[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 111 (Friday, June 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14209]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 10, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 930521-4076]
RIN 0693-AB18

 

Approval of Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 
173-1, Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS)

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce that the Secretary 
of Commerce has approved a revised standard, which will be published as 
FIPS Publication 173-1, Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS). This 
revision adds Part 4, Topological Vector Profile (TVP) to the 
specifications adopted by the Spatial Data Transfer Standard and makes 
minor changes and clarifications to the Parts 1 and 3 of the SDTS.
    On July 26, 1993, notice was published in the Federal Register (58 
FR 39792) that a revision to Federal Information Processing Standard 
173, SDTS, was being proposed for Federal use.
    NIST reviewed written comments submitted by interested parties and 
other available material. On the basis of this review, NIST recommended 
that the Secretary approve the revised standard as a Federal 
Information Processing Standard (FIPS), and prepared a detailed 
justification document for the Secretary's review in support of that 
recommendation.
    The detailed justification document which was presented to the 
Secretary, and which includes an analysis of the written comments 
received, is part of the public record and is available for inspection 
and copying in the Department's Central Reference and Records 
Inspection Facility, Room 6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street 
between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW., Washingotn, DC 
20230.
    This FIPS contains two sections: (1) An announcement section, which 
provides information concerning the applicability, implementation, and 
maintenance of the standard; and (2) a specifications section, which 
deals with the technical requirements of the standard. Only the 
announcement section of the standard is provided in this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This revised standard becomes effective December 30, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may purchase copies of this revised 
standard, including the technical specifications section, from the 
National Technical Information Service (NTIS). Specific ordering 
information from NTIS for this standard is set out in the Where to 
Obtain Copies Section of the announcement section of the standard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Henry Tom, (301) 975-3271, Computer Systems Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

    Dated: June 6, 1994.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.

Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 173-1,

June 10, 1994.

    Announcing the Standard for Spatial Data Transfer Standard 
(SDTS).
    Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS 
PUBS) are issued by the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to 
Section 111(d) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services 
Act of 1949 as amended by the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public 
Law 100-235.
    1. Name of Standard. Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) (FIPS 
PUB 173-1).
    2. Category of Standard. Software Standard, Information 
Interchange.
    3. Explanation. This standard provides specifications for the 
organization and structure of digital spatial data transfer, 
definition of spatial features and attributes, data transfer 
encoding, and topological vector profile. The purpose of the 
standard is to promote and facilitate the transfer of digital 
spatial data between dissimilar computer systems.
    Work on a national spatial data transfer standard was initiated 
by the National Committee for Digital Cartographic Data Standards, 
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping in 1982 to develop a 
comprehensive set of data exchange standards for the profession. In 
1985, the Standards Working Group of the Federal Interagency 
Coordinating Committee on Digital Cartography also began work on 
spatial data exchange standards. During 1987, the results of these 
parallel efforts were merged by the Digital Cartographic Data 
Standards Task Force into the proposed Digital Cartographic Data 
Standard, published as a special issue of The American Cartographer 
in January 1988.
    Subsequent testing, modification, and refining of the 
specifications were done by the Spatial Data Transfer Standard 
Technical Review Board. These efforts resulted in the approval and 
issuance of the Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) as Federal 
Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 173 consisting of 
three parts: Part 1--Logical Specifications, Part 2--Spatial 
Features, Part 3--ISO 8211 Encoding. The revision of this standard 
adds Part 4, the Topological Vector Profile (TVP). The TVP is a 
limited subset of SDTS specifications for the transfer of vector 
data, it also specifies several changes and clarifications to Parts 
1 and 3 of SDTS. They are as follows:
    a. many-to-many and many-to-one relationships between spatial 
objects and attributes are permitted (Section 5.3);
    b. composite objects which do not contain component objects are 
permitted (Section 5.4);
    c. the Entity Authority and Attribute Authority subfields in the 
Data Dictionary/Schema module may contain a maximum of 8 characters; 
if Part 2 of the SDTS is the source of a definition the subfield 
shall contain ``SDTS-USA''; a provision for standard feature 
registers of other countries has been added (Section 5.12);
    d. the Attribute Authority subfield in the Data Dictionary/
Domain and Data Dictionary/Definition modules may have a maximum 
length of 8 characters (Sections 5.13 and 5.14);
    e. the External Spatial Reference subfield in the Conformance 
field in the Identification module shall have a null value meaning 
``undefined, not relevant'' when used in a transfer containing only 
a master data dictionary; it is acceptable to specify this by 
omitting this subfield (Section A.2.2);
    f. in the Point-Node module, the Attribute ID field is not 
mandatory for objects ``NE'' and ``NL'' (Section 5.5.4);
    g. in the Line module, Annex D allows the simultaneous use of 
both the Chain Component ID and Spatial Address subfields (Section 
D.6.2); and
    h. the ISO 8211 tag for the primary Field of the Arc module 
shall be ARCC (Section D.7.2).
    SDTS supports the transfer of vector data with geometry and 
topology, raster data, graphic representation modules, and geometry-
only vector data. The SDTS Topological Vector Profile supports only 
geographic vector data with geometry and topology.
    An SDTS application profile, not requiring the full 
functionality of SDTS, defines requirements for a specific type of 
data and/or application. A SDTS profile simplifies the 
implementation of SDTS while maximizing the probability of 
successful data interchanges between dissimilar computer systems.
    4. Approving Authority. Secretary of Commerce.
    5. Maintenance Agency. U.S. Department of Interior, United 
States Geological Survey (USGS), National Mapping Division.
    6. Related Documents. a. Federal Information Resources 
Management Regulations (FIRMR) subpart 201.20.303, Standards, and 
subpart 201.39.1002, Federal Standards.
    b. A list of references is contained in section 1.3 and Annex F 
of Part 1 of the specifications.
    7. Objectives. The objectives of the SDTS are to:

--provide a common mechanism for transferring digital spatial 
information between dissimilar computer systems, while preserving 
information meaning, and minimizing the need for information 
external to this standard;
--provide, for the purpose of transfer, a set of clearly specified 
spatial objects and relationships to represent real world spatial 
entities, and to specify the ancillary information necessary to 
accomplish the transfer;
--provide a transfer model that will facilitate the conversion of 
user-defined to standardized set of objects, relationships, and 
information.

