U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1379 

The National Geospatial 

Programs Office 

A Plan for Action 

By Karen Siderelis, Ivan DeLoatch, Mark DeMulder, Henry (Hank) Garie, Mark Naftzger, 

Robert (Bob) Pierce, and Stanley (Stan) Ponce

 

U.S. Department of the Interior October 2005 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GALE A. NORTON, Secretary 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

P. PATRICK LEAHY, Acting Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2005 

Any use of trade, product, of firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and 

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Although this report is in public domain, permission must be secured from the copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. 

Published in the Eastern Region, Reston, Va. Manuscript approved for publication October 12, 

2005. 

For additional information, contact: 

Associate Director GIO 

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive 

Reston, VA 20192 

geocustomer@usgs.gov

Information about the NGPO is available online at: http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/ 

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Table of Contents 

Core Team ................................................................................................................3 

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................4 

Executive Summary .............................................................................................6

Introduction to the National Geospatial Programs Office – What is 

 the NGPO and why was it created? .......................................................................12

An Action Plan for Success – What will the NGPO do and how will it 

measure success? ....................................................................................................16

Purpose, Vision, Mission ..............................................................................16 

Major Transformations ..................................................................................17

Toward a national geographic information system.......................................... 17 

Toward matters and places of national importance.......................................... 18 

Toward management excellence ....................................................................... 20 

A Strategy for Success .................................................................................21

National Geospatial Enterprise Architecture ................................................... 21 

Governance Structure for the 21st Century ...................................................... 24 

Incentive-based Partnerships ............................................................................ 26 

Tapestry of Base Content .................................................................................. 28 

A Geospatial System of Systems ...................................................................... 32 

National Geospatial Investment Management ................................................. 34 

Revitalized Suite of USGS Topographic Products and Services .................... 36 

Internal Streamlining – How the NGPO is organized ...................................38

Schedule – When will the NGPO accomplish its priorities?.............................43

Stakeholder Input – How the NGPO is gathering input from stakeholders 44

Communications Strategy – How will the NGPO inform its stakeholders? 49

Appendixes ............................................................................................................56

3
Core Team 

An undertaking as ambitious and comprehensive as that of unifying and simplifying national 

geospatial assets is not achieved without the professional dedication and personal commitment 

of a special group of people. It has been my singular privilege and pleasure to have the 

following individuals with me every step of the way as we have begun this extraordinary 

journey to ensure that we will be able to fulfill the vision for the National Spatial Data 

Infrastructure and to place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of the Nation. Leadership 

is a task made easier and better by those on whom a leader can depend. I would like to take 

this opportunity to thank them for their individual contributions and their collective counsel to 

me. Together we have set the National Geospatial Programs Office on an ambitious path that 

is grounded in thoughtful and well-informed guidance. 

 Karen Siderelis

 Associate Director for Geospatial Information 

Ivan DeLoatch, who brought his knowledge and considerable experience of the Federal 

Geographic Data Committee and the essential notion of broad collaboration into the team; 

Mark DeMulder, who stepped out of his long-time role with the USGS Cooperative 

Topographic Mapping Program to assume acting leadership of Geospatial One-Stop and 

to bring a new perspective to that effort during the team’s deliberations; 

Hank Garie, who⎯like Mark⎯stepped out of his comfort zone with Geospatial OneStop, to take on leadership of the Cooperative Topographic Mapping Program and to 

devote his energy there for the team; 

Mark Naftzger, who worked on management and administrative transition efforts early 

on and then moved seamlessly into the team in bringing emergency operations into the 

portfolio; 

Bob Pierce, who has been a long-time advocate of the uses and applications of 

geographic information systems and who brought his coordination of the Department of 

the Interior Enterprise Geographic Information Management activity into the team; and 

Stan Ponce, who has ably led the efforts for partnerships and external coordination for 

The National Map and brought a commitment to new ways to partner and collaborate into 

the team. 

4
Acknowledgments 

Essential Role of Partners 

The National Geospatial Programs Office (NGPO) would like to extend special thanks to 

State and local partners and key stakeholders in the private sector, professional societies, 

trade associations, and the academic community who have been both the impetus and the 

champion for “providing leadership to place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of 

the Nation.” The input of State and local members of the Study Teams and comments 

and feedback from listening sessions, conferences, and other venues have been 

instrumental in developing this plan for action. Federal partners on Study Teams and 

through various committees and active partnerships, especially the Federal Geographic 

Data Committee, have brought their creative and collective energy and support to bear 

(see appendix for access to Study Team Reports). We thank these partners for their 

invaluable role thus far and look forward to moving ahead together in implementing the 

National Spatial Data Infrastructure.

The USGS Family

We also wish to acknowledge the following individuals and offices in the USGS for their 

support, input, and guidance throughout this endeavor. The Core Team could not have 

done its work were it not for their efforts. There are many others, not called out by name, 

who we trust know that their contributions were welcomed and valued. Thank you all. 

National Geospatial Programs Office Core Team: 

 

Chip Groat, former USGS Director, for his commitment to the National Spatial Data

Infrastructure and for his confidence in our ability to develop the leadership role for the 

USGS in the National Geospatial Programs Office and carry out his vision; 

Max Ethridge, Alan Mikuni, and Pamela Malam, Regional Geographers of the USGS 

who have played a critical role in the transition of programs and activities for which they 

have a strong sense of loyalty and dedication and for whom this transition has not always 

been easy;

Dru Burks, Cheryl Morris, and Stephen King, Regional Geographic Information 

Officers of the USGS who themselves were relatively new to the enterprise when the 

NGPO was created and who have been instrumental in the shaping of our collective 

geospatial future; 

Andrea Alpine and Mark Naftzger, who ably led the difficult task of transitioning from

the various components into the promise of the NGPO and who will continue to play key 

leadership roles within the GIO and the NGPO; 

Roxanne Lamb, who took on the challenging task as staff manager of the still-forming 

NGPO with willingness, enthusiasm, and her usual grace and professionalism and helped, 

herded, and sometimes harangued us into doing the work that needed to be done; 

5
Karen Kretlow, who took on new duties in the formation of the NGPO as Chief of Staff 

for the larger Geospatial Information Office and provided invaluable administrative 

assistance, counsel, care, and concern; 

The Staff of the NGPO, who all took on incredible workloads and challenging 

assignments under stressful and pressing schedules and deadlines and who showed that 

they are team players and will be critical partners in the months and years ahead; 

 

The USGS Budget Office, particularly Carla Burzyk, for leadership and guidance as we 

chart a new budget course for the geospatial assets of the Nation for which the USGS has 

a leadership role; and 

The USGS Office of Communications, especially Barbara Wainman, Denver Makle, 

and Gail Wendt, who each made important and critical contributions to the creation of 

the NGPO, its communications plans for the future, and the development of this plan for 

action. 

6
Executive Summary 

Establishing the National Geospatial Programs Office 

In a strategic move to consolidate national geospatial programs for which it has a leadership 

role, the USGS Director created the National Geospatial Programs Office (NGPO), 

organizationally housed in the Geospatial Information Office (GIO), and under the authority 

and accountability of the Associate Director for Geospatial Information. With the creation of 

the NGPO, the essential components to implement the National Spatial Data Infrastructure 

(NSDI) will be managed as a unified portfolio that benefits the entire geospatial community. 

The NGPO will engage partners in planning to ensure that their needs are met. 

Leadership for the Future 

In establishing the NGPO and determining its purpose, vision, and mission, the Core Team

defined the purpose of the NGPO as “Providing leadership to place geographic knowledge 

at the fingertips of the Nation.” To achieve that purpose, the NGPO will look at how 

Government needs to change in order to be prepared for the future and be responsive to its 

citizens and stakeholders. The vision of the NGPO is “By June 30, 2006, transform the 

processes of Government necessary to implement key components of the NSDI.” 

The mission of the NGPO is twofold. One mission component focuses on leadership and the 

prominent role of partners and stakeholders; the other focuses on the operational aspects and 

technical services needed to implement the NSDI and provide useful geospatial information to 

decisionmakers. These two mission components inform the structure of the NGPO. In 

concert with its mission, the NGPO and its leaders are committed to core values of national 

leadership, partnership, service, value and impact, and professionalism, which will guide the 

NGPO into the future. 

A Culture of Transformation 

The NGPO envisions three transformations that will be necessary to fulfill the vision of the 

NSDI. 

Toward a national geographic information system: Transformation to an enterprise 

information system for the Nation’s geospatial assets is essential. The NGPO will lead the 

development of a national geographic information system (GIS) that will provide access to 

quality, timely, digital geospatial data and resources. This approach will facilitate the adoption 

of a common architecture and best practices and leverage the resources of a distributed 

network of data stewards to implement the NSDI. Data stewards are a federation of Federal, 

State, local, and tribal government organizations, along with nongovernmental and academic 

communities and the private and nonprofit sectors. The primary roles for the USGS will be

demonstrating leadership, providing useful information to decisionmakers, providing 

meaningful incentives to partners, and promoting data models, standards, and best practices. 

The USGS will shift its emphasis from producing maps to providing access to the creation of 

map products and geographic knowledge, thus empowering partners to achieve their 

geospatial information needs. 

 

7
Toward matters and places of national importance: While much of our society and 

infrastructure is supported by available geospatial assets, other issues and places, ranging from

rural and coastal communities to natural hazards and homeland security, need more attention. 

Those who are not direct users of geospatial information, such as emergency responders, 

public health workers, and government officials, also need what that information can tell them

about resources, processes, patterns, or threats. The NGPO will focus on that untapped 

potential of issues, places, and users.

Toward management excellence: The President’s Management Agenda calls for a 

performance-oriented approach by Government that shows improved accountability. The 

NGPO will adopt the discipline of project management as a means to realize its strategic 

vision, effect change in the organization, and implement new business procedures. Best 

practices of the information technology community will ensure that life cycle management 

guides project planning. One of the hallmarks of the President’s agenda is to make access to 

Government information transparent to citizens. The NGPO shares that commitment to 

transparency and accountability. Accountability to the lines of business and performance 

management goals set forth by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the 

Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Government Performance and Results Act are 

embedded in the NGPO strategic plan for action. 

 

Transforming Geographic Knowledge 

In its concept of The National Map, the NGPO envisions a tapestry that weaves together a 

national GIS, data stewards, incentive-based partnerships, a national geospatial enterprise 

architecture, revitalized USGS products and services, and well-managed investments. The 

weaving together of disparate threads will create a strong and sustainable “fabric,” a rich and 

colorful graphical representation of the landscape of the Nation. 

A Strategy for Success 

The NGPO has embraced several strategic priorities and accompanying strategic actions to 

guide its progress. These priorities were developed through internal deliberations, interactions 

with partners and stakeholders, and reflections on the major transformations needed to 

implement the NSDI. Establishing and championing a national geospatial enterprise 

architecture, promoting a governance structure for the future, and providing business value 

through incentive-based partnerships are the cornerstones on which to build the NSDI. 

The Cornerstones 

National Geospatial Enterprise Architecture 

Strategic Actions 

• Adopt geospatial enterprise architecture principles 

• Establish advisory council and technical working group 

• Promote use of common standards 

 

Governance Structure for the 21st Century 

Strategic Actions 

• Explore governance models and review FGDC governance efforts 

8
• Promote national governance and its benefits 

• Create a national geospatial coordinating body 

Incentive-Based Partnerships

Strategic Actions 

• Promote an incentive-based partnership model 

• Implement best practices for incentives 

• Support NGPO demonstration pilots 

 

The Heart of Success 

Tapestry of Base Content 

Strategic Actions 

• Ensure a tapestry of base content by December 2006 

• Integrate geospatial information systems 

• Strengthen steward relationships 

A Geospatial System of Systems

Strategic Actions 

• Create a national geospatial information system of distributed data systems 

• Provide multipurpose, standards-based technology and tools 

• Support and sustain stewards of component systems through incentive-based 

partnerships 

The Resulting Value 

National Geospatial Investment Management 

Strategic Actions 

• Identify interagency investment strategies 

• Increase efficiency of expenditures 

• Begin a dialog of efficiency 

Revitalized Suite of USGS Topographic Products and Services 

Strategic Actions 

• Derive digital 1:24,000-scale topographic map 

• Implement map-on-demand service 

• Institutionalize a process for developing new and innovative services 

9
Stakeholder Input 

A range of stakeholders gave input on the formation of the NGPO. From this input, the 

NGPO has developed its strategic priorities and its plan for action. Listening to and learning 

from everyone involved—partners in the States and local communities, Federal agency 

partners, other stakeholders, and individuals and interests that are served by geospatial 

information—is a core value of the NGPO. One message that was repeated again and again is 

the need for effective communication. This strategic plan for action includes a 

communication strategy from which specific plans and actions can be developed, and each 

strategic priority identifies specific communication tactics. 

External Stakeholders 

A listening session was held in early October 2004 with external stakeholders and partners

from other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, 

academia, and the private sector. Resounding messages from that session were that the NGPO 

should provide leadership and guidance, expand the stakeholder base, provide incentives, 

support decisionmakers and facilitate problem-solving (with the use of geospatial 

information), and develop an effective communication plan. 

Internal Stakeholders 

In a listening session in the fall of 2004, USGS employees brought forward recommendations 

to the NGPO leadership. It is clear that employees want to be a part of the NGPO as it moves 

forward and need to be engaged in the process to be ambassadors for the mission. NGPO 

leaders are committed to responding to those recommendations and communicating with

employees. 

Study Teams Input 

In early November 2004, Study Teams were chartered to investigate several key areas: 

Unified Geospatial Enterprise Architecture, Geospatial Technology Integration, Partnership 

Offices, Unified NSDI Web Presence, Measuring Geospatial Investments, and USGS 

Geospatial Products and Services. A member of the NGPO Core Team sponsored each Study 

Team. The contributions of the Study Teams, their investigations, interviews, and 

deliberations have been invaluable. The Study Team reports were drawn upon heavily for this 

plan and will be used as springboards for future actions. Some of the Study Teams track 

directly to Strategic Priorities in the plan for action; in other instances, the Study Team’s 

charter encompassed all of the priorities. 

