u.s. department of agriculture egovernment program integrated egovernment reporting may 2004

U.S. Department of AgricultureeGovernment Program

Integrated eGovernment Reporting May 2004

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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program

Agenda

I. Introduction and Purpose

II. New Initiatives

III. Data Reconciliation Process

IV. IR Tool Demo

V. eAuthentication Assurance Level

VI. Contact Information

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What is the Integrated eGovernment Report?

The original three components of the Integrated eGovernment Report were a data spreadsheet, GPEA Compliance Project Plans, and Agency eGovernment Tactical Plans. These components are interwoven and reinforce the relationship between various information technology and eGovernment activities.

Agencies are encouraged to view the Integrated eGovernment Report as a set of tools for managing their eGovernment activities and for communicating information about eGovernment activities and priorities within an agency in a manner that will further develop a deep understanding across all staff of how different initiatives are related to one another.

The Integrated eGovernment Reporting process was launched in December 2002 as a way of promoting stronger integration among eGovernment and IT functions and streamlining the reporting requirements imposed on agencies.

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Background – Previous Reporting Approach

Agency GPEA Submissions

Information collected on a PRA transaction basisProvide expected date of compliance

Agency eGovernment Tactical Plans

Provide information on current agency eGovernment activitiesDescribe agency plans for supporting USDA eGovernment Strategic Plan

Current agency status and specific project plans for meeting GPEA mandates are not knownDo not provide information on a form by form basis

Agency eAuthentication

ReportingIdentifies GPEA transactions that require an eAuthentication solutionCreated enterprise-wide functional and technical requirements

Most plans do not include estimated budget data or schedules for completing initiatives Some plans do not link to priorities in Agency GPEA SubmissionsAgencies were not asked to prioritize proposed initiatives

Reports neither linked nor coordinated

Data collected so far do not provide sufficient detail to complete the Information Value Chain

Information Value Chain

Does not include agency eAuthentication requirements on a form-by-form basisDoes not address other agency eAuthentication needs

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eGovernment Tactical Plan - Information Value Chain

The information value chain is a key tool for enabling the transformation process.

By highlighting the integration of information and functions, agencies are able to achieve eGovernment principles and improve service delivery

Customer Program (Line of Business)

Product/Service

IT Investment

Information (OMB Approved Collection)

Forms

provides

Software Application/Information System

supportsfunds

electronically enabled by

collectedusing

as required by delivers

integrates with

Enterprise eAuthentication

Solution

Agency eGovernment Tactical Plans

Integrated Reporting Tool

Acquisition Review Process

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Current Integrated eGovernment Report

GPEAProject Plans


Information

Agency eGovernment Tactical Plan

Due Date: April 30th

Due Date: June 18th

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Who is Involved in Preparing the Integrated eGovernment Report?

GPEA Coordinators

Information Collection Coordinators

IT Portfolio Managers

Forms Managers

Records Officers

Business/Program Representatives

The eGovernment Working Group representative from each agency chairs an eGovernment Steering Committee comprised of individuals from a variety of functions. Input from many of these individuals is necessary to complete this report including:

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Agenda


II. New Initiatives


IV. IR Tool Demo



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Business Gateway Presidential Initiative

The Business Gateway (BG) Presidential Initiative is a government-wide effort to reduce the burden (financial and non-financial) associated with Federal information collection requirements and Government forms levied on citizens, businesses, and Government.

The Business Gateway is comprised of two components; 1) The Business Portal, which will be the single access point for all the Federal government services and information needed to start, run and grow a business and 2) the E-Forms Catalog, a single electronic forms management infrastructure across Federal government designed to reduce the regulatory paperwork burden.

Objectives of the initiative include:

- Improve GPEA compliance

- Reuse data and solutions to reduce redundancy and cost

- Cut across stovepipes and agency boundaries to improve customer service and Government efficiency

- Deliver high quality services and infrastructure to agencies to free them to focus on their core missions

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Agenda


II. New Initiatives


IV. IR Tool Demo



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What Actions Are Required to Complete the Reconciliation?

Agencies are required to maintain up-to-date information in the Integrated Reporting Tool on an ongoing basis. Due to changes resulting from the implementation of final eAuthentication guidance and improvements to the Integrated Reporting Tool, each agency is required to perform a data reconciliation process to verify that the information in the Integrated Reporting tool is accurate and reflects the information and intentions of each agency.

By June 18th 2004, at the close of the reconciliation process, each Agency Head will be required to certify through signature on a memorandum that the information in the Integrated Reporting tool is correct. This will include data related to:

1) eAuthentication assurance level requirements,

2) commitments to migrate to the USDA eAuthentication service, and

3) GPEA compliance plans.

The reconciliation process will not be considered completed until the Agency Head has certified through signature on a memorandum that the information and commitments in the Integrated eGovernment Report (the collection of information in the IR Tool and other documents) is complete and accurate.