    8. Applicability. a. This standard is intended for use in the 
acquisition and development of government applications and programs 
involving the transfer of digital spatial data between dissimilar 
computer systems.
    b. The use of the FIPS SDTS applies when the transfer of digital 
spatial data occurs or is likely to occur within and/or outside of 
the Federal government.
    c. The use of the FIPS SDTS does not apply to the transfer of 
digital spatial data files which are not intended to represent 
spatial entities as digital geographic or cartographic features.
    d. FIPS SDTS is not intended to facilitate product distribution 
of spatial data in a form designed for direct access by application 
software specific to a particular data structure, class of computer 
platform, or distribution media.
    e. Nonstandard features should be used only when the needed 
operation or function cannot be reasonably implemented with standard 
features alone. Although nonstandard features can be very useful, it 
should be recognized that the use of these or any other nonstandard 
elements may make the interchange of digital spatial data and future 
conversions more difficult and costly.
    f. Use of this standard or a FIPS approved SDTS application 
profile, such as the SDTS TVP, is required for Federal Government 
implementations of this standard. FIPS SDTS implementations not 
requiring full functionality are designated as application profiles. 
Application profiles, requiring all three parts of the FIPS SDTS, 
are limited subsets designed for use with a specific type of data 
and/or application. The SDTS Topological Vector Profile (TVP) is an 
application profile.
    9. Specifications. The FIPS SDTS, in four parts, provides 
specifications for the organization and structure of digital spatial 
data transfer, definition of spatial features and attributes, data 
transfer encoding, and Topological Vector Profile.
    Specifications of this FIPS have the following characteristics:
    a. ability to transfer vector, raster, grid and attribute data 
and other ancillary information;
    b. common set of terminology and definitions for spatial 
features;
    c. internal description of the data types, formats, and data 
structures such that the information items can be readily identified 
and processed in the recipient system; and
    d. media independence and extendibility to encompass new spatial 
information as needed.
    10. Implementation. The implementation of this standard involves 
three areas of consideration: acquisition of FIPS SDTS 
implementations, validation, and interpretations of the standard.
    10.1  Acquisition of FIPS SDTS Implementations. This revised 
standard becomes effective December 30, 1994.
    10.2  Validation. Conformance to FIPS SDTS is applicable whether 
implementations are developed internally, acquired as part of an 
automated data processing (ADP) procurement, acquired by separate 
procurement, used under an ADP leasing arrangement, or specified for 
use in contracts for programming services.
    Conformance criteria, based on application profiles, will be 
developed for use in validating the conformance of FIPS SDTS 
implementations. Validation of implementations for conformance to 
FIPS SDTS conformance criteria, policy, and procedures are under the 
authority of the FIPS program.
    10.3  Interpretation of FIPS SDTS. Resolution of questions 
regarding this standard will be provided by NIST. Questions 
concerning the content and specification should be addressed to: 
Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, ATTN: FIPS SDTS 
Interpretation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899, Telephone: (301) 975-3271.
    11. Waivers. Under certain exceptional circumstances, the heads 
of Federal departments and agencies may approve waivers to Federal 
Information Processing Standards (FIPS). The head of such agency may 
redelegate such authority only to a senior official designated 
pursuant to section 3506(b) of Title 44, U.S. Code. Waivers shall be 
granted only when:
    a. Compliance with a standard would adversely affect the 
accomplishment of the mission of an operator of a Federal computer 
system, or
    b. Cause a major adverse financial impact on the operator which 
is not offset by Governmentwide savings.
    Agency heads may act upon a written waiver request containing 
the information detailed above. Agency heads may also act without a 
written waiver request when they determine that conditions for 
meeting the standard cannot be met. Agency heads may approve waivers 
only by a written decision which explains the basis on which the 
agency head made the required finding(s). A copy of each such 
decision, with procurement sensitive or classified portions clearly 
identified, shall be sent to: National Institute of Standards and 
Technology; ATTN: FIPS Waiver Decisions, Technology Building, Room 
B-154, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
    In addition, notice of each waiver granted and each delegation 
of authority to approve waivers shall be sent promptly to the 
Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and shall be 
published promptly in the Federal Register.
    When the determination on a waiver applies to the procurement of 
equipment and/or services, a notice of the waiver determination must 
be published in the Commerce Business Daily as a part of the notice 
of solicitation for offers of an acquisition or, if the waiver 
determination is made after that notice is published, by amendment 
of such notice.
    A copy of the waiver, any supporting documents, the document 
approving the waiver and any supporting and accompanying documents, 
with such deletions as the agency is authorized and decides to make 
under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b), shall be part of the procurement 
documentation and retained by the agency.
    12. Where to Obtain Copies. Copies of this publication are for 
sale by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. (Sale of the included 
specifications document is by arrangement with the United States 
Geological Survey (USGS).) When ordering, refer to Federal 
Information Processing Standards Publication 173-1 (FIPSPUB173-1), 
and title. Payment may be made by check, money order, or deposit 
account.

[FR Doc. 94-14209 Filed 6-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-CN-M