The Fish and Wildlife Service 2010 to 2014 Geospatial Services Strategic Plan focuses on specific goals and objectives that will improve communication and collaboration within the Service and with our partners in the geospatial area. This plan replaces the GIS Strategic Plan that covered the time period from 2005 to 2009.
The GIS Steering Committee Charter was approved by the Director, April 27, 2005. The charter “refines the Committee’s purpose, goals, authority, and scope of activities and enables its members to make a greater contribution towards improved management of the GIS resources within the Service.” This Geospatial Services Strategic Plan sets the strategy and actions for accomplishing the charter goals and activities.
The GIS Manual Chapter “states the objectives of our spatial data management program and how we implement GIS technology. It describes the roles and responsibilities of Service employees managing and implementing GIS and describes the general authorities under which our GIS program operates.”
The purpose of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) surveys is to research, locate, plat, and describe the geographic position and configuration of points, lines, and shapes for the acquisition, disposal, and management of real property rights and interests.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's graphic program relies on simplicity and directness, demanding that every detail be addressed in maps, publications, and other media. This document details proper fonts, typefaces, when to credit photos, usage of the USFWS logo, and more design standards that should be incorporated into your work.
The IRTM program, along with the Directorate, is responsible for maintaining and enhancing management of the Service’s information resources and technology, providing customer support, and developing policies, procedures, and guidance in support of the Service’s mission. GIS is considered part of IRTM due to the technical infrastructure requirements of GIS and related technologies even though many GIS end users are located in other programs in the regions and nationally.
The USFWS is a Bureau within the DOI whose mission is “working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” GIS plays a vital role in all of the Service’s long-term goals. Furthermore, GIS plays a large part in analyzing and quantifying the USFWS Operational Plan Measures. Without GIS, both the Service’s long-term goals and the USFWS Operational Plan Measures would not be met in a cost effective, timely manner.
The DOI Strategic Plan for 2011-2016 framework includes 5 key missions. Most of the outcome goals of the mission framework that identify the USFWS as contributing to the accomplishment of the measures will rely heavily on GIS and related technology to achieve them. The missions identified that geospatial technologies will contribute to are: Provide Natural and Cultural Resource Protection and Experiences; Sustainably Manage Energy, Water, and Natural Resources; Provide a Scientific Foundation for Decision Making; and Building a 21st Century Department of the Interior.
The DOI developed an enterprise architecture based on the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework. The Interior’s Enterprise Architecture Program “offers analytical and planning services to our business and IT communities to improve service delivery and mission results”. This architecture will guide future investments and facilitate the integration and coordination of IT systems among all Interior bureaus.
Circular A-16 was created to address the “Coordination of Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data Activities”. The Circular provides direction for federal agencies that produce, maintain or use spatial data either directly or indirectly in the fulfillment of their mission. The Circular establishes a coordinated approach to electronically develop the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and established the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).
This guidance memorandum outlines policy principles meant to advance the Administration’s domestic and fiscal priorities and to increase the impact of government dollars by leveraging place-conscious planning and place-based programming.
Executive Order 12906 was established to “Coordinate Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure.” The Executive Order states “the National Performance Review has recommended that the executive branch develop, in cooperation with State, local, and tribal governments, and the private sector, a coordinated National Spatial Data Infrastructure to support public and private sector applications of geospatial data in such areas as transportation, community development, agriculture, emergency response, environmental management, and information technology.”
Secretarial Order #3309 outlines the steps that the Department of Interior will take to align IT resources under a single Chief Information Officer (CIO). This new structure will minimize redundancies, streamline IT, and enhance customer service while lowering IT costs to the Department.
“This plan will also include the migration to the CIO of all of the IT services, personnel, and IT Infrastructure owned and operated by offices within the Office of the Secretary, and the integration of those services and systems necessary to sustain the geospatial activities of the Department within the Office of the CIO.”
