Panel says geospatial business line in flux

Request for Information on Geospatial Line of Business

Officials said today many aspects of the geospatial business line are in flux and details are to be determined.

The geospatial line of business will identify ways to optimize federal geospatial-related investments and reduce costs while improving services. The General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget issued a request for information last week.

A panel met today in Washington, D.C., to answer questions about the direction and vision for the business line, which President Bush introduced in the fiscal 2007 budget proposal.

Several aspects are certain, though. Officials want innovative and outside-the-box responses, and they want the responses to have a citizen-centered perspective on the business line.

Although many questions could not be answered, firmer details will come officially in the fiscal 2008 budget proposal, said Tim Young, OMB’s associate administrator for e-government and information technology.

“Cross-agency coordination of geospatial activities is still lacking,” the RFI states.

It adds that redundant investments must stop. Officials expect the business line to help coordinate geospatial data use. Interoperability will be "a key driver in the work that we do," said Ivan DeLoatch, chief of geospatial information coordination at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The business line’s goals are:

• Productive collaboration for geospatial-related activities and investments across all sectors and levels of government.


• Standardized common services and processes.


• Cost-efficient acquisition and access to data and information.