Other Input 

Everyone has a stake in the tapestry of place. From many sources and through various venues, 

it was clear that the time was right and the need was paramount to create the NGPO and to 

transform the processes of Government to ensure the implementation of the NSDI. The 

leaders took the message of the NGPO on the road and gathered many suggestions and 

criticisms from every level of government and every walk of life. This input was also

incorporated in the plan for action. 

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Early Actions 

Although it is early in what the NGPO hopes will be an extremely successful endeavor, there 

have been some early achievements. Early successes are noted in each of the Strategic 

Priorities and include the following:

 

Geospatial Enterprise Architecture. Efforts are underway to update the Federal Enterprise 

Architecture (FEA) to include locational data. NGPO is taking the lead on developing what 

would become the geospatial overlay to the FEA’s various reference models, joining the one 

for security and privacy released in early fall 2004. This effort recognizes that geographic 

information is a major asset of any organization and of every entity of government. 

Geospatial One-Stop. In February 2005, after a highly competitive procurement process, a $2 

million+ contract was awarded to Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) to 

develop a second generation of the Geodata.gov portal. Geospatial One-Stop is one of 24 EGovernment initiatives to help make Federal technology resources more accessible. Version 2 

of the popular portal will be easier to use, with its search tools powered by a partnership with a 

commercial search engine provider. It will support the merger of the map viewers of 

Geospatial One-Stop and The National Map and will manage a broad array of knowledge 

resources from Federal, State, local, and private sources. This is an important step toward a

unified Web presence for the NSDI. 

Leveraging Project Homeland. The energy and resources of homeland security must be 

captured in support of a national geospatial information system and production of The 

National Map. The more than 200 Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP) 

variables identified by Project Homeland are recognized by the States and locals as key 

elements that are needed. Developing specifications with the National Geospatial Intelligence 

Agency (NGA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the States for these data 

elements will ensure that framework data layers of The National Map can be distilled from the 

HSIP elements. 

Unified Web Presence. This Web site becomes the premiere place to begin a search for GIS 

data, written content, papers, presentations, educational materials, and links to related sites. 

Redundant content and functionality will be eliminated from the various program component 

Web sites to enhance the experience of partners and customers when coming to the new 

unified site. 

National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC). A national capability of 

production activities and technical services associated with the NGPO was consolidated by the 

USGS Director’s memo in January 2005. Included are the activities and services of the 

Cooperative Topographic Mapping Program, the Federal Geographic Data Committee, the 

Geospatial One-Stop portal, and the DOI Enterprise Geospatial Information Management 

activity. A business strategy for the NGTOC has been developed, and a scoping process is 

underway to look at the most efficient way to carry out its functions. 

Next Steps 

11
The development of this strategic plan for action has been a significant step in the formation of 

the NGPO. With an expectation of constructive feedback regarding priorities and actions, the 

NGPO leadership will set a specific implementation plan in place for the remainder of this 

fiscal year and integrate NGPO priorities into the broader USGS and DOI budget process. In

the coming months, the NGPO leadership will take this plan for action out to its employees, 

partners, stakeholders, and customers in a series of presentations, discussions, and planning 

sessions. Additional reports and marketing materials will be used to generate support and 

engagement in the NGPO and in implementation of the NSDI. 

 

12
Introduction to the National Geospatial Programs

Office 

What is the NGPO and why was it created? 

“...current and accurate geospatial data will be available to contribute locally, nationally, 

and globally to economic growth, environmental quality and stability, and social progress.”

(NSDI Future Directions Initiative) 

Background 

When the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) was first envisioned more than a decade 

ago as a means for sharing geographic data among all users, it was seen as producing 

significant savings for data collection and use and as enhancing decisionmaking at all levels of

government and in society. Since that time, technological innovations and the demands and 

applications for geospatial information have increased exponentially, and there is now an 

imperative to embrace the potential of the NSDI vision. 

The NSDI evolved out of the concept of the National Information Infrastructure, which would 

provide citizen access to essential Government information and, consequently, strengthen the 

democratic process. That commitment to citizen access to Government information and

services is borne out in the President’s Management Agenda in its Expanded E-Government 

initiative, which seeks to provide single points of access to Government services, to make 

Government more transparent and accountable, to share information—in this case geospatial 

information—more quickly and conveniently between Federal, State, and local government 

entities, and to collaborate across public and private sector boundaries. 

A governmental imperative to effectively manage the Nation’s geospatial assets was 

recognized at the time the NSDI was envisioned. The national scope of the NSDI—as 

reflected in its emphasis on promoting economic development, improving stewardship of 

natural resources, and protecting the environment—requires Federal leadership of a 

coordinated effort that includes State and local governments, academia, the private sector, 

professional societies, and other partners. 

The Secretary of the Interior was given Executive Branch authority to coordinate the Federal 

Government’s development of the NSDI and was named as chair of the Federal Geographic 

Data Committee (FGDC). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was given the responsibility 

to provide the Executive Secretariat in the conduct of the FGDC as the coordinating body for 

the NSDI. 

Today, the NSDI comprises of the technology, policies, criteria, standards, and people 

necessary to promote geospatial data sharing throughout all levels of government, the private 

and nonprofit sectors, and academia. It provides the essential base or structure of practices 

and relationships among data producers and users that facilitates data sharing and use. The 

entire geospatial community—and the public as a byproduct of that community effort—will 

have a more comprehensive means to analyze data in making decisions, setting policy, and 

choosing the best course of action when the NSDI is viewed as a set of actions and 

13
innovations for accessing, sharing, and using geographic data, and when all partners 

cooperatively engage in those actions and innovations. In realizing the vision of the NSDI, the 

Nation has the powerful force of its geospatial assets available for any need that arises. 

Rationale and Organizational Background 

In response to these national imperatives and Government mandates, the Director of the 

USGS in August 2004 created the National Geospatial Programs Office (NGPO) to act as a 

catalyst for realizing the potential of the NSDI. The NGPO is organizationally housed within 

the USGS Geospatial Information Office (GIO) and is overseen by the Associate Director for

Geospatial Information. The NGPO portfolio of national geospatial assets and activities 

includes The National Map, the FGDC, the Geospatial One-Stop portal, and the DOI 

Enterprise Geospatial Information Management activity, as well as the National AtlasTM and 

the Web-based GEODE—Geologic Data Explorer. Brought together, these components can 

be woven into a rich tapestry of geospatial assets to serve the Nation. 

The creation of the NGPO allows the various program components of the NSDI to be 

managed as a unified portfolio that benefits the entire geospatial community. By unifying the 

components of The National Map (integrated base data), the FGDC (coordination of policy 

and standards), and Geospatial One-Stop (information discovery and access), the geospatial 

community and the Nation will realize the vision that “current and accurate geospatial data 

will be available to contribute locally, nationally, and globally to economic growth, 

environmental quality and stability, and social progress” (NSDI Future Directions Initiative). 

Part of the organizational strategy in transferring management and oversight of The National 

Map from its previous home within the USGS Geography Discipline to the GIO was to allow 

USGS expertise in geography to focus on research and to enhance USGS leadership in both 

geospatial programs and geographic research. 

Management of these geospatial assets was reorganized in response to discussions with many 

constituent groups over several years about how best to meet their geospatial data needs, as 

well as recommendations by the National Research Council of the National Academy of 

Sciences in “Weaving a National Map” (see appendix). 

In asserting its roles as leader of a national geospatial program, coordinator among all 

stakeholders, and facilitator for implementing the NSDI, the NGPO is mindful that no one 

entity owns the Nation’s geospatial assets—they are a shared resource and a national treasure 

for everyone. 

As the NGPO begins to operate as a unified program and to restructure its budget, it will 

streamline and refine its internal management structure and organization (see Internal 

Streamlining, p. 26). Key aspects of that restructuring include the following:

• Incorporating practices that enable management of a single, unified program instead of 

a simple realignment of program components 

• Adopting a community of practice around portfolio management and project 

management disciplines 

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• Transforming the workforce to be poised for opportunities afforded by innovations in 

technology and being flexible enough to react to the mutable expectations of public 

resources and support 

The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) was created in January 2005 

as the operational component of the NGPO. The NGTOC will be a national capability of the 

USGS and will support NGPO activities by which the USGS will provide the geospatial 

information that will be produced mostly by a network of State and local partners. It would 

provide technical support, through the NSDI Partnership Offices, to partners and customers in 

the States. A business strategy for the NGTOC has been developed (March 2005), and a 

scoping process conducted (April 2005) to recommend whether it is feasible and appropriate 

to compete NGTOC activities under OMB Circular A-76 guidelines. 

Federal Enterprise Architecture

The OMB Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) is a business-based framework for 

governmentwide improvement. It is being constructed through five interrelated “reference 

models” designed to facilitate analysis and identification of duplicative investments, gaps, and 

collaborative opportunities within and across Federal agencies. Its foundation is the Business 

Reference Model, which describes the Government’s lines of business and its services, 

independent of the agencies and offices involved. The model provides a common 

framework for improvement in key areas, including budget allocation, horizontal and 

vertical information sharing, performance measurement, budget and performance 

integration, cross-agency collaboration, E-Government, and component-based 

architectures. Other reference models focus on performance, service components, data, 

and technology. As this action plan was being prepared, the FEA was being updated to 

include location-based data. This effort is being led by the USGS/NGPO within the 

Architecture and Infrastructure Committee of the Chief Information Officers (CIO) 

Council. A policy document or “overlay” on privacy and security affects all of the FEA 

reference models, and there will be a similar overlay for geospatial information. 

Business Reference Model 

The Business Reference Model separates Government operations into four categories relating 

to the purpose of Government (Services for Citizens), the mechanisms the Government uses to 

achieve its purpose (Mode of Delivery), the support functions necessary to conduct 

Government operations (Support Delivery of Services), and the resource management 

functions that support all areas of the Government’s business (Management of Government 

Resources). These four business areas are composed of 39 lines of business, 19 of which are 

within Services for Citizens and describe the purpose of Government in functional terms 

(external lines of business). The remaining 20 are internal and are included in the other three 

business areas. The NGPO purpose, to “place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of 

the Nation,” is inherent in many of these lines of business. 

Services for Citizens: The significant role of geospatial information in providing 

services for citizens crosses many of the external lines of business (for example, 

Homeland Security, Transportation, Health, Environmental Management, Natural 

Resources, Disaster Management, Economic Development, and General Science and 

15
Innovation). Lines of business not called out here—Community and Social Services, 

Education, Law Enforcement, International Affairs and Commerce, Litigation and 

Judicial Activities, Correctional Activities, Energy, Income Security, and Workforce 

Management—might be included as well. It is difficult to name any aspect of the daily 

lives of citizens in which the concept of “where” does not come into play or in which 

some aspect of national geospatial information might not be incorporated into a

service. 

Mode of Delivery: The mechanisms the Government uses to achieve its purpose of 

services for citizens include financial vehicles and direct and indirect Government 

delivery. Government Service Delivery includes all modes of delivery in which 

Government employees (or contracted employees) perform tasks that directly support 

the improvement of a Service for Citizens, and is further delineated into Knowledge 

Creation and Management, Public Goods Creation and Management, Regulatory 

Compliance and Enforcement, and Direct Services for Citizens. Geospatial 

information comes into play primarily in Knowledge Creation and Management in 

that it involves the creation by the Federal Government of a body of knowledge that 

can be manipulated and analyzed to benefit both the Federal and private sector. 

Geospatial information functions also play a role in Public Goods Creation and 

Management. 

 

Relation to DOI and USGS Performance Goals. The DOI strategic plan includes 

performance goals for the mission areas of Resource Use, Resource Protection, Recreation, 

and Serving Communities. The USGS supports DOI primarily through the goal of Serving 

Communities and, in turn, supports the lines of business within Services for Citizens (General 

Science and Innovation) and Modes of Delivery (Knowledge Creation and Management, and 

Public Goods Creation and Management). Specific USGS goals in Serving Communities are

to advance knowledge through scientific leadership, inform decisions through the application 

of science, and improve information base, information management, and technical assistance. 

In addition, geospatial information provided through NGPO is vital to the accomplishment of 

goals and objectives in all of DOI’s mission areas. 

DOI also supports the President’s Management Agenda through a goal of Modernization, in 

which Citizen-Centered E-Government and Information Technology Management are key 

strategies. The twofold mission of the NGPO—providing leadership and guidance for key 

stakeholders and implementing key components of the NSDI—supports the goal of Serving 

Communities, as geospatial information serves communities in their broadest sense—not only 

the communities in which people live but also “communities of interest” wherein stakeholders 

and partners have vested interests in how geospatial information is used in policy and 

management decisions and the “communities of practice” in which the users of geospatial 

information operate. Furthermore, Geospatial One-Stop’s innovative delivery of geospatial 

information is one of the Government’s 24 citizen-centered E-Government initiatives. The 

goal of Modernization will be realized as the unified Web presence for the NSDI evolves and 

brings the complete portfolio of national geospatial assets into a modern and easily accessible 

“portal of portals.” 

16
An Action Plan for Success 

What will the NGPO do and how will it measure 

success? 

Purpose, Vision, and Mission 

The NGPO will engage partners throughout the geospatial community to ensure that its 

unified program portfolio meets the needs of those on the national landscape. It will help the 

Nation realize the NSDI vision that “current and accurate geospatial data will be available to 

contribute locally, nationally, and globally to economic growth, environmental quality and 

stability, and social progress” (NSDI Future Directions Initiative). That vision will be 

reinforced by communicating the importance of the NSDI to a broad audience of users and 

potential users of geographic knowledge. To guide its progress in support of the NSDI and its 

service to the national geospatial community, the NGPO has developed the following 

statements of purpose, vision, and mission.

