On behalf of the Categorization of Government Information
Working Group, I transmitted the attached document to the
Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI) as
draft recommendations pursuant to the E-Government Act of
2002. Section 207(d)(1) of that Act requires ICGI to submit
recommendations to the OMB Director by December 17, 2004 on:

  "the adoption of standards, which are open to the maximum
   extent feasible, to enable the organization and
   categorization of Government information in a way that
   is searchable electronically, including by searchable
   identifiers; and in ways that are interoperable across
   agencies";

and on:

  "the definition of categories of Government information
   which should be classified under the standards".

Participants in this discussion list may be especially
interested in Recommendation 8: Adopt the ISO 23950
international standard for interoperable search

  "It is recommended that the U.S. Federal Government
   adopt the ISO 23950 international standard to enhance
   interoperability among networked systems that aid in
   the discovery of and access to government information.
   This mature search and retrieval standard allows for
   traditional bibliographic catalogs to be integrated
   as appropriate with electronic information resources
   of many kinds and different formats. Although this
   recommendation does not require new law or policy,
   the role of GSA should be clarified as necessary
   to assure that future search technology procured
   by Federal agencies will be compliant with the
   ISO 23950 international standard. The oversight
   role of OMB under existing policy should also be
   updated to reflect the effects of the E-Government
   Act and other changes."

Details of Recommendation 8 are in two attachments:

   Attachment F. Interoperable Search Recommendation
                 - Summary of Comments Received
   Attachment G. Interoperable Search Recommendation
                 - as revised after public comment

I would be pleased to answer questions or refer you
to knowledgeable sources on this.

Eliot


Eliot Christian, USGS, 802 National Center, Reston VA 20192
cell: 571-212-8294  office: 703-648-7245  fax: 703-648-7112