[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49968-49969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19458]


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

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Request for Comments on Draft Guidelines for Ensuring and 
Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility and Integrity of 
Disseminated Information

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In conformance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
guidelines (Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, 
Objectivity, Utility and Integrity of Information Disseminated by 
Federal Agencies Federal Register Volume 66, No.189 at 49718, updated 
in Volume 67, No. 36 at 8452), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
is seeking comments on OPM's draft Information Quality Guidelines. 
These draft guidelines are published on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov. These draft Information Quality Guidelines describe OPM's 
pre-dissemination information quality control procedures and an 
administrative mechanism for requests for correction of information 
publicly disseminated by OPM.

DATES: Comments are due on or before August 21, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in writing to: Chief Information Officer, 
1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20415-7900. Comments may also be 
sent by fax at (202-418-3251) or may be e-mailed to 
``[email protected].''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Huley, Assistant Chief 
Information Officer, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415-7900. 
Telephone 202-606-2150 or by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM's guidelines are drafted in accordance 
with Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, 
Utility and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies 
(hereafter, Governmentwide Guidelines) published by OMB in the Federal 
Register in Volume 66, No. 189 at 49718 on Friday, September 28, 2001, 
updated in Volume 67, No. 2 at 369 on Thursday, January 3, 2002, and 
corrected in Volume 67, No. 36 at 8452 on February 22, 2002. The OMB 
guidelines were issued pursuant to Section 515 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act for FY 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554), 
which directed OMB to issue Governmentwide guidelines providing 
guidance to Federal agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, 
objectivity, utility and integrity of information, including 
statistical information, disseminated by Federal agencies. In 
accordance with these provisions, each Federal agency is obligated to:
    1. Issue its own information quality guidelines ensuring and 
maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility and integrity of 
information, including statistical information, disseminated by the 
agency no later than October 1, 2002;
    2. Establish administrative mechanisms allowing affected persons to 
seek and obtain correction of information maintained and disseminated 
by the agency that does not comply with the agency or OMB guidelines; 
and
    3. Report annually to the Director, OMB, beginning January 1, 2004, 
the number and nature of complaints received by the agency regarding 
agency compliance with the OMB guidelines concerning the quality, 
objectivity, utility and integrity of information and how such 
complaints were resolved.
    Consistent with the Governmentwide Guidelines, OPM's draft 
guidelines rely on its existing practices, to the extent they are 
consistent with the recently published guidelines, while adopting a new 
administrative mechanism to satisfy the new procedural requirements. 
OPM's guidelines reflect its internal procedures for reviewing and 
substantiating information to maximize quality, including the 
objectivity, utility and integrity of information, before it is 
disseminated. The administrative mechanism allows affected persons to 
seek and obtain, where appropriate, correction of information 
disseminated by OPM that does not comply with the OPM guidelines or 
with the Governmentwide Guidelines. OPM's draft guidelines are 
available for review on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov.
    OPM now seeks public comments on the draft guidelines covering pre-
dissemination information quality control and an administrative 
mechanism for requests for correction of information publicly 
disseminated by OPM. The comments received by OPM will become a matter 
of public record. Revised OPM guidelines will be available on OPM's 
website. Notice of the availability of the final guidelines will be 
published in the Federal Register on or before October 1, 2002. OPM's 
guidelines may be revised periodically to address the needs of OPM and 
concerns expressed by the public.


[[Page 49969]]


Office of Personnel Management.
Kay Coles James,
Director.
[FR Doc. 02-19458 Filed 7-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-47-P