Purpose 

The purpose of the NGPO is providing leadership to place geographic knowledge at the 

fingertips of the Nation. 

Vision 

By June 30, 2006, transform the processes of Government necessary to implement key 

components of the NSDI. 

Mission 

The mission of the NGPO is twofold. One mission component focuses on leadership and the 

prominent role of partners and stakeholders; the other focuses on the operational aspects and 

technical services needed to implement the NSDI and provide useful geospatial information to 

decisionmakers. 

Providing leadership and guidance for key stakeholders to

• Develop policy 

• Provide incentives to potential partners 

• Develop key standards and data models 

• Coordinate and facilitate the governance structure for the NSDI 

• Negotiate collaborative agreements with partners 

• Develop a national geospatial enterprise architecture

• Provide a forum for technology transfer, best practices, and program guidance 

Implementing key components of the NSDI 

• Host spatial datasets, Web sites, knowledge base, and tools for discovery and access 

• Provide data integration and quality assurance of spatial data 

• Staff enterprise architecture, governance body, and spatial operations 

• Conduct and sponsor research for geospatial information science 

• Provide contract management for operations 

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• Conduct training, education, and consultation 

• Adopt a posture of being the data producer of last resort 

• Make map products accessible 

Core Values 

The success of the NGPO rests largely on the commitment of its leaders to core values that

will guide their deliberations and decisionmaking. 

 

National Leadership 

As leaders in the national geospatial community, NGPO management will embrace a “bias for 

action” in transforming Government processes needed to implement the NSDI. 

Partnership 

As colleagues and collaborators in providing geographic information, NGPO leaders will 

honor the role of partners by listening and learning from them. 

Service 

As public servants in the national geospatial community, NGPO leaders are committed to 

provide timely, quality service to meet geospatial information needs across the Nation. 

Value and Impact 

As stewards of national geospatial investments, NGPO leaders are committed to ensuring that

each investment is an opportunity to return value to stakeholders and the Nation. 

Professionalism 

As professionals in the geospatial community, NGPO leaders are respectful of others, 

demonstrate the highest integrity, and strive for excellence in all that they do. 

Major Transformations 

The NGPO envisions three transformations that will be necessary to fulfill the vision of the 

NSDI. Those transformations must be embraced by the entire geospatial community. 

Toward a national geographic information system 

Just as the Federal Government recognized the need for an enterprise architecture that would 

inform all of its business lines and practices (the FEA), the NGPO believes that a 

transformation to an enterprise information system for the Nation’s geospatial assets is

essential to ensure the implementation of the NSDI. Geographic information systems are 

developing at all levels of government and throughout the private sector. These systems, 

when employed individually, often result in duplicate data development and redundant 

investments. They seldom follow common standards of practice that facilitate data sharing. 

The NGPO is in a unique position to lead the development of a national geographic 

information system (GIS), an integrated “system of systems” to provide access to quality, near 

real-time, digital geospatial data and resources to 

• Support real-world decisionmaking and problem solving (for example related to 

natural disasters, homeland security, economic development, and public health) 

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• Support the daily business of Federal agencies and avoid duplication and redundancy 

• Facilitate regional and national analyses of data for a wide range of applications 

• Serve as the basis for a revitalized suite of USGS mapping products and services 

• Provide a place-based context and geographic framework for scientific studies

• Display and share geographic resources through The National Map

This “system of systems” approach will facilitate the adoption of a common architecture and 

best practices and leverage the resources of individual organizations in implementing the 

NSDI. The national GIS will be composed of a distributed network of data stewards who 

contribute their expertise, data, and resources to an enterprise solution that will leverage 

geospatial data assets into strategic national resources. The steward organizations will be a 

federation of local, State, and Federal Government organizations, with contributions from the 

academic community and from the private and nonprofit sectors (see A Governance 

Structure for the 21st Century, p. 24). 

As part of this concept of a national GIS, USGS geospatial activities will focus on 

demonstrating leadership, providing meaningful incentives to partners, and promoting data 

models, standards, and best practices. The USGS would shift its emphasis from producing 

maps to providing access to the creation of map products and geographic information and 

empowering State and local partners to meet their geospatial information needs. No single 

organization would have sole ownership of the “system of systems.” It would be a national 

asset shared—and valued—by all. The USGS will continue its long and proud role as the 

Nation’s civilian mapping agency but with a 21st century approach that modernizes and 

integrates technology, rewards innovation, and is based upon a partnership ethic. 

Toward matters and places of national importance 

There is a growing recognition of the many ways geospatial data can be applied throughout 

society and within business, commerce, public safety, and national security. GIS technology 

is a mechanism for visualizing and understanding what is going on in one or many locations, 

allowing users to observe and measure an event, analyze disparate data, develop plans, and 

decide on a course of action. Bringing nonspatial data into a spatial environment combines 

information in new ways to allow for true integration of various lines of business within 

Government. Adding the spatial component—that sense of place—to basic business 

processes can transform how the business of Government, or of any component of society, is 

conducted. 

Examples of potential new lines of business include the following: 

• Providing services for citizens such as water-resource management and disaster 

preparedness

• Planning how Government services are delivered to citizens 

• Disseminating knowledge 

• Managing large databases 

 

Not all segments of society, or of our Nation’s infrastructure, are currently supported by 

available geospatial assets. The NGPO will focus on that untapped potential of new users and 

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new constituencies to extend the power and use of Government-provided geospatial

information.

Geospatial information provides a common framework for sharing information across all 

levels of government. Perhaps the best example in the area of government service is that of

first responders in the event of a natural or human-caused disaster. A common framework of 

geospatial information will ensure that all responders have access to the same information 

about the situation. Neighboring jurisdictions can cooperate effectively, and one part of the 

country can learn from and model its responses based on plans developed elsewhere. A 

national strategy for information integration must ensure a common geospatial framework for 

all potential users for every aspect of emergency operations. Different views of the data may 

be needed by data producers and consumers. With all of the geospatial data on a common 

framework, the data can be overlaid onto a single common picture tailored for a particular 

audience or mission. Whether it is a raging wildfire in a suburban hillside community outside 

Los Angeles or a category 4 hurricane sweeping across the panhandle of Florida, dispatching 

an ambulance requires the same kind of information on transportation routes, infrastructure, 

and location of health facilities. Common response systems can be deployed based on reliable 

and accurate geospatial information that is standards based and similarly formatted. A unified 

Web presence will ensure access to that common picture for everyone, especially first 

responders, who can draw upon graphics and mapping products that have proven useful in 

other emergencies. 

In the Natural Hazards Initiative for Fiscal Year 2007, the USGS is committing its varied

program resources to ensure that the people, property, and infrastructure of the Nation are 

prepared for and protected from natural hazards. 

There are many issues and places of national importance for which geospatial information is 

needed and for which it is not yet uniformly and commonly available, and each issue and

place is as critical as the next—urban and metropolitan areas, borders and crossing points, 

transportation corridors (railways, highways, and waterways), airports and seaports, and 

coastal areas and flood plains. While major metropolitan areas have received Federal, State, 

and local attention in developing and deploying geospatial assets, places with lower

population density and economic means and limited computer processing capability do not 

have the ability to use those assets effectively. As a Nation, we cannot afford not to provide 

equal access to the rural consumer of geospatial information. The time is right for a National 

Map for Rural America, and working effectively with rural communities will be a critical

charge to the NSDI Partnership Offices of the NGPO. 

Burgeoning population centers in coastal areas on both sides of the continent and in the Gulf 

of Mexico region—many of which face significant threats from natural hazards—are another 

place where we must ensure that geospatial assets are being developed and deployed. 

Geospatial information also plays a critical role in the development and implementation of 

public policy and management of land, resources, and the environment. Ensuring that elected 

officials at the national, State, and local levels have the place-based information they need to 

create legislation, effect policy, and manage public resources is critical in addressing matters 

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and places of national importance. These decisionmakers must also understand how 

geospatial information can be used and how investments in the consistent availability of such 

information can provide a solid return to citizens and communities. Effective communication 

with elected officials, particularly on Capitol Hill, will be a focus for the NGPO. 

Looking to the future, the NGPO will leverage and coordinate existing efforts in support of 

homeland security. There are many positive relationships to build upon and opportunities to 

collaborate across the homeland security community at every level of government, as well as 

with the private sector. All facets of homeland security have a common component, that of 

geography. Geography is the common reference point to describe, understand, apply 

resources to, and evaluate an event. As with first responders to natural disasters, those who 

deal with homeland security need that common, national framework of data in place 

immediately. Over the last year or so, agreements have been put in place among Federal 

agencies to make that framework a reality, and additional agreements will be coming on 

board. 

This description of places in rural America and the coastlands and of issues in public safety 

and national security as they relate to hazards, whether natural or human caused, is not 

exhaustive. Other places and issues will be added as the NGPO and the national geospatial 

community move forward with these actions. 

Toward management excellence 

For the NGPO to lead these transformations, it must set a standard of management excellence. 

The President’s Management Agenda calls for a performance-oriented approach by 

Government that shows improved accountability. Each Federal dollar invested must reflect 

that standard of management. The NGPO is committed to adopt a culture that uses the 

discipline of project management as a means to realize its strategic vision, to effect change in 

the organization, and to implement new business procedures. Best practices of the 

information technology community will ensure that life-cycle management guides project 

planning. For example, in acquiring and investing in new systems or capacity, commercial 

off-the-shelf software will be the norm, not the exception. Investments should be based upon 

demonstrated business needs and should be consistent with the National Geospatial Enterprise 

Architecture. One of the hallmarks of the President’s agenda is to make access to Government 

information transparent. It should not be a mystery to citizens—or to other government 

entities—how Government works, what actions it is taking, or where citizens can access the 

information their tax dollars have helped to create. Citizens should not have to understand the 

structure of government or wade through complex, confusing, or contradictory points of 

access to arrive at what they need. Because of the critical importance of geospatial

information to the lives of every citizen, the NGPO shares that commitment to transparency

and accountability to its citizen stakeholders. It is the right of all citizens to access the placebased information they need. A unified Web presence for the NSDI—which is envisioned as 

the framework and roadmap to geographic knowledge for use in mapping, managing, and 

understanding our world—is part of the commitment to management excellence. 

Accountability to the lines of business and performance management goals set forth by OMB, 

DOI, and the Government Performance and Results Act are embedded in the NGPO strategic 

plan for action. 

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22
A Strategy for Success 

In providing leadership to place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of the Nation and 

transforming the processes of Government necessary to implement key components of the 

NSDI, priorities must be established, and strategic actions outlined that can be tracked to 

measure their success. The NGPO Core Team has set forth the following strategic priorities. 

While all of the priorities are essential, there was overwhelming internal consensus, combined 

with the resounding voice of external partners, that establishing and championing a geospatial 

enterprise architecture are the foundation on which the other priorities would be based. 

Strategic Priority: National Geospatial Enterprise 

Architecture Geospatial data, information, and technology provide a foundation for innumerable 

applications that can address the lines of business of government and private industry. 

Currently, geospatial enterprise architectures are proliferating at all levels of government. In 

general, these efforts are not well coordinated and may be incompatible, which can hinder the 

goal of a seamless information environment where data, applications, and services can flow 

freely between entities. 

The NGPO will lead the efforts of the geospatial community to unify disparate geospatial

enterprise architectures, aligning them with the FEA and ensuring that the needs of the nonFederal community are accommodated. A national geospatial enterprise architecture will be a 

common point of reference for the development of physical architectures that will ensure 

geospatial interoperability at all levels of government. A unified geospatial enterprise 

architecture will demonstrate management excellence by identifying common lines of 

business and be the model for further transformations necessary to implement the key 

components of the NSDI. 

Strategic Action: Adopt geospatial enterprise architecture 

principles. 

To ensure that interoperability in geospatial systems architecture is broad and sustainable, each 

participating system should adopt the following principles: 

• Avoid nonstandard data syntaxes 

• Register the semantics of shared data elements 

• Document service interfaces in a standard way 

• Implement the standard interface for information discovery 

• Implement the standard interfaces for geospatial data 

Strategic Action: Establish advisory council and technical working 

group. 

Establish the National Geospatial Enterprise Architecture Management Advisory Council 

(NGEA-MAC), which will coordinate with the FEA and other enterprise architecture efforts. 

Establish the NGEA-MAC Technical Working Group, which will develop a conceptual 

framework for constructing more detailed physical geospatial architectures at the Federal,

State, and local levels. The NGEA-MAC will provide a critical link to the budget processes of

23
Federal, State, and local governments. The draft templates for the Business Case, Project 

Plan, Methodology and Process, and Timelines and Milestones will be refined. 

Strategic Action: Promote use of common standards. 

The NGEA-MAC will promote the use of common standards within the national geospatial 

community, thereby advancing the implementation of national framework standards for 

content and nationally adopted international standards, as well as open interoperability 

specifications developed by Open Geospatial Consortium and other consortia. 

Measuring Success 

A geospatial enterprise architecture will be realized when 

• It is supported by the geospatial community; is composed of a common set of 

reference models, business practices, standards, and best practices; is implemented and 

aligned with the FEA; and accommodates the needs of both the Federal and the nonFederal community 

• Inconsistencies and incompatibilities are reduced among independent geospatial 

enterprise architecture efforts 

• An NGEA-MAC exists to coordinate and unify disparate geospatial enterprise 

architecture efforts 

• The NGEA-MAC demonstrates to its stakeholders, including Congress, OMB, and 

State/local legislatures, that the national geospatial community is unified around this 

enterprise 

Early Successes 

• Internal Support: The NGPO is taking steps to simplify, unify, and organize its 

priorities according to lines of business. These steps are fundamental tenets in 

enterprise architecture reengineering. Staff members who are involved in architectural 

components are more enthusiastic and are expressing appreciation that senior 

managers see the value of such an approach. 

