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Credits & DisclaimersLAYOUT & DESIGN: This site is designed and maintained under the direction of the Please direct any comments or inquiries to DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY:With respect to documents available from this server, neither the United States Government nor the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce nor any of their employees or contractors makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness or a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. The U.S. Government, the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce, and their employees and contractors cannot be held responsible for the contents of any off-site pages referenced. DISCLAIMER OF ENDORSEMENT:Links or Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce or any of their employees/contractors of any particular product, service, organization, company, information provider, or content. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce or their employees/contractors, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. COPYRIGHT STATUS:Documents on this server are sponsored by the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce along with private companies and organizations. Accordingly, the appropriate parties may retain all rights to publish or reproduce these documents, or allow others to do so. All documents available from this server may be protected under the U.S. and Foreign Copyright Laws. Permission to reproduce may be required. PRIVACY POLICYCredits and Disclaimers We collect no personal information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide that information to us. For the protection of users of our Web sites, we have safeguards in place to identify and prevent unauthorized attempts to access or cause harm to information and systems.
Information Collected and Stored Automatically
We use this information to help us make our site more useful to visitors - to learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record information about individuals and their visits. “Cookies” are small bits of text that are either used for the duration of a session (“session cookies”) or saved on a user’s hard drive in order to identify that user, or information about that user, the next time the user logs on the a Web site (“persistent cookies”). This Web site does not use persistent cookies or any other persistent tracking technology. Information Collected from E-mails and Web Forms You can contact us by postal mail, telephone or electronically, via e-mail or an online form. Before you do, there are a few things you should know. Submitting voluntary information constitutes your consent to the use of the information for the stated purpose. Various people may see the material you submit. We may enter the information you send into an electronic database or share it with our attorneys and others involved in law enforcement or public policy development. We may also share it with a wide variety of other government agencies enforcing consumer protection, competition and other laws. We or any of those agencies may contact you. In other limited circumstances, including requests from Congress or private individuals, we may be required by law to disclose information you submit. Also, e-mail is not necessarily secure against interception. If your communication is sensitive or includes personal information, you might want to send it by postal mail instead. Your Rights under the Privacy Act Please see the following:
Information Quality GuidelinesCredits and Disclaimers PART I: BACKGROUND, MISSION, DEFINITIONS, AND SCOPEBACKGROUNDSection 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554), hereinafter "Section 515," directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue government-wide guidelines that "provide policy and procedural guidance to Federal agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical information) disseminated by Federal agencies." OMB complied by issuing guidelines which direct each Federal agency to (A) issue its own guidelines ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information disseminated by the agency; (B) establish administrative mechanisms allowing affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information that does not comply with the OMB 515 Guidelines (Federal Register: February 22, 2002, Volume 67, Number 36, pp. 8452-8460, hereinafter "OMB Guidelines") or the agency guidelines, and (C) report periodically to the Director of OMB on the number and nature of complaints received by the agency regarding the accuracy of information disseminated by the agency and how such complaints were handled by the agency. In compliance with OMB directives, the Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued draft Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Disseminated Information (http://www.doc.gov/cio/oipr/iqg.html). This document implements Section 515 and fulfills the OMB and DOC information quality guidelines. It may be revised periodically, based on experience, evolving requirements in the Technology Administration (TA), and concerns expressed by the public. Covered information disseminated by TA will comply with all applicable OMB, DOC, and (these) TA Information Quality Guidelines. In implementing these guidelines, TA acknowledges that ensuring the quality of information is an important management objective that takes its place alongside other TA objectives, such as ensuring the success of TA missions, observing budget and resource priorities and restraints, and providing useful information to the public. TA intends to implement these guidelines in a way that will achieve all these objectives in a harmonious way. MISSIONTA's mission is to work with U.S. industry to maximize technology's contribution to U.S. economic growth by maintaining and improving key components of the nation's technological infrastructure; fostering the development, diffusion, and adoption of new technologies and leading business practices; creating a business and policy environment conducive to innovation; and disseminating technical information. DEFINITIONSThe definitions in this section apply throughout these Guidelines. Agency initiated distribution of information to the public refers to information that the Agency distributes or releases which reflects, represents, or forms any part of the support of the policies of the Agency. In addition, if the Agency, as an institution, distributes or releases information prepared by an outside