Geospatial Data Management Team

Charter

      I. Purpose of the Charter

      This document outlines the goals, membership and coordination methods by which the USDA Service Center Agencies (SCA) and key USDA agencies will collaborate on geodata related issues.  This exhibit establishes a coordination mechanism to facilitate the acquisition, development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geodata financed in whole or in part by federal funds and where appropriate considering agency missions.  The team will develop and recommend geospatial data policies and products that reflect changing business needs and technological changes that best meet those needs.  Sharing information about and priorities of USDA’s and the federal government’s geospatial data policies is a fundamental part of the team’s responsibilities.   The GDMT has its origins in the Service Center Modernization Initiative of the late 1990’s and carries on the spirit of cross agency cooperation.  Participation by agency staff is voluntary.  

      II. Authority

      Under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  Circular A-16, revised 2002, federal agencies are required to coordinate the acquisition, development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geodata financed in whole or in part by federal funds.  This team enhances cross agency collaboration and thereby supports the intentions of OMB Circular A-16.   Decisions made by the team are not intended to modify individual agency policy and should be implemented with full concurrence of the GDMT Steering Team and within respective agency policy.

       III. Lead Agency

      Team leadership will rotate between NRCS, FSA, RMA and RD on a yearly basis. Agencies may defer leadership if mutually agreed to by all agencies. Chairmanship of the Steering Committee and the GDMT Coordination Group will not be held by the same agency in anyone calendar year to ensure balance of power.  

      IV. Organization

     The objectives of the Geospatial Data Management Team (GDMT) is to proactively determine critical geospatial data management issues and applications that impact agency programs; prioritize these issues and develop operating procedures to make the implementation and management of geospatial data effective and efficient to meet the needs of its members.    The GDMT is a self directed cross agency team organized as follows;

1)      GDMT Steering Committee - Composed of senior representatives from the NRCS, FSA, RMA and RD. Committee passes judgment on recommendations brought before it and conveys decisions to respective agency leadership for concurrence. Chairmanship of the Committee is rotated among member agencies on a calendar year basis.  Chair will hold monthly teleconferences with Steering Committee members.  

2)      GDMT Coordination Group – Composed of senior GIS technical staff from the field based agencies. Group rotates technical leadership of the GDMT on a calendar year basis and supports Team and Steering Committee as needed. Team lead communicates all issues requiring Steering Committee vote to the Chair.

3)      GDMT Members – Composed of field, state, regional, center and NHQ staff as appropriate and charged with exploring technical geodata related issues, documenting key points and offering options for resolution.

4)      GDMT Technical Sub-Groups – composed of GDMT members and others as needed to adequately address the topic at hand. Sub-groups will form and disband as appropriate to address technical issues. 

      V. Membership

 The GDMT is composed of senior program managers and GIS professionals familiar with, and engaged in the geodata business needs of the respective agencies at the field, state, center, regional and headquarters levels. 

       VI. Focus areas;

The GDMT focuses on the following:  

A.     Facilitate communication among member agencies involved in developing and sharing geodata to meet agency business data needs and requirements.

B.     Maximize cooperative data sharing and cost effective data management and acquisition strategies.

C.     Identify, explore and document geodata related issues impacting the agencies. Develop options for resolution and convey to Steering Committee Chair

D.    Identify and develop needed standards to enhance the efficiency of data management where appropriate.

E.     Collaboratively assist the member agencies with critical federal directives impacting geodata development, sharing and distribution. 

F.      Document GDMT discussions and decisions and share with the USDA geodata community in the form of emails, revised strategy documents and presentations.

G.    Coordinate with the Geospatial Data Warehouse (GDW) Steering Committee, USDA Geodata Coordination Committee (GCC), Information Technology Services (ITS), Office of the Chief Information Office (CIO) and federal geodata coordination efforts.  Representatives of these groups will be invited to participate in meetings and teleconferences.

H.    Work with cooperating entities to define data maintenance needs and appropriate technology for data refresh.

       VII. Procedures for Decision Making

       The core strength of the GDMT rests in the technical skills of its members; as a result, all issues will be addressed at a technical level where possible.  Issues raised at team meetings will follow the following escalation path for decision making:  

1)      Issue raised to Coordination Group Lead and placed on agenda

2)      Initiator of agenda topic briefs GDMT on issue and impact of proposed options for resolution.

3)      Team determines if further exploration is needed and if so, appropriate sub-group assignment is made.

4)      Sub-group explores issue and when appropriate, secures time on agenda to brief full team of issue  (white papers, presentations etc.. may be required)

5)      Issue shared with full GDMT and discussed.

6)      Team members agree by consensus on most appropriate option.

7)      Decision documented in minutes and forwarded by the Coordination Group Lead to the Steering Committee Chair.

8)      Steering Committee determines if they posses authority to pass judgment on recommendation, if not, members confer with respective agency leadership and report back to the team.  Participating Steering Committee members may request formal leadership sign-off if option or proposal presented by GDMT establishes policy that directs agency resources or requires agency policy change.  Notification of changes would be issued through a joint Agency leadership directive.      

    VIII. Coordinating Mechanisms

    The GDMT will employ tools that are best suited to meeting its responsibilities. In most cases this will be teleconference and email. Teleconferences will be held monthly. On-site meetings will be held at least once a year, budgets permitting.  The GDMT may establish additional rules and procedures for conducting business.

·        Draft meeting agendas will be developed by the Coordination Group lead with input from the team members. Draft agenda will be distributed via email prior to meetings.

·        Members may suggest agenda items

·        The Coordination Group lead will archive all meeting minutes, and issues of significant importance. This information will be transferred to the new team lead yearly.  

 IX. Subgroups

      The GDMT may create sub groups to carry out its activities and meet its responsibilities. The Coordination Group lead and members may organize themselves as needed to address issues. Non GDMT members may participate in ad-hoc subgroups if their technical skills are critical to a quality recommendation. Participation by non-GDMT members is at the discretion of the sub-group lead.

       X. Action register and reporting

      The GDMT lead will maintain the action register and compile minutes from the meetings. All records will be transferred to the new team lead upon rotation.   The action register should be reviewed by each agency on a regular basis.

 XI. Funding

      The GDMT as a body does not receive funding from any of the participating agencies.  Individual agencies are responsible for representative team members travel expenses incurred as a result of GDMT participation.  

Products, tools and documents generated by the team will be assigned to a participating agency for maintenance, update and archival.  Assignments will be based on correlation to current agency responsibilities and will be with the concurrence of the tasked agency. 

      XII. Termination

      Since this is a self-initiated, collaborative team, it may be disbanded by its membership when deemed necessary.