• External Support: The NGPO staff has met with favorable response when sharing 

ideas and plans for developing a national geospatial architecture at conferences, 

workshops, and meetings. The NGPO is being recognized as having the mission and 

the capability to lead this effort. For example, the Architecture and Infrastructure 

Committee (AIC) of the Federal CIO Council asked the NGPO to co-sponsor a 

geospatial enterprise architecture workshop, which took place in March 2005 and was 

met with enthusiasm and excellent input. The AIC was provided a draft of the 

Geospatial Enterprise Architecture Study Team report and is preparing a response. 

Communication Tactics 

• Use the venues on the 2005 NGPO events calendar and other communication vehicles, 

such as Web pages and information products, to inform stakeholders and foster a 

climate of acceptance for a geospatial enterprise architecture. 

• Identify and coordinate educational, informational, and training resources specific to 

geospatial enterprise architecture. 

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• Facilitate communications with other agencies and external partners about national 

issues, programs, policies, and budget initiatives relating to geospatial enterprise 

architecture. 

SIDEBAR 

Geospatial Enterprise Architecture Principles 

In many geospatial initiatives, a key goal is to be as inclusive as possible, spanning geospatial 

systems managed at all levels of government (Federal, State, local, and tribal), as well as

academic, commercial, and other nongovernment organizations. This goal demands a high

level of interoperability, (that is, differences among systems must not pose a barrier to tasks

that span those systems. Therefore, participating geospatial systems must have mechanisms

that accommodate system-to-system differences. Those mechanisms become components of 

a common geospatial systems architecture. 

Interoperability in the geospatial systems architecture should be broad and sustainable at a 

strategic level. Fewer agreements accommodating most systems are preferred over many 

agreements accommodating few participants. Interoperability agreements also should entail 

minimal impact on affected systems other than their interfaces with the geospatial architecture. 

Active participants that specialize in particular interfaces may have a lead role in building 

consensus on interoperability agreements (for example, a certain government agency may 

have a mandate to build consensus on a particular set of interfaces).

As a practical matter, interoperability agreements must be driven by specific needs as they are 

identified at the interfaces among participants. Wherever possible, interoperability agreements 

must be based on nonproprietary standards, and profiles should be specified when standards

are not sufficiently specific. All interface implementations should be specified in a platformindependent manner and verified through interoperability testing and public demonstrations. 

The following principles should be agreed upon by each participant. 

1. Avoid nonstandard data syntaxes. Data can be represented in a number of ways, 

and each way has its peculiar strengths and weaknesses. Converting between different 

data representations can degrade the data; therefore, participants must agree on a small 

number of robust data representation syntaxes for data that traverse shared interfaces. 

Examples include the international standard known as Abstract Syntax Notation (ASN.1) 

and the emergent industry standard Extensible Markup Language (XML). 

2. Register the semantics of shared data elements. Interfaces among participant 

systems are typically composed of a large number of data elements, and it is difficult to 

gain a common understanding of their meaning. (The syntax information in an XML 

schema or an ASN.1 definition does not fully address the requirements of semantic

interoperability.) The agreed international standard for representing such understandings 

in a commonly accessible registry is ISO 11179 (formally designated ISO/IEC 11179, 

Information Technology--Metadata Registries). This standard supports registration of data 

using virtually any syntax and also provides a basis for interoperability among industry-led 

registry initiatives. 

3. Document service interfaces in a standard way. Interoperability within the geospatial 

systems architecture is dependent on specifying common interfaces among disparate 

information systems. In addition to specifying the syntax and semantics of the data 

elements defined at the interface, it is necessary to describe how the systems interact at 

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the interface. A common mechanism for describing such interaction is an “interface 

definition language” (IDL). An elaborate example is the IDL for CORBA (Common Object 

Request Broker Architecture). Industry-led movements have recently shifted toward 

WSDL (Web Services Definition Language) or WebXML specifications to describe service

interfaces. Each of these service interface description mechanisms has an associated

mechanism to automate discovery and access of service interfaces. Unified Modeling 

Language (UML) is also commonly used to document the interactions occurring at a

service interface. Participants should agree to use any one of these standard mechanisms

to describe service interfaces and to convert to a single standard when appropriate. 

4. Implement the standard interface for information discovery. A common objective 

across interoperable geospatial systems is to enable the discovery of and access to a

wide range of information resources and services. Support of a common service interface 

for information discovery is therefore an important information architecture principle. (The 

term “information discovery” refers to the process of finding relevant data and information 

resources without prior knowledge of where those resources may reside, how they are

organized, or how they are usually accessed.) The agreed service interface implements 

the international standard ISO 23950 Protocol for Information Search and Retrieval that is 

well supported and broadly adapted to most information search and retrieval system 

interfaces. This interoperable search service interface applies to discovery of resources in

the form of traditional library, museum, and archives holdings, as well as digital resources 

distributed across global networks. This service supports XML and ASN.1 data syntaxes; 

data element semantics are registered according to ISO/IEC 11179; and service 

interfaces have been defined by using CORBA IDL and WSDL, and published via UDDI 

(Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration). 

5. Implement the standard interfaces for geospatial data. In the geospatial systems 

architecture especially, data and information resources usually include references to 

places. Although such geospatial data may be viewed in the form of a map, the underlying 

digital data may be applied in many other forms. Interfaces to discover and use these data 

and services have been standardized, ranging from “yellow pages” and “product catalogs” 

to “technical manuals.” International standards supporting discovery of and access to 

geospatial data and services are agreed upon through various initiatives such as the U.S. 

National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). These include the discovery interface 

standard referenced above (ISO 23950), as well as a range of international standards 

covering documentation and representation (ISO 19115) and place codes (for example, 

ISO 3166). In addition, participants should support formal standards such as the range of 

geospatial interfaces being developed through the Open Geospatial Consortium (for

example, OGC Web Map Service). 

Strategic Priority: A Governance Structure for the 21st

Century 

Government agencies and other organizations face many challenges in their business of 

providing services for citizens. One example is the necessity for quick responses to natural 

disasters, industrial accidents, environmental crises, and homeland security alerts. Much of

the information needed to make informed decisions in such cases is placebased: that is, 

geospatial. Those who must meet these challenges share a goal of making those decisions in a 

more cost-effective and efficient manner. Accurate and current geospatial data must be 

coordinated and made available to all, and a clearly articulated process of governance for the 

Nation’s geospatial assets is necessary for that shared benefit to occur. 

26
The vision for the NSDI Strategic Plan (1997) that “Current and accurate geospatial data will 

be available to contribute locally, nationally, and globally to economic growth, environmental 

quality and stability, and social progress” has been reconfirmed in the planning and 

organizing of the NGPO. A more forward-thinking vision for the NSDI that moves toward 

both a national GIS and management excellence could be stated as Federal, State, and local 

government agencies, the private sector, academia, and others are engaged in an 

unprecedented national project to design, build, and maintain a highly accurate, distributed, 

and consistent geospatial framework, services, and collaborative work during the first decade 

of the 21st century. This revolutionary partnership continues to leverage resources, 

technologies, and investments to create the geospatial component that supports the national 

information infrastructure and enables informed decisionmaking at all levels of society.

A well-coordinated effort inclusive of the private sector, academia, and all levels of

government, and supported by the NGPO, is needed to leverage resources, minimize 

redundancies, and solve problems to achieve this revolutionary partnership. 

A new governance structure that includes representatives of all stakeholder groups is needed 

to guide the development of the NSDI. It must foster collaboration and shared responsibilities 

among stakeholders and guide the development of partnerships and core datasets. 

Furthermore, the governance structure must have the power to transform policies, resource 

allocation, and services. 

The issue of governance is at the heart of the NGPO vision of transforming the processes of 

Government necessary to implement key components of the NSDI. It is also embedded in the 

component of the NGPO mission to “coordinate and facilitate the governance structure for the 

NSDI.” For this strategic priority, the NGPO will leverage the work of the Governance

Action Team for the FGDC Future Directions Initiative, whose purpose is to investigate and 

recommend options for the operation of the NSDI (a report due in June 2005). 

Strategic Action: Explore governance models and review FGDC 

governance efforts. 

Examine governance models used by other entities and develop options with advantages and 

disadvantages that allow a more inclusive membership. Draw on the FGDC Future 

Directions-Governance effort and, by 2005, identify, evaluate, and act upon options for 

restructuring the governance model of the NSDI. The Future Directions effort has completed 

its charter, organized a 30-member team, established working groups, and is completing tasks 

to have a restructured governance model by June 2005. Governance is being defined as the 

organizational structure, leadership and authority roles, and all associated regulations, policies, 

and procedures for management, coordination, and operation of the NSDI. In light of Future 

Directions findings, review the current structure of FGDC, including membership, structure, 

and roles of the Steering Committee, Coordination Group, subcommittees, and working 

groups. Develop an action plan to implement the revised governance model. 

Strategic Action: Promote national governance and its benefits. 

To be effective, the NSDI must have national leadership that incorporates all affected sectors. 

The governance process must build in accountability, include all interested parties, and 

27
provide clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Much of the discussion of governance has 

involved the producers of geospatial data. The users of geospatial data must be brought into 

the discussion as well. The potential benefits of effective governance—improving services to 

citizens, coordinating public services, improving management of natural and human resources, 

and improving public safety and emergency response—need to be supported, and resources 

need to be invested by data users as well as by data producers. 

Strategic Action: Create a national geospatial coordinating body. 

It is clear from the efforts of the Future Directions group that a national geospatial 

coordinating body is needed as part of the governance of the NSDI. The body would have 

equitable representation from Federal, State, and local components, tribal governments, 

national trade groups, and national nonprofit organizations. A proposal and options for such a 

body will be part of the June 2005 report of the Future Directions group. 

Measuring Success 

The NGPO, FGDC, and the NSDI will have successful governance when 

• There is positive movement toward that more forward-thinking vision of the NSDI as 

that “highly accurate, distributed, and consistent geospatial framework, services, and 

collaborative work during the first decade of the 21st century” 

• There is less duplication of effort and more gaps in data and information are filled. 

• Similar problems at the Federal, State, and local levels are recognized and solutions 

are created because of the availability of the geospatial framework and an efficient 

governance model 

Early Success 

• A sense of urgency that it is time for a new governance model has been articulated by 

focus groups conducted by the Future Directions effort. 

Communication Tactics 

• Use upcoming events of interested parties and organizations to discuss needs of 

governance and problems that need resolution. 

• Maintain the contact information database being created as part of the Future 

Directions work and use this for future interaction. 

• Develop a communication plan when the June 2005 report is released to promote its 

recommendations. 

Strategic Priority: Incentive-Based Partnerships

With the rapid advancement of geospatial technologies coupled with limited resources at all 

levels of government, geospatial information operations are focusing on meeting specific 

business needs rather than on developing systems for general use. Managers at the State and 

local level, for example, cannot justify changing their processes to participate in Federal 

initiatives unless they can show that such participation increases their ability to meet their 

business needs. At the same time, the growing community of data producers has increased the 

need for coordination to maximize investments and avoid redundancy. 

28
The traditional approach to the development of the NSDI will not achieve the results needed 

to meet the collective vision in a timely manner. Thus, the NGPO must develop an incentivebased partnership strategy that will engage partners who must first meet their own bottom

lines. Such incentive-based partnerships for geospatial data have been successful in North 

Carolina, Utah, and New Jersey, where they have been used to achieve a high level of

intergovernmental cooperation. The NGPO must set the Federal example of this new approach 

and offer a suite of monetary and nonmonetary incentives that are tailored to the needs of 

partners in exchange for their commitments to advance the NSDI. 

The focus will not be on short-term or one-time exchanges of data. Transformation toward an 

enterprise information system for the Nation will require a cultural change in partner 

relationships. Incentive-based partnerships will accelerate the development of the content of 

the NSDI, in terms of data completeness, quality, and reliability, by encouraging participation 

by State and local governments and other key data producers. Following a business model, in 

which all partners commit resources to achieve mutually beneficial goals, will mean that more 

NSDI stakeholders (for example, State and local governments) will be invested in a successful 

outcome; that is , the sustainability of the NSDI. Finally, promoting the use of a menu of 

possible partnership incentives should encourage greater Federal interest in supporting NSDI 

partnerships, including agencies and Departments that have not heretofore been active NSDI 

participants. 

Strategic Action: Promote an incentive-based partnership model. 

Develop and circulate a white paper that describes the incentive-based partnership model, how 

this approach will benefit all NSDI stakeholders, how this strategy will be coordinated 

throughout the NGPO, and details of an action plan for the next 2 years. Meet with geospatial 

stakeholders and their representatives to seek their input and support in promoting these 

potential actions to their membership. 

Strategic Action: Implement best practices for incentives. 

Provide interested Federal agencies and Departments with the information and tools for 

implementing incentive-based NSDI partnerships. Develop and communicate best practices 

on the types of incentives or incentive categories that can be provided and develop examples 

(such as templates) for negotiated partnership agreements that can be disseminated across the 

NSDI stakeholder community. 

Strategic Action: Support NGPO demonstration pilots. 

Demonstrate to the Federal community how incentive-based partnerships can be successful. 

Identify NGPO resources (funding, in-kind services and support) that can be made available, 

beginning in FY 2005, to support several State-based pilots, and communicate their progress. 

Each pilot should include an agreement between the State and the USGS that articulates NSDI 

needs and incentives for each State and begins the process of long-term planning to meet those 

needs.

Measuring Success 

The success of incentive-based partnerships will be seen in 

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• An increasing number and quality (that is, effectiveness in meeting requirements, 

sustainability) of incentive-based partnership agreements 

• An increasing number of agencies and organizations (including those from

nontraditional sectors) engaged in one or more such agreements 

• Various measures relating to the content of the NSDI (for example, completeness of 

framework data layers, addition of higher resolution, more timely or accurate data). 

