Purpose

This Charter establishes the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Coordination Group as the operational-level interagency group responsible for facilitating Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16 related activities and the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).  The central focus of the Coordination Group is to carry out working level responsibilities under OMB Circular A-16 that are guided by the FGDC Steering Committee directions and decisions.  The Coordination Group facilitates the coordination of federal geospatial activities between, among, and within agencies to eliminate duplication of effort and data, avoid redundant expenditures, reduce resources spent on unfunded mandates, and leverage geospatial investments. Through its outreach and communication efforts, the FGDC shall also seek to involve state, local and tribal governments, academia, the private sector, professional societies, and others to aid in the development and implementation of the NSDI.  In addition, the Coordination Group facilitates the use of geospatial data in the development of electronic government to meet the needs and expectations of citizens and agency programmatic mandates, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public resources management.

Authority

The Coordination Group is chartered under the direction of the FGDC Steering Committee, which is granted authority through OMB Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906. 

Roles and Responsibilities

The Coordination Group is responsible for carrying out interagency coordination and the implementation of the NSDI, in accordance with existing law, statute, and policy.  The Coordination Group facilitates and synthesizes the work of the FGDC subcommittees and working groups.

The Coordination Group’s Chair is the FGDC Staff Director. The Deputy Staff Director serves as Vice-Chair.  A Coordination Group representative and an alternate are appointed by each Steering Committee member.  The Coordination Group’s representatives are geospatial managers responsible for coordinating their agencies’ OMB Circular A-16 responsibilities with an understanding of the management and budget resources that support their agencies’ geospatial activities. 

The Coordination Group representatives’ responsibilities include:
• Coordinating the member agencys’ acquisition, management, development, maintenance, documentation, and dissemination of geospatial data using the National Spatial Data Clearinghouse and the Geospatial One-Stop portal
• Promoting compliance of the agency’s geospatial investments and activities with FGDC accepted and/or adopted standards, policies and protocols
• Attending all FGDC Coordination Group meetings (or sending the designated alternate)
• Voting on issues requiring decisions by the Coordination Group, one vote per agency
• Serving as the agency point of contact for data calls for official reports such as the Metadata Survey and the NSDI Annual Spatial Data Report
• Coordinating the communication of key national geospatial activities within the agency
• Providing support to the senior policy-level official representing the agency on the FGDC Steering Committee
• Communicating FGDC activities within the representative’s agency as well as external activities involving grants, contracts and partners
• Leading and/or serving on FGDC subcommittees and/or working groups
• Coordinating and partnering among FGDC agencies and stakeholders in the development of the NSDI
• Setting and/or formally endorsing/promoting standards for data production, publication, and sharing for Steering Committee approval
• Working collaboratively with the agency Chief Information Officer’s staff to leverage the agency’s geospatial information resources to benefit the agency’s business processes and information technology programs.

Membership

A Coordination Group representative and an alternate are appointed by each Steering Committee member.  Coordination Group members are responsible for facilitating coordination among federal agencies that produce, maintain, or use spatial data either directly or indirectly in the fulfillment of their mission.  All agencies responsible for spatial data themes (as listed in Appendix E of OMB Circular A-16) are required to be members of the Coordination Group.  Currently, the member agencies are:

Agency for International Development
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Defense
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Department of Treasury
Department of Veterans Affairs
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Communications Commission*
General Services Administration
Library of Congress
National Archives and Records Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Capital Planning Commission*
National Science Foundation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Personnel Management
Small Business Administration
Smithsonian Institution
Social Security Administration
Tennessee Valley Authority
(*Non-voting members)

Departments or agencies that are not members of the FGDC but have significant activities in geographic information or spatial data collection or use may request membership in writing to the Chair of the FGDC.  Upon acceptance, they will have the same responsibilities and privileges as other members of the FGDC.  In some cases agencies may serve as non-voting members.

Non-federal organizations that have significant activities in geographic information or spatial data collection or use are encouraged to request membership as a Collaborating Partner in writing to the Chair of the FGDC. Collaborating Partners are encouraged to participate on subcommittees and working groups, and participate in FGDC activities to the fullest extent allowed under existing law, statute and policy.  Collaborating Partners are non-voting members. 

The current Collaborating Partners are the following:

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
Association of American Geographers
Geospatial Industry Technology Association
National Association of Counties
National States Geographic Information Council
Open Geospatial Consortium
University Consortium for Geographic Information Science
Urban and Regional Information Systems Association
Western Governors Association

Meetings and Decision Making

The regularly scheduled meetings of the FGDC Coordination Group are held on the first Tuesday of each month, at 9:00 a.m. (ET).  Each month, the meeting is hosted by a member agency. A quorum is not required for meetings to take place. Meetings are open to agency representatives, stakeholder groups and all interested parties.  Minutes documenting action items and responsibilities are circulated to all members following the meeting. Members unable to attend will send their agencies’ designated alternates.

Decisions will be made at scheduled Coordination Group meetings, during teleconferences, and by electronic ballot, when appropriate.  Meetings and teleconferences will be announced in advance and conducted in accordance with a published agenda.  Meeting announcements and minutes will be posted on the FGDC website (www.fgdc.gov).  For decisions made at meetings and during teleconferences, a quorum of members must be present.  A quorum consists of two-thirds of the voting members.  If a quorum is not present, decisions will be tabled or another method for reaching them will be implemented. Options may include decisions by the Chair and Vice-Chair, by appointed team, or by electronic ballot.  Any decisions made without a quorum present may be reviewed by the Coordination Group at subsequent meetings.

The preferred process for decision-making is by consensus of the members present. If consensus is not reached, the issue is decided by majority vote at the option of the Chair. A vote may be taken by a show of hands; however, any member may request a roll call vote.  A majority of members present will determine the outcome of the issue with provisions for documented non-concurrence.

In the case of an electronic ballot, a decision will be considered valid and a quorum achieved when two-thirds of the voting members have cast their votes by the stated deadline. A simple majority of ballots cast will determine the outcome.

FGDC Secretariat

The Department of the Interior provides administrative support to the FGDC.  The FGDC Secretariat staff supports the Coordination Group to maximize productivity at meetings.  Secretariat staff responsibilities in support of the Coordination Group include:

• Developing and vetting meeting agendas; notifying committee members in advance when votes/decisions will be determined
• Working with Coordination Group members and FGDC subcommittees and working groups to identify business needs and challenges appropriate for discussion, and to develop appropriate discussion documentation
• Consolidating and distributing materials for Coordination Group review
• Taking and distributing meeting minutes
• Managing all administrative requirements associated with scheduling and conducting meetings
• Undertaking staff analysis, technical development and other activities on behalf of the Coordination Group
• Providing notification and read-ahead materials on issues requiring a vote.  Advance materials on issues requiring a vote should be provided two weeks in advance of meetings, if possible
• Maintaining up-to-date membership lists for the FGDC Steering Committee, Coordination Group, subcommittees, and working groups on the FGDC website.
 

Approval

This Charter will remain in effect until amended or replaced.  Any amendments or revisions to the Charter will be posted on the FGDC website (www.fgdc.gov).

______________________    ________ _________________________    ________
P. Lynn Scarlett, Chair                Date              Karen S. Evans, Vice-Chair       Date
FGDC Steering Committee                                FGDC Steering Committee        
Deputy Secretary                                              Administrator, Office of E-Government
U.S. Department of the Interior                        and Information Technology
                                                                         Office of Management and Budget