[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 5, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-16205]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 5, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 940680-4180]
RIN No. 0693-AB29

 

Proposed Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for 
Application Profile for the Government Information Locator Service 
(GILS)

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This proposed Federal Information Processing Standard 
describes an application profile for the Government Information Locator 
Service (GILS). This application profile is based primarily on the 
American National Standard for Information Retrieval Application 
Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Open Systems 
Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992), developed by the National 
Information Standards Organization. The Government Information Locator 
Service (GILS) is a decentralized collection of servers and associated 
information services that will be used by the public either directly or 
through intermediaries to find public information throughout the 
Federal government.
    Prior to the submission of this proposed FIPS to the Secretary of 
Commerce for review and approval, it is essential to assure that 
consideration is given to the needs and views of federal organizations, 
vendors, the public, and State and local governments. The purpose of 
this notice is to solicit such views.
    The proposed 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. Interested parties may obtain copies of the technical 
specifications for this proposed FIPS for Application Profile for the 
Government Information Locator Service (GILS) from Standards Processing 
Coordinator (ADP), Computer Systems Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Technology Building, Room B-64, Gaithersburg, 
MD 20899, telephone (301) 975-2816.

DATES: Comments on this proposed FIPS must be received on or before 
October 3, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed FIPS should be sent 
to: Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, ATTN: Proposed FIPS for 
GILS, Technology Building, Room B154, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
    Written comments received in response to this notice will be made 
part of the public record and will be made available for inspection and 
copying in the Central Reference and Records Inspection Facility, room 
6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street between Pennsylvania and 
Constitution Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Eliot Christian, U.S. Geological Survey, 802 National Center, 
Reston, VA 22092, telephone (703) 648-7245, fax (703) 648-7069, E-mail: 
[email protected].

    Dated: June 28, 1994.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.

Proposed Federal Information Processing Standards 
Publication____________

(date)

Announcing the Standard for Application Profile for the Government 
Information Locator Service (GILS)

    Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS) 
are issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
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. Application Profile for the Government 
Information Locator Service (GILS).
    2. Category of Standard. Software Standard, Information 
Interchange.
    3. Explanation. This standard describes an application profile for 
the Government Information Locator Service (GILS). This application 
profile is based primarily on the American National Standard for 
Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol 
Specification for Open Systems Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992), 
developed by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO). 
The Government Information Locator Service (GILS) is a decentralized 
collection of servers and associated information services that will be 
used by the public either directly or through intermediaries to find 
public information throughout the Federal government.
    This GILS Profile specifies the use of ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992 in 
information service applications and provides specifications for the 
overall GILS application, including the GILS Core and other aspect of a 
GILS server operating in the Internet environment. This GILS profile 
will enable GILS client systems to interconnect and to interoperate 
with any GILS server. This profile addresses intersystem interactions 
and information interchange for the GILS, but does not specify user 
interface requirements, the internal structure of databases that 
contain GILS Locator Records, or search engine functionality.
    GILS servers will support search and retrieval by accepting a 
search query and returning a result set or diagnostic messages. GILS 
servers may also support browsing by accepting a well-known search 
query and returning a list of Locator Records in brief display format.
    Some of the information resources pointed to by GILS Locator 
Records, as well as the GILS server itself, may be available 
electronically through other communications protocols including the 
common Internet protocols that facilitate electronic information 
transfer such as remote login (Telnet), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), 
and electronic mail. The use of SMTP and MIME protocols or other 
communications paths is outside the scope of the GILS Profile.
    The GILS Profile was developed by a group of industry and 
government experts in ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992 implementations, system 
implementations, and the organization of information. The 
specifications included in the GILS Profile reflect the consensus of 
this group based on its work and input from a range of stakeholders.
    4. Approving Authority. Secretary of Commerce.
    5. Maintenance Agency. U.S. Department of the Interior, United 
States Geological Survey (USGS).
    Questions concerning this standard are to be addressed to the 
Maintenance Agency: GILS Program, United States Geological Survey 
(USGS), 802 National Center, Reston, VA 22092. Users of this standard 
who need to be notified or changes that occur prior to the next 
publication of the standard should complete the Change Request Form 
provided in this publication and send it to: Standards Processing 
Coordinator (ADP), Computer Systems Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. The NIST will issue 
Change Notices on an as-needed basis.
    6. Related Documents.
    a. Federal Information Resources Management Regulations (FIRMR) 
subpart 201-20.303, Standards and subpart 201-39-1002, Federal 
Standards.
    b. Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 94-________, 
Establishment of Government Information Locator Service.
    c. American National Standard for Information Retrieval Application 
Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Open Systems 
Interconnection (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1992).
    d. A list of additional references for the Application Profile is 
contained in section 5, References, of the specifications.
    7. Objectives. The objectives of the Application Profile for the 
GILS are to:

--Enable users to identify, locate, and access or acquire publicly 
available Federal information resources, including electronic 
information resources.
--Provide a uniform approach to providing information locator services 
to the public.
--Enable every agency to establish standards-based network-accessible 
locator records.

    8. Applicability.
    a. This standard is recommended for use by Federal agencies in the 
development and establishment of information locators, i.e., 
information resources that identify other information resources, 
describe the information available in those resources, and provide 
assistance in how to obtain the information.
    b. This standard is required for use by Federal agencies in those 
information locators that are established and maintained as part of the 
Government Information Locator System (GILS) pursuant to the 
requirements of OMB Bulletin 94-________ and other applicable, law, 
regulation, and policy.
    c. The GILS Core requirements of this standard apply to those GILS 
locator records which:

--Describe information resources maintained by the Federal government;
--Comply with the defined GILS Core Elements;
--Are mutually accessible through interconnected electronic network 
facilities without charge to the direct user; and
--Are designated by the agency to be part of the Federal government 
GILS Core, pursuant to OMB Bulletin 94-________.

    9. Specifications. The Application Profile for the Government 
Information Locator System, (affixed).
    10. Implementation. The implementation of this standard involves 
three areas of consideration: development and acquisition of GILS 
implementations, validation, and interpretations of the standard.
    10.1  Development and Acquisition of GILS Implementations. This 
standard is effective ____________ (6 months after approval by the 
Secretary of Commerce).
    10.2  Validation. Validation of GILS implementations is not 
required at this time. Testing for conformance to this standard is at 
the discretion of the agency. Agencies may select the tests to be 
administered and the testing organizations that administer the tests.
    10.3  Interpretation of this standard. Resolution of questions 
regarding this standard will be provided by NIST. Questions concerning 
the content and specifications should be addressed to: Director, 
Computer Systems Laboratory, Attn: FIPS for GILS Interpretation, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, 
Telephone: (301) 975-2833.
    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 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 to 
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. 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 ________ (FIPSPUB ________), and title. Payment 
may be made by check, money order, or deposit account.

[FR Doc. 94-16205 Filed 7-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-LN-M