The Fifty States Initiative Action Plan developed in 2004 by the NSGIC-FGDC Work 

Group includes some suggested metrics that could be adapted for broader use in 

measuring success of this priority 

• A greater quantity and breadth of spatial data applications and increased use of the 

NSDI for decisionmaking, problem-solving, or improving services (according to the 

NSGIC-NACo-USGS Best Practices model). While it is hard to quantify how 

geospatial information improves decisionmaking or services, anecdotal information 

will be captured. 

Early Successes 

• Fifty States Initiative Action Plan recommends the use of incentive-based partnerships 

that focus on meeting specific mutually defined business goals. 

• A key finding of the NSGIC-NACo-USGS Best Practices Model affirms this 

approach, indicating significant support within the leadership of these important 

stakeholder groups. 

• A broad range of agencies and organizations is involved in the NSDI Future 

Directions initiative; NSDI Partnership Liaisons are discussing the future of 

partnerships and identifying opportunities for enhancing USGS capabilities in this 

area. The Cooperative Agreements Program (linking The National Map funds and 

FGDC funds) was begun in FY 2004. 

Communication Tactics 

• Develop a coordinated communications/outreach strategy that encompasses all NGPO 

programs. 

• Provide briefings and discussions at NSGIC midyear and annual conferences. 

• Meet with interested organizations to introduce them to NGPO leadership and staff; 

establish contact and regular communications on progress of the incentive-based 

partnership priority. 

• Communicate regularly with constituent groups, highlighting NGPO activities of 

interest, contacts in each State, and ways to participate.

• Provide NSDI Partnership Liaisons with information on incentive-based partnerships 

to use in communicating with their existing partners and in identifying new, 

prospective partners. 

• Feature partnership activities in the unified NSDI Web presence. 

• Hold regular conference calls with NGPO and stakeholder staffs to discuss progress, 

identify pitfalls, and establish next steps. 

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Strategic Priority: Tapestry of Base Content 

A significant priority for the NGPO is to build upon USGS resources, leverage the resources 

of partners, and organize them into a rich and textured tapestry of geographic content. The 

importance of place-based content in everyday life cannot be overstated. Each decision made 

by a government entity, whether it affects the environment, transportation, social services, 

public safety, or health care, occurs somewhere on the national landscape. In turn, those 

decisions and those places do not happen or operate in isolation but affect adjacent places. 

Planning and analyses in support of these decisions requires accurate, up-to-date, and 

standards-based data for those places. To achieve the goal of becoming the provider of placebased content, the NGPO will need to focus on three areas: ensuring a tapestry of base 

content, integrating information systems, and strengthening relationships with those who are

stewards of geospatial data. 

The envisioned tapestry will include 

• High-quality national datasets compiled from many sources 

• Integrated themes, scales, and resolution 

• National templates with specific implementation guidance 

• Support and sustainability through incentive-based partnerships 

Because of its long-standing role as the purveyor of the Nation’s topographic maps, the USGS 

is uniquely suited to be the trusted source for accurate information about Earth processes and 

the Nation’s landscape, natural resources, and infrastructure. As such, the USGS becomes the 

Federal Government’s provider of choice for place-based content. The use of the word 

“provider” rather than “producer” is intentional. While the role of the USGS in the past has 

been to produce the map products that contained base content, its future role will be to 

facilitate and coordinate so that there is broad national access to place-based content. The new 

role ensures that the resources invested in the USGS provide a significant return to the 

American public. 

The scientific resources of the USGS weave together a rich tapestry of geospatial and tabular 

data that is, in turn, transformed into knowledge, information products, and visualization 

services to meet the strategic planning, analysis, and response needs of organizations and 

individuals across the Nation. Outside organizations expect the USGS to be the provider and 

integrator of place-based content. Since the Organic Act of 1879 that created the USGS, it has 

been part of the Bureau’s mission to map the “national domain.” The mandate to classify 

public lands and examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the 

national domain, expanded to include topographic surveys, is part of what makes the USGS

uniquely qualified to assume the leadership role for national geospatial assets. Topographic 

maps have been signature products throughout the Bureau’s long and rich history. The USGS 

has broad brand recognition that should not be discarded but rather transformed into a new 

market force for the future of place-based content. 

Strategic Action: Ensure a tapestry of base content by December 2006.

As envisioned, The National Map represents core geospatial data about the United States and 

its territories that are in the public domain and that can be extended, enhanced, and referenced 

by other agencies. The National Map has the potential to be that tapestry of base content,

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woven into a seamless, continuously maintained and nationally consistent set of databases. 

The color and richness of the tapestry will be added by NSDI partners. State, local, Federal, 

and tribal GIS organizations will be encouraged to provide access to data and services for their 

geographic areas and datasets under partnership agreements with the NGPO. This model will 

ensure that the NGPO is the source organization that makes relevant and timely data available 

to support the interests of science, land and resource management, recreation, policymaking, 

and homeland security. Steps to ensure the base content by December 2006 include 

• Developing content and process models for framework layers 

• Demonstrating Quality Assurance/Quality Control, maintenance, and updating 

workflow 

• Designing a strategy for outreach and implementation of framework content and 

process models on the national level 

• Designing a strategy for developing content and process standards and models for data 

layers identified in OMB Circular A-16

SIDEBAR 

Foundation for the Tapestry – The Nation’s Topographic Base Map for the 21st

Century

The National Map is

• A seamless, continuously maintained, nationally consistent set of base geographic data 

• Developed and maintained through partnerships 

• A national framework for science, land and resource management, recreation, policymaking, 

and homeland security 

• Available over the Internet 

• The source for revised topographic maps

The USGS provides the foundation of the tapestry through The National Map by ensuring complete

and consistent coverage for eight basic data themes. The USGS will develop and manage centralized 

databases for these eight themes (see table below), which will allow all the data to be viewed and 

accessed over any selected space. A user asking for data in Utah, for example, would get the same

content, format, and model as a user asking for data in Cook County, Illinois, or for a watershed that

crosses several States. 

The National Map “Blanket” 

Theme Resolution (or Accuracy)

Elevation 1/3 arc second or finer 

Orthoimagery 1 meter or finer 

Land Cover 30 meters or finer 

Geographic Names

Hydrography Better than or equal to 1:24,000 scale 

Transportation Better than or equal to 1:24,000 scale 

Boundaries (civil) Better than or equal to 1:24,000 scale 

Boundaries (State and Federal lands) Better than or equal to 1:24,000 scale 

Structures* Better than or equal to 1:24,000 scale variable 

* Structures will not be “complete.” These data will be loaded as they become available from partners. 

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The National Map will serve as the base dataset for the Geospatial One-Stop portal and as the source 

for a revitalized suite of USGS map products and services for the future. Geospatial One-Stop will be 

the Internet Portal for resource publishing, discovery, and access, enabling Federal, State, and local 

users to organize and share geospatial knowledge (data, scientific reports, models, decision-support 

tools, and problem-solving applications). By combining place-based knowledge with the geographic

base content of The National Map, the NGPO can support many diverse lines of business. 

Strategic Action: Integrate information systems.

Viewing the intricate patterns, the varying textures, and the complementary colors of a 

tapestry transforms threads into a beautiful whole. One generally does not see the back of the 

tapestry with its mix of knots and clipped ends. Similarly, when customers view the services 

offered by USGS through The National Map tapestry, many technologies and activities behind 

the scenes will be transparent to the user. At the heart of the technology strategy will be the 

integration of The National Map, Geospatial One-Stop, and the NSDI Clearinghouse. A 

single system approach will couple the seamless national base map with the ability to find, 

access, and overlay datasets maintained by steward organizations. 

To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to 

• Develop a coordinated information system that delivers geospatial data and services 

• Conduct a business process analysis of all NGPO components 

• Utilize standard information technology business practices across NGPO activities 

Strategic Action: Strengthen steward relationships.

Partners will play a critical role in the creation of a tapestry of base content for the Nation. 

Negotiated partnership agreements will govern the relationships among steward organizations, 

Federal stewards, and the NGPO. These agreements will outline roles and responsibilities, as 

well as incentives for participation. A model for this distributed partner environment might 

include the following characteristics: 

NSDI Partner Role. A State, regional consortium, county, and/or metropolitan city 

will agree to be the geospatial information steward for a given geographic region, such 

as a State, ecosystem, or region. In partnership with NGPO, the steward will agree to

be responsible for data development and maintenance, 24/7 Web access to data, 

strategic planning for new data development, adoption of relevant data models and 

standards, and coordination with local organizations. Resulting data will be shared

with the Federal Government, through the national stewardship of the NGPO, as part 

of the national geographic information system. 

USGS-NGPO Role. The USGS, through the NGPO, will use the network of NSDI 

Partnership Liaisons to negotiate a partnership agreement with each steward. A range 

of incentives will be available as part of the agreement. Incentives can include 

funding, training, technical or consulting resources, hosting services, and contracting 

services (such as orthoimagery). In addition to providing incentives, USGS will 

coordinate the development and promote the use of relevant data models and 

standards as a resource for partners in their implementation efforts and to facilitate 

data sharing and consistency. 

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The role of partners and the benefits of using incentives to generate a stronger culture and 

practice of partnering are discussed in the section on Strategic Priority on Incentive-Based 

Partnerships, which precedes this Priority. 

Measuring Success. A tapestry of base content will be realized when

• The tapestry within USGS is enriched. As the NGPO integrates the information 

resources of the USGS, the development of a knowledge base of scientific information 

comes closer to realization. Other USGS-sponsored information systems, such as the 

National AtlasTM (a component of The National Map), GEODE, the National 

Biological Information Infrastructure, and the National Water Information System can 

share data and analyses and be viewed in concert with the national geospatial system

of systems. 

• There is spatial access to USGS scientific reports. By including location attributes and 

metadata, USGS scientific reports will be made spatially accessible. This will allow 

nonspatial data and information to be easily accessed through a visual geographic 

interface. 

• The NSDI Partnership Liaison program expands. NGPO staff will be strategically 

located to work with other stakeholders in developing partnerships. The goal is at 

least one NSDI Partnership Liaison in every State. 

• NGPO programs that provide discovery and synthesis of geographic data and services

(Geospatial One-Stop and The National Map) can rely on partners to catalog and 

produce data. 

Early Successes

• Discussions for implementing partnership models are underway with the NSGIC and 

NACo. 

• Other Federal agencies are linking their geospatial data holdings by documenting 

metadata, participating in Geospatial One-Stop, and partnering with The National 

Map. 

Communication Tactics

• Mark milestones when framework components of the tapestry are completed. 

• Use national conferences and other venues to show the strengthening and enriching of 

the tapestry—a continually enhanced exhibit that visibly becomes that tapestry of base 

content. 

• Showcase the tapestry of base content when it is completed in December 2006. 

Strategic Priority: A Geospatial System of Systems 

An enterprise information system for the Nation’s geospatial assets is essential to ensure the 

implementation of the NSDI. Geographic information systems are developing at all levels of

government and throughout the private sector; however, these systems, when employed 

individually often result in duplicate data development and redundant investments. They 

seldom follow common standards of practice that facilitate data sharing. The NGPO is in a 

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unique position to lead the development of a national geographic information system (GIS), an

integrated system of systems, to provide access to quality, near real-time, digital geospatial 

data and resources. Development of this “GIS for the Nation” would be based on modern, 

multipurpose technology and on national standards. It will be the distributed yet shared tool to 

manage the tapestry of base content. It will also provide tools for access, discovery, and use 

amongst all data stewards and data users. The national system will constitute a distributed 

network of data stewards who agree to contribute their expertise, data, and resources to 

construct a shared enterprise solution that will leverage geospatial data assets into strategic

national resources. The steward organizations will be a federation of local, State, and Federal

Government organizations, with contributions from the academic community and the private 

and nonprofit sectors. Adherence to the discipline of project management and the 

employment of Information Technology best practices will facilitate the development of the 

system of systems. By consolidating geospatial Exhibit 300’s and establishing a working 

capital fund, investments in and performance of the systems approach can be effectively 

tracked and measured. 

Strategic Action: Create a national geospatial information system 

of distributed data systems.

One key component in creating a national GIS is to develop a modernization blueprint to 

understand existing systems and the desired future state. A second key component is to 

develop a prototype systems implementation plan that will include critical elements of project 

management and IT Best Practices, such as 

• Project cost, schedule, benefits, and risk 

• Project plan and a Work Breakdown Structure 

• Project tracking and performance evaluation 

• Governance and configuration management process 

• Contracting and acquisition strategy 

• Risk assessment and monitoring process 

• Communications and change management strategy 

• Human capital strategy 

Strategic Action: Provide multipurpose, standards-based 

technology and tools.

Promoting the use of geospatial technology in a consistent fashion will provide for more 

discoverable, interoperable, and user-friendly geospatial information. To move toward the 

desired future state, technology and tools will focus on the key elements of data creation, data 

management, and data dissemination. Information requirements must be multipurpose to 

meet the needs of the many interests and uses of stakeholders, partners, and citizens. 

Technology must be designed to ensure that 

• Spatial data are created, stored, available, and maintained at the most appropriate level 

• It is possible to combine spatial map and data services from different sources across 

the community in a consistent manner and share them among multiple users and 

applications

• It is easy to discover available spatial data, to evaluate their fitness for purpose, and to 

know the conditions applicable to their use 

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• Interoperable schemas, methods, definitions, and products are derived from the 

infrastructure

Strategic Action: Support and sustain stewards of component 

systems through incentive-based partnerships.

As in the strategic priorities “Tapestry of Base Content” and “Incentive-based Partnerships”, 

the role of partners and stakeholders in the development of a national geospatial system of 

systems is paramount. By providing incentives in various forms to the steward organizations 

of system components (Federal, State, tribal, and local), the NGPO will ensure that those 

component systems are supported and sustained. Models of partnership engagement and 

sustainability as discussed in other strategic priorities should be thoroughly investigated, and a 

plan developed to implement this network of support to the stewards who are at the heart of a 

modern national geospatial database. 

