These
guidelines pertain to information about the programs and services
that USDA agencies and offices provide to the public. The
information quality criteria included in USDA's General Information
Quality Guidelines comprise the quality standards that USDA agencies
and offices will follow in developing and reviewing information
on USDA programs and services and disseminating it to the public. These
supplementary guidelines focus largely on making the information
useful to the public. As such, this type of information
should be customer driven and meet customers' needs.
- Information should be comprehensive.
Information describing the programs and services available
from USDA agencies should include all pertinent information
customers need to effectively use the programs and services
and obtain benefits. Examples of this information include
a description of the program's objectives, the benefits it
provides, criteria for eligibility, how and where to apply,
how acceptance and amount of benefits are determined. The
information also should include instructions for contacting
national, regional, and/or local personnel directly. Pertinent
deadlines should be clearly cited and set to afford customers
sufficient time to respond.
- Information should be timely and reflect the most current
information available.
- Information should be presented clearly.
Present the information clearly and completely so that the intended audience
can easily understand it. Keep language as simple as the subject permits. Provide
a point of contact to which clients may refer questions.
- Information should be accessible.
Make the information available in media-print, electronic,
audio, video, etc., appropriate to the client population
of the program or service. As appropriate and necessary,
make the information available in languages other than English.
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/qi_guide/program_services.html
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