party in a manner that reasonably suggests that the Agency agrees with the information, this would be considered Agency initiated distribution and hence Agency dissemination because of the appearance of having the information represent Agency views. By contrast, the Agency does not "initiate'' the dissemination of information when an Agency scientist or grantee or contractor publishes and communicates his or her research findings in the same manner as his or her colleagues, even if the Agency retains ownership or other intellectual property rights because the Federal government paid for the research. Agency sponsored distribution of information to the public refers to situations where the Agency has directed a third party to distribute or release information, or where the Agency has the authority to review and approve the information before release. By contrast, if the Agency simply provides funding to support research, and if the researcher (not the Agency) decides whether to distribute the results and - if the results are to be released - determines the content and presentation of the distribution, then the Agency has not "sponsored'' the dissemination even though it has funded the research and even if the Agency retains ownership or other intellectual property rights because the Federal government paid for the research. Note that subsequent Agency dissemination of such information would require that the information adhere to the Agency's information quality guidelines even if it was initially covered by a disclaimer. Quality is an encompassing term comprising utility, objectivity, and integrity. Therefore, the guidelines sometimes refer to these four statutory terms, collectively, as "quality." Utility refers to the usefulness of the information to its intended users, including the public. In assessing the usefulness of information that the agency disseminates to the public, TA considers the uses of the information not only from its own perspective but also from the perspective of the public. As a result, when transparency of information is relevant for assessing the information's usefulness from the public's perspective, TA takes care to ensure that transparency has been addressed in its review of the information. Objectivity consists of two distinct elements: presentation and substance. The presentation element includes whether disseminated information is presented in an accurate, clear, complete, and unbiased manner and in a proper context. The substance element involves a focus on ensuring accurate, reliable, and unbiased information. In a scientific, financial, or statistical context, the original and supporting data shall be generated, and the analytic results shall be developed, using sound statistical and research methods. Integrity refers to security - the protection of information from unauthorized access or revision, to ensure that the information is not compromised through corruption or falsification. Information means any communication or representation of knowledge such as facts or data, in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual forms. This definition includes information that an agency disseminates from a Web page, but does not include the provision of hyperlinks to information that others disseminate. This definition does not include opinions, where the agency's presentation makes it clear that what is being offered is someone's opinion rather than fact or the agency's views. Government information means information created, collected, processed, disseminated, or disposed of by or for the Federal Government. Information dissemination product means any books, paper, map, machine-readable material, audiovisual production, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristic, an agency disseminates to the public. This definition includes any electronic document, CD-ROM, or Web page. Dissemination means agency initiated or sponsored distribution of information to the public. Dissemination does not include distribution limited to government employees or agency contractors or grantees; intra- or inter-agency use or sharing of government information; and responses to requests for agency records under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act or other similar law. This definition also does not include distribution limited to correspondence with individuals or persons, press releases, archival records, public filings, subpoenas or adjudicative processes. Influential, when used in the phrase "influential scientific, financial, or statistical information,'' means that the agency can reasonably determine that dissemination of the information will have or does have a clear and substantial impact on important public policy and private sector decisions. Reproducibility means that the information is capable of being substantially reproduced, subject to an acceptable degree of imprecision. For information judged to have more (less) important impacts, the degree of imprecision that is tolerated is reduced (increased). With respect to analytic results, "capable of being substantially reproduced'' means that independent analysis of the original or supporting data using identical methods would generate similar analytic results, subject to an acceptable degree of imprecision or error. Transparency is not defined in the OMB Guidelines, but the Supplementary Information to the OMB Guidelines indicates (p. 8456) that "transparency" is at the heart of the reproducibility standard. The Guidelines state that "The purpose of the reproducibility standard is to cultivate a consistent agency commitment to transparency about how analytic results are generated: the specific data used, the various assumptions employed, the specific analytic methods applied, and the statistical procedures employed. If sufficient transparency is achieved on each of these matters, then an analytic result should meet the reproducibility standard." In others words, transparency - and ultimately reproducibility - is a matter of showing how you got the results you got. SCOPEThese guidelines cover information disseminated by TA on or after October 1, 2002, regardless of when the information was first disseminated, except that pre-dissemination review procedures shall apply only to information first disseminated on or after October 1, 2002. Information Disseminated by TA and Covered by these Guidelines Corporate or general information includes all non-scientific, non-financial, non-statistical information. Examples include program and organizational descriptions, brochures, pamphlets, education and outreach materials, newsletters, and other general descriptions of TA operations and capabilities. Other examples include:
Technical, Financial, and Statistical Information includes all technical, financial, and statistical information disseminated by TA. TA disseminates technical, financial, and statistical information to the public in a variety of formats, including but not limited to data, databases, standard reference materials, scientific papers, economic impact studies, presentations, exhibits, and web sites. Information quality is an integral part of the pre-dissemination review of information disseminated by TA Information quality is also integral to information collections conducted by TA, and is incorporated into the clearance process required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to help improve the quality of information that TA collects and disseminates to the public. TAoffices already are required to demonstrate in their PRA submissions to OMB the "practical utility" of a proposed collection of information that they plan to disseminate. Additionally, for all proposed collections of information that will be disseminated to the public, TA offices should demonstrate in their PRA clearance submissions to OMB that the proposed collection of information will result in information that will be collected, maintained, and used in a way consistent with applicable information quality guidelines. Information Not Covered by these GuidelinesInformation with distribution intended to be limited to government employees or agency contractors or grantees. Information with distribution intended to be limited to intra- or inter-agency use or sharing of government information. Responses to requests for agency records under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act or other similar law. Information relating solely to correspondence with individuals or persons. Press releases, fact sheets, press conferences or similar communications in any medium that announce, support the announcement or give public notice of information TA has disseminated elsewhere Archival records, including library holdings. Archival information disseminated by TA before October 1, 2002, and still maintained by TA as archival material. Public filings. Subpoenas. Information limited to adjudicative processes, including information developed during the conduct of any criminal or civil action or administrative enforcement action, investigation or audit against specific parties, or information distributed in documents limited to administrative action determining the rights and liabilities of specific parties under applicable statutes and regulations. Solicitations (e.g., program announcements, requests for proposals). Hyperlinks to information that others disseminate, as well as paper-based information from other sources referenced, but not approved or endorsed by TA. Policy manuals and management information produced for the internal management and operations of TA, and not primarily intended for public dissemination. Information presented to Congress as part of legislative or oversight processes, such as testimony of TA officials, and information or drafting assistance provided to Congress in connection with proposed or pending legislation that is not simultaneously disseminated to the public. Documents not authored by TA and not intended to represent TA's views, including information authored and distributed by TA grantees, as long as the documents are not disseminated by TA. Research data, findings, reports and other materials published or otherwise distributed by employees or by TA contractors or grantees that are identified as not representing TA views. Opinions where the presentation makes it clear that what is being offered is not the official view of TA. Other types of information released by TA that fall within this category include, but are not limited to:
PART II: INFORMATION QUALITY STANDARDS AND PRE-DISSEMINATION REVIEWInformation quality is composed of three elements utility, integrity and objectivity. Quality will be ensured and established at levels appropriate to the nature and timeliness of the information to be disseminated. Information quality is an integral part of the pre-dissemination review of information disseminated by TA. Information quality is also integral to information collections conducted by TA, and is incorporated into the clearance process required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. As OMB has recognized (OMB Guidelines, pp. 8452-8453), "information quality comes at a cost." In this context, OMB directed that "agencies should weigh the costs (for example, including costs attributable to agency processing effort, respondent burden, maintenance of needed privacy, and assurances of suitable confidentiality) and the benefits of higher information quality in the development of information, and the level of quality to which the information disseminated will be held." Therefore, in deciding the appropriate level of review and documentation for information disseminated by TA, the costs and benefits of using a higher quality standard or a more extensive review process will be considered. Where necessary, other compelling interests such as privacy and confidentiality protections will be considered. The utility and integrity standards below pertain to all information disseminated by TA. Following the utility and integrity standards are objectivity standards for each of the specific categories of TA-disseminated information. Because most of the standards presented in this document reflect existing practice in TA, the present tense has been used when describing them; but regardless of tense used, a performance standard is intended. UTILITYUtility means that disseminated information is useful to its intended users. "Useful" means that the content of the information is helpful, beneficial, or serviceable to its intended users, or that the information supports the usefulness of other disseminated information by making it more accessible or easier to read, see, understand, obtain, or use. Where the usefulness of information will be enhanced by greater transparency, care is taken that sufficient background and detail is available, either with the disseminated information or through other means, to maximize the usefulness of the information. The level of such background and detail is commensurate with the importance of the particular information, balanced against the resources required, and is appropriate to the nature and timeliness