Measuring Success

The system of systems strategy will be realized when 

• It is possible to combine spatial data from different sources across the user community 

in a consistent way and share them between several users and applications 

• There are simple and widely understood means for discovering and accessing 

available geospatial resources and evaluating their fitness for use 

• There is a technology framework that supports collaborative development and sharing 

of geospatial information

• Steward organizations are full partners in implementing and managing the Nation’s 

geospatial information assets as a system of systems, which will allow access to 

current local data through Internet mapping services 

Early Successes 

• Discussions for implementing partnership models are underway with the National 

States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and the National Association of 

Counties (NACo) 

• Other Federal agencies are linking their geospatial data holdings by documenting 

metadata, participating in Geospatial One-Stop, and partnering with The National Map 

Communication Tactics 

• Develop a marketing plan and communication strategy to introduce and promote the 

system of systems concept 

• Feature new stewards in various communication venues 

• Promote the system of systems within USGS to highlight opportunities to integrate 

with other systems 

• Showcase the tapestry of base content when it is completed in December 2006. 

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Strategic Priority: National Geospatial Investment 

Management 

The value of geospatial data and technologies to Federal programs is generally recognized, 

and the efforts to coordinate activities have been acknowledged. The national geospatial 

community has emphasized metadata, clearinghouses, standards, partnerships, and articulation 

of framework data. Federal programs, too, are embedding geospatial capabilities in their 

activities and systems. 

Federal investments in geospatial data, systems, and applications are not well coordinated, and 

OMB does not have a support arm in any of the Federal agencies to help track and monitor 

these investments. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Geospatial 

Information: Better Coordination Needed to Identify and Reduce Duplicative Investments

(GAO-04-703), recognized the need for improvement in coordinating Federal geospatial 

investments. GAO recommended development of a national geospatial strategic plan, better 

criteria for assessing investments, and improved oversight of geospatial projects. The USGS, 

through the NGPO, has the opportunity to address these recommendations and support OMB 

by serving as an information clearinghouse and a source of national expertise on Federal 

geospatial investments. 

The transformations toward a national GIS and toward management excellence will both be 

enhanced by effectively managing national geospatial investments. An enterprise system

requires knowledge of the investments necessary to develop and operate that system; hence, 

the need for an investment strategy arm of the NGPO. One of the key areas of the Federal 

Government that must be transformed if this vision is to be achieved is to develop a strategic 

plan for geospatial investments. An enterprise system of geospatial data and applications will 

require not only an organized method for understanding national investments but also a 

commitment to ensure that those investments meet business needs and are sustainable. 

Strategic Action: Identify interagency investment strategies. 

Identify opportunities for interagency investment strategies and implement those strategies. 

Next steps will include 

• Estimating supply and demand for Federal programs

• Comparing supply and demand to identify opportunities for investments 

• Identifying current interagency interactions for accomplishing common goals and 

modeling the successful ones 

• Developing an outline of an investment strategy 

Strategic Action: Increase efficiency of expenditures. 

Provide tools to increase efficiency of expenditures and monitor their effectiveness.

Coordinate investment review activities with the Capital Planning and Investment Control 

(CPIC) process.

Strategic Action: Begin a dialog of efficiency. 

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Work to change the conversation about geospatial activities from one about duplication to one 

about steps being taken to improve efficiency. Duplication is at best a problem that can be

managed, not solved. Next steps will include preparatory work on investment strategy and 

expenditures and education of key stakeholders on the complexity of the duplication issue (for 

example when are parallel activities wasteful duplication?). Consider sponsoring a summit for 

executive stakeholders to communicate their ideas. 

Measuring Success 

The NGPO and the Nation will have a successful strategy for geospatial investments when 

• The NGPO is recognized as the principal, objective source for information regarding 

Federal geospatial investments 

• Measurement of investments and benefits is limited to that which supports investment 

strategies. Data are “rolled up” from common agency reports of benefits and 

investments from field and agency activities 

• Investments are discussed in terms of an investment strategy, shared benefits, and 

related costs, not total Federal expenditures and redundancy 

• An interagency decisionmaking structure conducted by those with relevant program

responsibilities is in place

Early Success 

The NGPO is leading by example by using an enterprise approach to measure its own

geospatial investments and implementing a portfolio management process to monitor those 

investments. Additional work is required before showcasing the portfolio management 

process, but even today, every dollar that the NGPO spends on field activities is managed as a 

series of projects. 

Communication Tactics 

• Explore communication vehicles and Federal partner venues to build trust. It will be 

important to move forward cautiously in communicating this priority, recognizing that 

other Federal agencies are sensitive to proposals that may affect their budgets. 

• Build a relationship with OMB. Future interaction with OMB regarding investment 

strategies will require diplomacy and tact; here, too, a sense of trust will need to be 

earned. 

• Develop and foster an open communication culture and practice. NGPO will need to 

operate with an open book approach to its own investments if others are expected to 

follow suit. 

• Explore producing joint publications. Join with another Federal agency or agencies to 

produce a publication that explains the national investment strategy approach. This 

strategy will help to underscore the cooperative nature of this activity. 

Strategic Priority: Revitalized Suite of USGS 

Topographic Products and Services 

For many years, the primary comprehensive map series for the Nation has been the USGS 7.5-

minute topographic map series. Because this map series was developed in an analog world, it 

38
has become progressively more obsolete in terms of both data content and format. A successor 

to this map series is vitally important to the Nation for numerous applications not generally 

addressed by local mapping and geospatial data programs. 

The USGS has established the NGPO to facilitate the development of The National Map as a 

national geospatial data blanket that will serve as the successor to the Nation’s primary map 

series and to consolidate the activities of related USGS geospatial programs, such as 

Geospatial One-Stop and the FGDC. As the primary civilian mapping agency of the Federal 

Government, the USGS is responsible for ensuring that The National Map is deployed 

expeditiously and that it is a comprehensive, standardized, quality-assured, public domain data 

framework for the entire Nation, border to border, coast to coast. 

This strategic priority requires decisive leadership and clear and effective communication. 

Further, adequate resources are necessary to support internal USGS activities, as well as to 

foster and sustain partnerships in data acquisition, development, and integration, particularly 

in areas where data acquisition programs are nonexistent or inadequate. 

Information and services useful to customers are at the core of an enterprise information 

system. The products and services of the NGPO, including the successor to the traditional 

topographic mapping series, will be key contributions in the transformation to an enterprise 

information system for the Nation. The National Map, as the principal expression of the 

USGS topographic mapping program, is central to the success of this system. 

Strategic Action: Derive a digital 1:24,000-scale topographic map. 

Derive a USGS-sanctioned, 1:24,000-scale topographic map product from data in The 

National Map. This should be a digitally derived, printed product, sourced from the blanket 

data in The National Map as much as possible. Where data are required outside the eight data 

themes of The National Map, a consistent, national source of these data should be identified. 

It is desirable that the standard printed map products adhere to the familiar tiling and naming 

system in place for the current 7.5-minute topographic map series. This does not, however, 

preclude inclusion of capability for custom map footprints on demand. 

• Develop minimum and optional content standards for this product within 90 days of 

the release of the NGPO Plan for Action. 

• Develop prototype products showing the minimum and optional content within the 

same timeframe. 

• Distribute the standards and the prototype maps to internal USGS and external 

audiences for review and comment. 

• Develop prototype USGS topographic map products in cooperation with partners by 

using the minimum data or blanket standards and minimum graphic standards for a 

1:24,000-scale product. 

• Produce a prototype map 90 days after the draft minimum standards are outlined. 

• Develop a prototype of a 1:24,000-scale graphic product incorporating optional data 

content. 

Strategic Action: Implement map-on-demand service.

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Implement a prototype map-on-demand (MOD) service, and work with both public and private 

sectors to provide the necessary technology and printing and distribution services. 

• Working with the State of Texas, establish a team to implement a MOD solution for 

the revitalized USGS topographic map series. 

• Use the above solution to include both the public and private sectors to print and 

distribute the map. 

• Discontinue distribution of older vintage lithographic maps where newer MOD maps 

exist, using data from The National Map. 

• Implement MOD for legacy topographic maps that have little or no sales. 

Strategic Action: Institutionalize a process for developing new and 

innovative services. 

The NGPO will institute an annual process to gather ideas for new and innovative products 

and services that will include collaboration with the USGS science disciplines, other partners, 

and data users. The NGPO will work collaboratively with the private sector to assure respect 

for the role of the private sector in the development and marketing of new products and 

services. 

Measuring Success 

A revitalized suite of USGS map products and services will be realized when 

• The USGS is meeting the Nation’s demand for current, accurate base-mapping 

information, both digitally and in paper formats 

• That production is being accomplished through partnerships with all levels of 

government, the private sector, and academic institutions 

• The name of the USGS continues to be synonymous with high-quality maps for the 

Nation 

• A program is in place to sustain those accomplishments 

Early Success 

Partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service and the State of Texas have been successful. 

• The U.S. Forest Service maintains the USGS topographic maps over Forest Service 

Lands (about percent of the Nation). 

• The State of Texas has updated all 4,400 of the USGS topographic maps of the State. 

Communication Tactics 

• Speak and act with pride about the future. The USGS accomplished something that 

few can equal in completing the 1:24,000-scale topographic map series. 

• Recognize and champion shared ownership of the mapping future with customers and 

constituents.

Internal Streamlining 

How the NGPO is organized 

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To effect organizational change, it is not enough to simply realign functions. Transformation 

requires internal streamlining, consolidation of activities, and fundamental changes in 

processes and practices; however, this transformation cannot be an insular exercise but must 

be informed by best practices in government and the broader community. The administration 

of the NGPO—the organizational structure, budget structure and authority, and its operational 

processes—will need to be streamlined and made more responsive to the strategic priorities

that have been set forth. 

Managed as a Single Program 

The NGPO has made a commitment to “portfolio management,” which a change intended to 

signal a new way of doing business. What is meant by this style of management? It is not 

enough to say that national geospatial assets have been put into a single portfolio; the assets in 

that portfolio will be managed as unified, interdependent assets that have unique strengths. 

The life cycle management model used for information technology (IT) has much to inform

organizational change. Three of the components of that model are to co-locate systems and 

assets, then to integrate, and finally to optimize them. The first step has been taken by 

creating the NGPO, which integrates the geospatial assets for which the USGS has a 

leadership role. Now the hard work begins of integrating those program components, their 

companion systems and technology, and, most importantly, the workforce that will be the 

generators, facilitators, and coordinators of geospatial information for the future. 

Information Technology Best Practices 

The NGPO must embrace IT best practices of the private sector, government, academia, and 

the nongovernmental community, recognizing that IT is the intersection of computers and 

networks, of mission and business process reengineering. Coupled with contracting, budget 

and finance, change management, human resources, security, privacy, data integrity, and 

architecture, using best practices ensures that IT planning incorporates all facets of the 

business of the NGPO. The life cycle model must be used in planning. Life cycle costs are 

decided early; 90 percent of costs are typically determined in the first 5 percent of the 

development. As a result, decisions made at the outset of the project drive the long-term costs. 

At the beginning, then, decisions such as make versus buy, standards versus custom

configuration, stove-pipe versus integrated, data warehouse versus duplication, central versus 

decentralized processing, and commercial off-the-shelf versus “home grown” must be 

carefully evaluated and built into the investment strategy. 

Project Management 

Embracing IT best practices segues logically to the best practice of project management. The 

NGPO is committed to using the discipline of project management to realize its strategic 

vision, effect change in the organization, and implement new business procedures. Tomanage 

the Nation’s geospatial assets as a single portfolio, each leader and manager will need to 

demonstrate capabilities in project management, specifically in the areas of integration, scope, 

time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement. Life cycle 

comes into play in that projects are divided into several phases to improve management 

41
control and to link to ongoing operations. Collectively, the phases become the project life 

cycle. Many of the best practices of IT life cycle management are mirrored in project 

management and serve as an organizing strategy. Just as a system can be examined to see if it 

does what it is supposed to do and performs with the desired response time, availability, and 

reliability, a project can be examined in the same manner. 

The concept of project stakeholders is important to the NGPO, as well. Project stakeholders 

are individuals and organizations that are involved in the project or whose interests may be 

affected. The expectations of these stakeholders should be managed as part of the project. The

commitment of the NGPO to provide leadership and guidance for key stakeholders will be 

facilitated through the discipline of project management. 

Organization and Staffing 

To reinforce the NGPO’s twofold mission of facilitation and implementation, the Associate 

Director for Geospatial Information has created two organizational components: Geospatial 

Coordination (GIC) and Geospatial Integration and Analysis (GIIA). Additionally, a National 

Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) has been created as the operational arm of 

the NGPO (January 2005). A business strategy for the NGTOC was developed in March 

2005. As a necessary companion effort to the development of a business strategy for the 

NGTOC, a scoping process is being conducted to decide if an OMB Circular A-76 study is 

appropriate. The NGPO must transform the workforce from producers of base topographic 

mapping products to providers of geospatial data and services. The scoping process on 

geospatial production and technical services will ensure that the operational functions of the 

NGPO are the right ones for the Nation’s geospatial assets, that program dollars are being 

invested to their best advantage, and that the workforce has the skills necessary to realize 

NGPO goals. 

National Geospatial Technical Operations Center 

The following purpose, vision, and mission functions have been established by the NGPO for 

the NGTOC. 

Purpose: The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) provides 

geospatial technical expertise, services, and innovative solutions in support of the 

National Geospatial Program Office (NGPO) in its implementation of key 

components of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). 

Vision: By March 2007, the NGTOC will serve as a center of Government excellence 

for geospatial information and technology for key partners and stakeholders of the 

NSDI. 

