pays for the Internet/NREN involvement, and
What are appropriate agency roles and responsibilities in the
national network?
o Should there be policy guidance on the re-packaging and
copyrighting of Federal (not copyrighted) information by State and
Foreign governments? Should international access to governmental
information be the same as domestic access?
o To what degree are the archival requirements for agencies
similar to or different than dissemination requirements?
o Who is the Federal IRM community, who serves as advocates for
IRM managers in the agency, and how are key terms related to IRM
being defined? There is inadequate information on these points in
the revised Circular.
o To what degree does Circular A-130 fully address the issues and
policies covered in the Circulars, A-3 and A-114, that it
rescinds?
o There are too many competing and often-times conflicting
information processing and dissemination standards, more specific
language is needed to sort out what standards are to be used in
what situations.
{ Part II to follow}