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Data Reconciliation Process Steps

Completing the current Integrated eGovernment Report consists of several activities aimed at correcting and/or reconciling existing data and adding new information. The specific steps that each agency should address to accomplish to complete the report are described below.

1) Assess interactions in the IR Tool that are impacted by the final version of the OMB E-Authentication Guidance.

Final E-Authentication guidance was issued by OMB in December 2003. An analysis of the impact of this guidance on interactions in the tool for which an assurance level had already been assigned revealed that about 500 interactions in the IR Tool are impacted by the changes resulting from this guidance. A report of the affected interactions, if any, will be provided to the eGovernment Working Group representative and the GPEA Coordinator in a separate e-mail. As a general rule, the suggested assurance level of all 500 of these interactions would be decreased by 1 level if the new OMB Guidance is applied to the existing Impact Profile Assessment data. Each interaction listed for an agency should be reviewed and discussed with the appropriate program area so that a final decision on the assurance level can be made.

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Data Reconciliation Process Steps - Continued

2) Review interactions in the IR Tool that require an authentication assurance level 3 or 4.

These interactions should be carefully reviewed to see if mitigating controls allow their assurance level to be decreased to level 1 or 2. If a level 3 or 4 is required, then a written narrative justifying the agency’s business decision for this level of assurance must be developed. This narrative should be submitted to OCIO as an attachment to the Agency Head's certification memorandum.

3) Review interactions in the IR Tool that have no GPEA compliance date, or whose GPEA compliance date is beyond 2004.

These interactions should be carefully assessed to determine whether they are in fact practicable, and to work to implement a GPEA compliance plan. Compliance plans for all interactions with a GPEA compliance date beyond today’s date should be completed and submitted to OCIO as an attachment to the Agency Head's certification memorandum. The remaining list of "not practicable" interactions should be certified as accurate by your Agency Head.

NOTE: The CIO has committed USDA to 100% GPEA compliance by the end of FY 2004.

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Data Reconciliation Process - Continued

4) Evaluate interactions in the IR Tool that require electronic authentication but which do not have an assurance level OR an eAuthentication integration date.

All interactions which require electronic authentication should have an assurance level as well as a planned eAuthentication integration date. This includes interactions which presently use a different form of electronic authentication. Integration plans for all interactions with a planned eAuthentication date later than 2004 should be completed and submitted to OCIO as an attachment to the Agency Head's certification memorandum.

5) Validate URLs for all interactions that offer an electronic form or other electronic option (GPEA compliant capability).

Each interaction for which an electronic form or other electronic option for transacting business is available should provide an accurate URL. Where URL’s are already present, the link should be verified.

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Data Reconciliation Process - Continued

6) Review each interaction to complete new fields and update others.

Every interaction will need to be reviewed to complete data in several new fields. Additionally, because the new release of the IR Tool is more tightly integrated with the Enterprise Architecture repository and the WorkLenz tools, the universe of responses has changed for some existing fields. When a user modifies an interaction, they will be prompted to update some fields that previously had information.

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Agenda


II. New Initiatives


IV. IR Tool Demo



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The Integrated Reporting Tool stores and displays information about each USDA online and paper-based “interaction” between USDA and the public. This may be a form or a different form of information exchange.

Information captured about each interaction now includes:•Interaction Information•Forms Information•Business Information•IT Information and •eAuthentication Information

New features of the IR Tool include:•Data Integrity features (agency data may only be manipulated by agency personnel and eGovernment personnel•Improved usability•Adherence to the new USDA web presence style guidelines•Updates to the eAuthentication assurance level calculations in accordance with the finalized OMB E-Authentication Guidance

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Agenda


II. New Initiatives


IV. IR Tool Demo



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eAuthentication Assurance

OMB E-Authentication Guidance

OMB has released final guidance on how to assess the systems and interactions that require eAuthentication. Many interaction assessments that were completed previously in the Integrated Reporting Tool will result in a lower assurance level when following the new guidance.

Assurance level guidance is available through the OMB Guidance, but the decision of which assurance level to apply to an individual interaction is at the judgment of the business owner and the Agency decision maker. Information about mitigating controls that may reduce the required assurance level is available from the eGovernment eAuthentication team.

Assurance Level Calculator

The eAuthentication Assurance Level calculator is available to assist in applying the final OMB E-Authentication Guidance to interactions or applications. It is available for download from the IR Tool or from the eGov web site.

The questions in the Assurance Level calculator require a knowledge of the impact of an authentication error, and may be more easily answered after a risk assessment of the application or interaction which requires electronic authentication.

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Agenda


II. New Initiatives


IV. IR Tool Demo



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Integrated Reporting Tool Contact Information

Integrated eGovernment Reporting/GPEA Coordinator

Nancy Sternberg 202 720 6746

Acting Records Manager

Barbara LaCour 202 690 3318

Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator/Business Gateway Lead

Marty Mitchell 202 720-8109

eGovernment Program

eGovernment 202 720 6144

[email protected]

u.s. department of agriculture egovernment program integrated egovernment reporting may 2004

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