Mission: In fulfilling the NGPO mission of implementing key components of the 

NSDI, the NGTOC will 

• Provide IT infrastructure (servers, portals, expertise) to support the NGPO 

• Manage multipurpose geospatial data products and services contracts 

• Perform integration and quality assurance of geospatial data from contractors 

and partners 

• Support geospatial standards and data model development, testing, and 

implementation 

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• Provide geospatial data systems integration and technical support for a 

National Geospatial Enterprise Architecture 

• Provide for archive and access for digital geospatial data holdings, including 

dissemination to the public (involving an E-commerce solution) 

• Provide access to map products 

• Provide technical assistance on geospatial data issues to the USGS and its 

partners 

• Provide education and training related to the program activities of the NGPO 

• Conduct and sponsor research in geospatial information technologies and 

innovative solutions 

• Provide incentives to partners in developing technical solutions for geospatial 

activities 

A Budget for the Future 

To manage the NGPO as a single program, the USGS will seek authority to restructure its 

budget to reflect the creation of the NGPO and to incorporate appropriations from the former 

Cooperative Topographic Mapping Program into a new line item. By bringing that funding 

and the other elements of the NGPO into a single line item, the leadership role of the USGS

for national geospatial assets will be readily identifiable in the Federal budget. A consolidated 

budget structure will also facilitate DOI’s Activity-Based Costing approach. The current 

Federal budget climate also requires accounting for every dollar appropriated and ensuring 

that it is invested wisely. 

Rebalancing the NGPO Portfolio

As Is To Be

 

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People—Analyzing Workforce Needs and Competencies 

To embrace the potential of its vision and the reality of its mission, the NGPO will need a 

more flexible and differently configured workforce with a greater mix of Government and 

contractor-provided personnel and services. With an intent to send more dollars “out the 

door” to support contracts, partnerships, grants, pilot projects, and other external efforts, the 

goal will be to empower others to provide services and for the USGS to play a greater role in 

leadership, facilitation, coordination, and management. The initial step of a comprehensive 

analysis and realignment of its workforce will be a preplanning or scoping process that may 

become a full-fledged OMB Circular A-76 competitive sourcing study for the geospatial 

production and technical services functions currently being performed by USGS Mapping 

Centers, now incorporated into the NGTOC. 

During the transition period to the workforce of tomorrow, the NGPO will be cautious in its 

Government hires, recognizing that every new hire is a $1 million investment. Managers will

need to justify hiring within the Government rather than exporting a portion of that investment 

or capability. Each employee who is hired or remains a part of the NGPO in its post-transition 

structure will need to be equipped to meet the challenges of the future as data brokers and 

managers of the Nation’s geospatial assets. 

Internal Governance 

In addition to providing a framework and structure of governance for the Nation’s geospatial 

assets and the implementation of the NSDI, the NGPO will restructure and reorganize its 

internal governance, consolidate the standards and operations of its various program

components, transition to common procedures and processes for all administrative functions, 

and align its internal and external communications and outreach. Thus, the NGPO will 

demonstrate to its external constituency its commitment to implementing the NSDI and 

transforming Government into a new model for the 21st century. 

44
Schedule 

When will the NGPO accomplish its priorities? 

The following timeline shows significant milestones of the NGPO, beginning with its creation 

and looking ahead to future actions. 

August 2004 NGPO created 

January 2005 NGTOC created as operational arm of NGPO 

February 2005 ESRI contract awarded to develop second generation Geospatial OneStop portal 

March 2005 NGTOC Business Strategy presented to Associate Director

March 2005 NGPO Plan for Action presented to Director 

April 2005 Continuing the Dialogue—Listening session with external partners

and presentation on NGPO Plan for Action 

 Presentation of NGPO Plan for Action to internal stakeholders

May 2005 Strategic Priorities and Actions of NGPO Plan for Action—Public 

Comment Period (ends May 16) 

June 2005 Future Directions Governance Report to NGPO and FGDC Steering 

Group 

June 2006 Processes of Government necessary to implement NSDI transformed 

December 2006 Tapestry of base content complete 

March 2007 NGTOC recognized as a center of Government excellence for 

geospatial information and innovation for key partners and 

stakeholders of the NSDI 

45
Stakeholder Input 

How the NGPO is gathering input from 

stakeholders 

Listening Sessions 

The USGS Geospatial Information Office hosted a number of listening sessions with 

stakeholders in various locations during the initial 90-day period after the creation of the 

NGPO in late summer 2004. The term “stakeholder,” as used in this plan, encompasses 

relationships from that of invested partners to informed constituents to influential customers. 

The realignment of the USGS geospatial program components, each of which has a solid 

customer and partner base, into a single program office was seen as benefiting stakeholders 

who have assets in and are contributing to the development of the NSDI. Their input was 

essential to developing the NGPO plan for action. 

While the comments listed below were expressed primarily at a gathering of stakeholders in 

early October 2004 in Washington, D.C., the messages were repeated in other venues and by 

other voices. The October 2004 listening session was an opportunity to provide feedback on 

the creation of the NGPO and input into future decisions about organizational structure, 

functional alignment, role and scope, partnership relationships, and future USGS products and 

services. Representatives of Federal agencies, NonGovernmental Organizations, State and 

local entities, academia, and the private sector were invited to submit prepared remarks and/or 

to make a statement to the NGPO Core Team, all of whom were present. 

 

Key Messages 

A review of the October 2004 listening session and other opportunities in which the NGPO 

leadership engaged stakeholders reveals several key messages: 

• Provide Leadership and Guidance. USGS and DOI leaders are urged to provide 

strong, positive, visible support for the NGPO. The lack of a national-level champion 

for unified geospatial efforts is viewed as an impediment to the success of this effort. 

• Expand the Stakeholder Base. The NGPO is urged to focus on building a stronger, 

broader constituency to include DOI leadership, OMB, authorization and 

appropriations committees, the private sector, and user groups that benefit from USGS 

geospatial products and programs. 

• Provide Incentives. Incentives for partnerships should be more than financial and 

should include being involved in setting priorities, establishing landscape personnel 

criteria and locations, and seeking stakeholders to be service providers and product 

distributors. 

• Support Problem-Solving. The USGS is urged to view the development and timely 

delivery of products and services as a problem to be solved rather than to view a map 

as an end product. The products support the evaluation, analysis, and fusion of data 

and information to meet customer needs. NGPO products and services must be useful 

to decisionmakers. 

• Develop a Communication Plan. The NGPO is challenged to develop a proactive 

communication plan that allows for personal interactions with both internal and 

46
external customers. All communication needs to be clear and consistent. 

The messages from the listening sessions cut across all the components of the NGPO and are 

additional drivers for its strategic direction. The NGPO has accepted the challenge of 

providing leadership and is working to define what is meant by “national capabilities” related 

to creating, managing, sharing, and coordinating geospatial information. In establishing the 

strategic priorities, we have relied on the resources, both internal and external to the USGS,

with the most accurate knowledge to identify and build these priorities. 

Our stakeholders support the NSDI and support building a structure of practices and relations 

that facilitates data sharing and usage. Our stakeholders want to understand the strategic 

priorities of the NGPO to align their respective priorities. Our stakeholders want the NGPO to 

be the national leader for geospatial information. 

Internal Engagement 

The creation of the NGPO has not been without a measure of upheaval and anxiety for the 

employees of the program components and for the broader USGS family. In a listening 

session with USGS employees in the fall of 2004, facilitated focus groups brought the 

following 10 recommendations to the NGPO leadership: 

• Explain the overall plan and timeframes of action and show how these will address the 

issues of reducing redundancy and creating efficiency 

• Describe and show how the NGPO mission aligns with the USGS and the NSDI 

missions 

• Compare goals of the NSDI Future Directions and priorities of the USGS with the 

NGPO goals 

• Develop a mentoring program within NGPO to capture talent and institutional wisdom

of those retiring and leaving 

• Develop a communications mechanism and a structure of outreach and liaison with 

USGS disciplines and programs

• Meet for dialogue with data providers when NGPO leaders are traveling in the field 

and regions 

• Clarify the geospatial assets of NGPO. Clearly articulate what is within its portfolio 

• Develop an NGPO image or identity so that employees know they are part of the 

NGPO family 

• Increase contact with employees. NGPO leaders must be committed to pushing 

information to employees and communicating as a way of daily business 

• Tell the stories of NGPO successes. Help employees know and share what is 

happening and gain a sense of pride in the NGPO 

 

The NGPO leadership takes to heart these messages from its employees and is committed to 

addressing their issues and concerns. Without the understanding and support of those who 

will carry out the strategic actions, the NGPO cannot succeed. As the new structure and 

internal governance of the NGPO is put in place, leaders and managers will ensure that 

employees are well informed and equipped to do their jobs. 

Study Teams—Collaborators in the Creation of the NGPO 

47
In early November 2004, the NGPO leadership commissioned a number of Study Teams to 

investigate key areas of national geospatial assets. A Core Team member was a sponsor of 

each of the teams. The Study Teams had an extremely tight timeframe in which to produce 

reports with recommendations to the NGPO. The contributions of the Study Teams in 

conducting their investigations, interviews, and deliberations have been invaluable to the 

NGPO leadership, and their reports were drawn upon heavily for this plan and will continue to 

be used as springboards for future actions. While the Study Teams will not continue in their 

existing incarnations, the NGPO will continue to seek their advice. 

The Study Teams, their charters, and leaders are described below. Each Study Team was

given a context that identified issues or concerns to be addressed and asked that their 

recommendations provide action plans for resolution. Some of the Study Team names track 

directly to Strategic Priorities in the plan for action; in other instances, the broad nature of the 

Study Team’s charter, such as Geospatial Technology Integration and a Unified NSDI Web 

Presence, encompassed all of the strategic priorities. 

Unified Geospatial Enterprise Architecture 

Core Team Sponsor: Ivan DeLoatch 

Leads: Timothy Haithcoat, Program Director, Geographic Resources Center, University of

Missouri-Columbia; Ryan Cast, Geospatial Information Officer, Office of the CIO, 

Department of Homeland Security; Kevin Gallagher, USGS Chief Technology Officer; Kevin 

Hope, USGS Enterprise Engineering 

Context 

• Enterprise Architecture for NSDI 

• Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) 

• Enterprise Architecture in Federal and State agencies

Charge 

Recommend an approach for unifying disparate geospatial architecture efforts,

aligning them with the FEA and accommodating the needs of the non-Federal 

community. 

Geospatial Technology Integration 

Core Team Sponsor: Hank Garie 

Leads: Leslie Cone, Project Manager for Land and Resources, Bureau of Land Management, 

DOI; Leslie Armstrong, Deputy, Federal Geographic Data Committee; Ken Boyko, Chief, 

USGS The National Map System Design Team

Context 

• Disparate, confusing systems 

• Customers need better service from systems 

• Redundant and duplicative systems are not economical 

Charge 

Develop a technical vision, a modernization blueprint, and a systems integration plan

for NGPO systems. 

Partnership Offices 

Core Team Sponsor: Stan Ponce 

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Leads: Dennis Gorham, State GIS Coordinator, State of Utah; Stan Ponce, USGS Senior 

Advisor for Partnerships and External Coordination; and Anne Frondorf, USGS Geospatial 

Information Office (Note: the existing NSGIC-NACO/The National Map partnerships team

was already in place and working on similar issues, and its membership and interests were 

brought into the Study Team. Those members, in addition to the leads identified are Dan 

Cavanaugh, USGS; Beth Duff, USGS on detail to the Office of the Secretary, DOI; Bonnie 

Gallahan, USGS; Matt Heller, National Geographic Society; Vicki Lukas, USGS; Cheryl 

Morris, USGS; Virginia Peterman, State of Maryland; Zsolt Nagy, State of North Carolina; 

Tom Sturm, USGS; Dick Vraga, USGS; Leslie Wollack, USGS; Mike Domaratz, USGS; and 

Leslie Armstrong, FGDC.) 

Context 

• Existing USGS Mapping Partnership Offices 

• Expanding expectations 

• Landscape is where things happen 

Charge 

Develop a plan for restructuring and rescoping USGS Mapping Partnership Offices 

and the mapping liaison function to represent the full portfolio of NGPO activities. 

Unified NSDI Web Presence 

Core Team Sponsor: Bob Pierce 

Leads: Karen Klima, USGS Enterprise Web Manager; Susan Fagan, Program Analyst for 

Policy, Communications, and Resource Management, U.S. EPA; and Alison Dishman, USGS 

Context 

• Current Web presence lacks coherence 

• Potential of the Web yet to be realized 

Charge 

Develop a plan to unify Web activities of the individual entities of the NGPO and 

create a unified Web presence. 

Measuring Geospatial Investments 

Core Team Sponsor: Mark DeMulder 

Leads: Brenda Smith, Geospatial Information Officer, U.S. EPA; Mike Domaratz, USGS; 

Kathy Covert, USGS; and Sal Majied, USGS 

Context 

• Recent questions and findings from the GAO, OMB, and so on. 

• Responsible to taxpayers and stakeholders 

Charge 

Develop a proposal for how the NGPO can assist OMB in measuring geospatial 

investments and developing an investment strategy for the Federal Government. 

USGS Geospatial Products and Services 

Core Team Sponsor: Mark DeMulder 

Leads: Tim Miller, USGS Chief, Office of Water Quality; Lorelei Weitzel, Acting Director, 

Texas Natural Resources Information System; and Kari Craun, USGS Chief, Mid-Continent 

Mapping Center 

Context 

49
• Proud history of products and services 

• Continued and changing demand 

• Managing customer expectations 

Charge 

Develop recommendations for a suite of 21st century geospatial products and services 

that USGS is uniquely positioned to offer. 