of the information to be disseminated. INTEGRITYPrior to dissemination, TA information, independent of the specific intended distribution mechanism, is safeguarded from improper access, modification, or destruction, to a degree commensurate with the risk and magnitude of harm that could result from the loss, misuse, or unauthorized access to or modification of such information. All electronic information disseminated by TA adheres to the standards set out in Appendix III, "Security of Automated Information Resources," OMB Circular A-130; the Computer Security Act, and the Government Information Systems Reform Act. Confidentiality of data collected by TA is safeguarded under legislation such as the Privacy Act and Titles 13, 15, and 22 of the U.S. Code. OBJECTIVITYObjectivity ensures that information is accurate, reliable, and unbiased, and that information products are presented in an accurate, clear, complete, and unbiased manner. In a scientific, financial, or statistical context, the original and supporting data are generated, and the analytic results are developed, using sound statistical and research methods. Third-party Information. Third-party information from both domestic and international sources, such as states, municipalities, agencies and private entities may be included in information that TA disseminates. Although third-party sources may not be directly subject to Section 515, information from such sources, when used by TA to develop information products or to form the basis of a decision or policy, must be of known quality and consistent with NOAA's information quality guidelines. When such information is used, any limitations, assumptions, collection methods, or uncertainties concerning it are taken into account and disclosed. Corporate and General InformationCorporate and general information disseminated by TA is presented in a clear, complete, and unbiased manner, and in a context that enhances usability to the intended audience. The sources of the disseminated information are identified to the extent possible, consistent with confidentiality, privacy, and security considerations and protections, and taking into account timely presentation, the medium of dissemination, and the importance of the information, balanced against the resources required and the time available. Information disseminated by TA is reliable and accurate to an acceptable degree of error as determined by factors such as the importance of the information, the intended use, time sensitivity, expected degree of permanence, relation to the primary mission(s) of the disseminating office, and the context of the dissemination, balanced against the resources required and the time available. A body of information is considered to be reliable if experience shows it to be generally accurate. Accurate information, in the case of non-scientific, non-financial, non- statistical information, means information which is reasonably determined to be factually correct in the view of the disseminating office as of the time of dissemination. Review of corporate and general information disseminated by TA is incorporated into the normal process of formulating the information. This review is at a level appropriate to the information, taking into account the information's importance, balanced against the resources required and the time available. Department operating units treat information quality as integral to every step of an agency's development of information, including creation, collection, maintenance, and dissemination. Review can be accomplished in a number of ways, including but not limited to combinations of the following:
Technical, Financial, and Statistical Information Information disseminated by TA is presented in a clear, complete, and unbiased manner, and in a context which enhances usability to the intended audience. The sources of the disseminated information are identified to the extent possible, consistent with confidentiality, privacy, and security considerations and protections, and taking into account timely presentation, the medium of dissemination, and the importance of the information, balanced against the resources required and the time available. Information disseminated by TA is reliable and accurate to an acceptable degree of error as determined by factors such as the importance of the information, its intended use, time sensitivity, expected degree of permanence, relation to the primary mission(s) of the disseminating office, and the context of the dissemination, balanced against the resources required and the time available. A body of information is considered to be reliable if experience shows it to be generally accurate. Accurate information, in the case of scientific, financial, and statistical information, means information which is reasonably determined to be factually correct in the view of the disseminating office as of the time of dissemination. Pre-dissemination Review Process for Information The pre-dissemination review process enables TA to substantiate the quality of disseminated scientific information through documentation or other means appropriate to the nature and importance of the information, balanced against resources required and the time available. Pre-dissemination review of information disseminated by TA is incorporated into the normal review processes for each type of information to take advantage of inherent quality checks that are part of the process of formulating the information. This review is at a level appropriate to the information, taking into account the information's importance, balanced against the resources required and the time available. TA treats information quality as integral to every step in their process of developing the information, including creation, collection, maintenance, and dissemination. All information disseminated by TA receives a level of scrutiny commensurate with the critical nature of the information and its intended use. Pre-dissemination review of scientific information can be accomplished in a number of ways, including but not limited to combinations of the following:
PART III. ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION MECHANISMA. Burden of Proof and Definitions
B. Procedures for Submission of Initial Requests for Correction
C. Action by the Responsible Office on Initial Requests for Correction
An initial denial will become a final decision if no appeal is filed within 30 calendar days. D. Appeals from Initial Denial
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Date created:
September
18, 2002 |