Other Stakeholders 

Others whose advice, criticism, and counsel were sought or thrust upon the NGPO are too 

many to list here. They include several reports from the National Academy of Sciences 

National Research Council, reports from the GAO, input from Congress, suggestions from the 

private sector, and comments from interested users from all walks of life. The NGPO leaders 

took the new message of the NGPO out on the road within weeks of the announcement of the 

creation of the office. There have been countless presentations and discussions with 

professional societies, trade and industry groups, State and Federal Government officials, 

nonprofit organizations, and private sector companies. The trade press has followed the 

development of the NGPO, and there have been frequent articles and interviews. This plan of 

action incorporates those voices as well, and the broad mission of the NGPO was developed to 

reflect a commitment to everyone who has a stake in the tapestry of place. 

Engagement for the Future 

Vigorous and continuous engagement with stakeholders inside and outside the USGS will be 

essential if the actions in this ambitious plan are to be successful. Each of the NGPO leaders 

has committed to keeping the lines of communication with stakeholders open and active. The 

calendar of opportunities at conferences, trade shows, and meetings in the months ahead is 

full. Planned town hall meetings and other opportunities to engage USGS employees are part 

of many of those venues as the leaders take the message of the NGPO out to stakeholders. 

The developing NGPO Web presence (http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo) will be a critical 

communication tool. The unified Web presence for the NSDI, in which the various 

components of the NGPO and of broader NSDI customers and partners will be brought 

together, will become the framework that leads to opportunities to explore geographic 

information services for activities, data, and people to use in mapping, managing, and 

understanding their world. 

50
Communications Strategy 

How will the NGPO inform its stakeholders? 

Communication is embedded as a key component of the success of each of the Strategic 

Priorities in the NGPO Plan for Action. To keep employees, stakeholders, partners, and 

customers involved in the implementation of the Plan and the overall success of the NGPO, it 

is critical to keep them informed through a wide range of communications activities. 

Background 

The communications strategy for the NGPO is the foundation from which annual plans for 

specific program components will be derived. The outward expression of the NGPO is critical 

to its successful transformation into a position of leadership for the Nation’s geospatial assets 

and the implementing agent for the NSDI; however, that transformation must also be 

embraced inside the organization. The employees of the NGPO, the USGS GIO, and others 

within the Bureau need to feel they are a part of the success of the enterprise. The NGPO 

communications strategy recognizes the importance of instilling a culture of involvement from

the inside of the organization outward to external audiences. A great deal of organizational

change has gone on within the USGS in the formation of the NGPO within a relatively short 

period of time. The dynamics and processes of that organizational change, and the needs and 

interests of employees, are being addressed in a comprehensive communications planning 

effort that is being cooperatively developed by communications practitioners in the NGPO 

and the USGS Office of Communications. 

Overall Strategy

Engage employees, key stakeholders, and partners in the success of the NGPO and in the 

implementation of the NSDI through effective communications in which they feel informed 

and, therefore, proactively involve themselves in supporting the purpose of “providing 

leadership to place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of the Nation.” 

Program Goals 

• Provide leadership and guidance for key stakeholders of national geospatial assets. 

• Implement key components of the NSDI. 

These are the two major components of the NGPO mission. The first focuses on leadership 

and the prominent role of partners and stakeholders in the success of the endeavor, and the 

second on the operational aspects and technical services to be provided that will ensure the 

implementation of the NSDI. A commitment to strategic communications at every 

opportunity and at every level of the NGPO and throughout the staff of the USGS wherever 

they are located will ensure these goals will be met. 

Communication Objectives 

• Create an expectation for action in implementation of the NSDI. 

51
• Engage and involve employees, partners, and stakeholders at all levels of government 

and in all communities of interest and practice as supporters of the NGPO and of 

NSDI implementation. 

• Demonstrate leadership of the NGPO for national geospatial assets. 

• Instill a partnership culture for successful implementation of the NSDI. 

• Enlist support of NGPO employees and other USGS staff as ambassadors and 

champions in the implementation of the NSDI and the success of the NGPO. 

Key Messages 

All stakeholders have a role to play in building the NSDI. 

• The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. All levels of government and all 

interested parties need to work together to communicate and collaborate to build the 

NSDI. 

• Build once; use many times. Complying with standards saves time, money, and staff 

resources. 

• Don’t reinvent the wheel—the geospatial data you need may already be available. 

Geospatial information gives decisionmakers the complete picture. 

• Here’s how it benefits the Nation... 

• Here’s how it benefits you... 

• Here’s how business and government use these data in their decisions to... 

o Locate new business, hospitals, schools, new communities 

o Respond to emergencies, natural hazards, and homeland security threats 

o Plan transportation routes and other critical infrastructure 

o Make the world a better and safer place

National geospatial programs and resources provide valuable information to meet local 

needs.

• Combining local data with national data aids decisionmaking. 

• Sharing geospatial information across boundaries helps improve delivery of services 

to customers and citizens, and reduces costs. 

• Being a part of the governance of national geospatial assets turns them into shared 

resources. 

The Power of Place is a shared asset of everyone, everywhere. 

• The ability to relate places with events is priceless. 

• Everything happens somewhere.

• Seeing is believing...the ability to visualize geospatial information makes it more real 

and accessible. 

• Geospatial data aid decisionmaking. 

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The system of systems is a roadmap of access and discovery for everyone. 

• A single look and feel and single portal of access to national geospatial assets will 

enable everyone to share in the investment. 

Target Audiences 

Because geospatial information is important to every sector of society, it is easy to say that all 

audiences are targets for NGPO communications; however, it is important to prioritize and 

define communication plans and activities to ensure that the messages reach the most critical 

audiences first. The broad reach of the NGPO and the message of the NSDI are captured

below. 

Internal Audiences—Employees of the NGPO, the GIO, other USGS disciplines, 

programs, regions, and field centers who are important players in the use of geospatial 

assets and who can champion the benefits of integrating geospatial assets for their 

individual programs and customer needs. Special note is made of the need to involve 

the USGS employees who are liaisons in the field in support of the NSDI, who have 

been reconstituted as NSDI Partnership Liaisons and who will need the tools and 

materials to tell the story of the NGPO and how the NSDI will be implemented. 

External Audiences—The Federal community, including DOI, other Federal 

agencies, Federal data stewards, and OMB; elected officials, authorizing and 

appropriating committees and staff, the Congressional Research Service, and GAO; 

nongovernmental organizations and nonprofit groups; the academic community and 

its associated organizations; State and local governments and community leaders; the 

private sector, not only in the geospatial realm but other sectors of business, industry, 

and commerce who use and need geospatial information; the news media, including 

daily press, trade publications, scholarly journals, and other communication vehicles 

of professional societies and commercial publishers; and community and citizen 

interest groups, as well as individual citizens. 

Communication Opportunities and Tactics 

The following communication opportunities and tactics represent some first steps that 

need to be taken. Successful tactics will become part of a communications toolkit of best 

practices for others to use. 

 

Introduce the NGPO as the leader and implementing force for the NSDI. 

• Enlist the support of NGPO employees and other USGS employees as champions 

for the unified portfolio of national geospatial assets and the implementation of 

the NSDI. 

• Provide communications training for employees who are on the front lines of 

telling the NGPO story. 

• Develop communication materials and toolkits to assist USGS internal champions 

in addressing external audiences. 

53
Provide general NGPO information to customers. 

• Bring the various and disparate audiences for The National Map, the FGDC, 

Geospatial One-Stop, the DOI Enterprise Geospatial Information Management 

activity, and other component programs into a unified body of support for the 

NGPO and its implementation of the NSDI. 

• Continue to engage in listening sessions and other opportunities to listen and learn 

from others. 

• Use partners and customers to validate new outreach and information products. 

• Reach out to new constituencies. 

Develop an annual calendar of opportunities for communications that includes 

all venues and all vehicles. 

• Develop a list of target constituencies to identify their communication vehicles

and venues. 

• Target one or more new venues (conference, trade show, publication) in FY 2005 

that reach a potential new constituency. 

• Institutionalize the calendar and the opportunities that it presents as the basis of 

annual development of a communications plan. 

• Leverage resources for outreach at conferences and trade shows by planning how 

program components will support a unified message and presence. 

• Institute communications planning and outreach opportunities as part of NGPO 

budget planning and resource allocation. 

Promote partnerships as an essential component of the NGPO and 

implementation of the NSDI. 

• Identify constituencies, audiences, and venues that build and nurture partnerships. 

• Engage USGS NSDI Partnership Liaisons in communicating the partnership message 

in their communities and States. 

Engage the media. 

• Develop contact lists for media, external newsletters, and trade publications. 

• Sponsor a kickoff trade media roundtable event. 

Engage elected officials and policy makers. 

• Sponsor a series of congressional briefings to introduce the NGPO and its programs. 

• Sponsor a National Geospatial Conference. 

• Participate in the USGS 2005 Congressional Briefing Series. 

Provide communications training and preparation for NGPO employees and, in 

particular, NSDI Partnership Liaisons. 

• Develop a toolkit of brochures, fact sheets, talking points, and other hands-on aids 

to prepare them to engage internal and external audiences as NGPO and NSDI 

champions. 

54
• Train Liaisons in basic communications techniques to help them deliver key 

messages, match messages and appropriate venues to target audiences, and handle 

interviews effectively. 

• Ensure Liaisons are part of communications planning, receive all messages 

quickly and consistently, and transmit messages appropriately suited to audiences 

and vehicles. 

Tailor information products to reach desired audiences and ensure 

understanding of the Nation’s geospatial assets as a unified portfolio under the 

leadership of the NGPO. 

• Develop a look and feel for NGPO information products. 

• Create a unified approach to establish brand-name recognition of the NGPO as the 

leader for the Nation’s geospatial assets. 

Use the Web as a primary means of communication and customer engagement. 

• Enhance the Web presence for the NGPO.

• Become the link of choice for the geospatial community. 

Repurpose and, where appropriate and affordable, redesign materials of 

component programs into a unified NGPO approach to outreach. 

• Organize a panel of internal and external participants to review existing products 

and materials; review for accuracy, effectiveness of messages; update as 

appropriate. 

• Design new products as needed for publications, fact sheets, promotional items, 

and exhibits. 

• Develop a budget and process for the development of outreach materials. 

Strategic Priorities and Communication Tactics 

As part of the development of the Strategic Priorities and Actions in the NGPO Plan for 

Action, communication tactics were outlined to provide a means to communicate with 

stakeholders, partners, and customers about each Priority. As Actions for each Priority take 

shape, these tactics will be refined, and others will be added. 

Geospatial Enterprise Architecture 

• Use the venues on the 2005 NGPO events calendar (under development) and other 

communication vehicles, such as Web pages and information products, to foster a 

climate of acceptance for a geospatial enterprise architecture. 

• Identify and coordinate educational, informational, and training resources specific to 

geospatial enterprise architecture. 

• Facilitate communications with other agencies and external partners about national 

issues, programs, policies, and budget initiatives relating to geospatial enterprise 

architecture. 

Governance Structure for the 21st Century

• Use upcoming events of interested parties and organizations to discuss needs of 

governance and problems that need resolution. 

55
• Maintain contact information database being created as part of the Future Directions 

work and use this for future interaction.

• Develop a targeted communication plan to promote its recommendations when the 

June 2005 report is released. 

• Provide briefings to key leaders on the governance recommendations. 

Incentive-Based Partnerships 

• Develop a partnership outreach strategy that highlights each new partnership, 

promotes “best practices,” and markets the suite of incentives available to partners. 

• Provide briefings and discussions at NSGIC midyear and annual conferences. 

• Meet with interested organizations to introduce them to NGPO leadership and staff

and establish contact and regular communications on progress of the incentive-based

partnerships. 

• Communicate regularly with constituent groups, highlighting NGPO activities of 

interest, contacts in each State, and ways to participate.

• Provide NSDI Partnership Liaisons with information on incentive-based partnerships 

to use in communicating with their existing partners and in identifying new, 

prospective partners. 

• Feature partnership activities in the unified NSDI Web presence. 

• Hold regular conference calls with NGPO and stakeholder staffs to discuss progress, 

identify pitfalls, and establish next steps. 

Tapestry of Base Content 

• Mark milestones as framework components of the tapestry are completed. 

• Use national conferences and other venues to show the strengthening and enriching of 

the tapestry—a continually enhanced exhibit that visibly becomes that tapestry of base 

content. 

• Showcase the tapestry of base content when it is completed in December 2006. 

Geospatial Information System of Systems 

• Develop a marketing plan to introduce and promote the system of systems concept. 

• Feature new stewards in various communication venues. 

• Promote the system of systems within USGS to highlight opportunities to integrate 

with other systems. 

National Geospatial Investments 

• Explore communication vehicles and venues of Federal partner venues to build trust. 

(Use caution to mitigate any concerns that investment approaches might affect their 

budgets.) 

• Build tactful and diplomatic relationship with OMB on the best approach to a national 

investment strategy. 

• Develop and foster an open communication culture and practice. NGPO will need to 

operate with an open book approach to its own investments if others are expected to 

follow suit. 

56
• Explore producing joint publications or other joint ventures with another Federal 

agency or agencies that would highlight the coordinated approach to a national 

investment strategy. 

Revitalized Suite of USGS Products and Services 

• Speak and act with pride about the products and services of the future. The USGS 

accomplished something that few can equal in completing the 1:24,000-scale 

topographic map series. 

• Recognize and champion shared ownership of the mapping future with customers and 

constituents.

• Promote access to map products, in the USGS role as the provider of products and 

services rather than the producer. Build on the brand recognition and heritage of 

USGS-produced products with new customers and services as the producers. 

57
Appendixes 

In addition, the report of the National Research Council of the National Academy of 

Sciences, “Weaving A National Map,” can be found at 

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10606.html

The reports of the NGPO-commissioned Study Teams have been posted as Microsoft 

Word documents on the following page: 

http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/ngponews.html

• Study Team Reports (Microsoft Word) 

o Unified Geospatial Enterprise Architecture (1328kb) 

o Geospatial Investments (895kb) 

o Unified NSDI Web Presence (34kb) 

o NSDI Partnerships Offices (598kb) 

o Products and Services (1061kb) 

o Geospatial Technology Integration (671kb) 

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