[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17866-17868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8905]



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Part II





Department of Labor





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Management of U.S. Department of Labor Web Sites; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 70 / Friday, April 11, 2003 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

[Secretary's Order 2-2003]


Management of U.S. Department of Labor Web Sites

    1. Purpose. To establish policy and assign responsibilities for the 
management of Department of Labor (DOL) Internet and Intranet Web 
sites, and the content published on these Web sites.
    2. Authority and Relationship to Other Orders.
    a. Authority. This Order is issued pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 551 et 
seq.; 5 U.S.C. 301; sections 5122-5127 of the Clinger-Cohen Act (40 
U.S.C. 11312-17); and the E-Government Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-347).
    b. Relationship to Other Orders.
    (1) This Order does not affect the authorities and responsibilities 
assigned by any other Secretary's Order, unless otherwise expressly so 
provided in this or another Order.
    (2) This Order repeals Secretary's Order 2-2000, U.S. Department of 
Labor Internet Services.
    (3) This Order amends Paragraph 4(a)(10) of Secretary's Order 2-
2002, to the extent of any inconsistencies.
    (4) This Order amends Secretary's Order 37-65, to assign 
responsibilities to Office of Public Affairs for certain Web site 
functions.
    3. Background. The Department receives more than 550 million visits 
a year on its various Web sites and relies on its public Web sites to 
provide services to individuals, businesses, organizations, and other 
government entities. DOL also relies heavily on intranets to 
communicate internally with the Department's employees. The management 
of our Internet and Intranet Web sites will become more critical as the 
Department implements its e-government strategy and improves the 
electronic delivery of products and services to our internal and 
external customers. This Order is designed to ensure that the 
Department communicates its policies and programs more effectively and 
efficiently via our Internet and Intranet Web sites.
    4. Statement of Policy. The Department's ability to communicate and 
conduct business will continue to require the effective use and 
management of the Department's Web sites. To maximize the potential of 
our Web sites, while meeting customer expectations, the Department will 
employ common Web management standards and approaches for all DOL 
Internet and Intranet Web sites. To achieve these objectives, the 
Department will:
    a. Establish a Web Site Management Group that effectively leverages 
the programmatic content, legal, policy and information technology 
expertise throughout the Department;
    b. Ensure that the Department's Web sites present a common, unified 
message to the public and Departmental employees, while reflecting the 
Department's purpose and mission;
    c. Apply Web information technology standards across all DOL Web 
sites in accordance with the Federal and Departmental Enterprise 
Architectures;
    d. Ensure appropriately secure and confidential exchange of 
information via the Department's Web sites;
    e. Ensure appropriate review and approval of information prior to 
publication on Departmental Web sites;
    f. Ensure that Web site content is timely, accurate, and complete 
and managed in compliance with legislative and administrative mandates, 
including the Federal Records Act, Privacy Act, and Rehabilitation Act;
    g. Ensure that e-correspondence coming in via DOL Internet Web 
sites is tracked and answered in a timely fashion and preserved in 
accordance with the Federal Records Act to protect the legal rights of, 
and minimize the legal risks to, the Department;
    h. Ensure that all records of business transacted on DOL Web sites 
are managed in accordance with the Federal Records Act, Privacy Act, 
and other applicable legislative and administrative mandates and 
guidance;
    i. Ensure that Agency Heads are accountable for compliance with all 
Federal and Departmental mandates, policies, and legislative 
requirements; and
    j. Ensure that the Department conducts privacy impact assessments 
as required by the E-Government Act.
    5. Definitions.
    a. ``Information Technology'' refers to any equipment or 
interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the 
automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, 
control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of 
data or information by the executive agency. It also refers to 
computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar 
procedures, services (including support services), and related 
resources.
    b. ``Intranet Web sites'' refers to Departmental and Agency Web 
sites that provide general access for communicating to DOL employees.
    c. ``Internet Web sites'' refers to Departmental and Agency Web 
sites that are available to the general public.
    d. ``Departmental Web Site Information Technology Standards'' 
refers to the policies, processes, and procedures, defined by the 
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), to meet architectural, 
interoperability, and security goals that are within the guidelines of 
the Federal and Department Enterprise Architectures. Such guidance will 
establish Department-wide baselines and targets for managing and 
operating DOL Internet Web sites and Intranet Web sites, and related 
information technologies.
    6. Delegation of Authority and Assignment of Responsibilities.
    a. The Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA) is delegated 
authority and assigned responsibility for management of DOL Web sites 
as outlined below:
    (1) Appointing a DOL Web Sites Director to manage the Department's 
Internet Web sites and Intranet Web sites, including the DOL.GOV and 
Labornet Web sites;
    (2) Maintaining and operating the DOL.GOV and Labornet Web sites in 
accordance with DOL policies and procedures, including Departmental Web 
Site Information Technology Standards and design requirements;
    (3) Coordinating with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Policy (OASP), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and 
Management (OASAM), OCIO, and the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) in the 
development of policy, procedure and guidelines to ensure that DOL 
Internet Web site content and services are accurate, timely, and 
regularly updated; and aligned with the Department's mission and 
Secretarial goals;
    (2) Coordinating with DOL agencies, OASP, OASAM, OCIO, and SOL, to 
ensure that all information published on DOL Internet Web sites, all e-
correspondence coming into Web sites as well as responses, and all 
Federal Records Act, Privacy Act and other applicable legislative and 
administrative mandates and guidance to protect the legal rights of, 
and minimize the legal risks to, the Department;
    (5) Ensuring a common look and feel, navigation, and branding for 
all appropriate DOL Internet Web sites and Intranet Web sites by 
developing DOL design requirements;
    (6) Establishing and chairing a Web Site Management Group 
comprising designated Agency Internet Coordinators and designated 
policy-level representatives from OPA, OCIO,

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OASP and SOL, and other agencies or offices as appropriate for the 
purpose of implementing DOL-wide Internet and Intranet Web site 
policies consistent with other applicable Departmental review 
processes; and
    (7) Consistent with other applicable Departmental review processes, 
approving or disapproving, after consultations with the Web Site 
Management Group, the creation of all new Internet Web sites and 
Intranet Web sites, including new individual agency Internet Web Sites 
and Intranet Web sites.
    b. The Assistant Secretary for Policy (ASP) is delegated authority 
and assigned responsibility for:
    (1) Establishing, managing, and overseeing, in coordination with 
DOL agencies, OPA, OASAM, SOL and other relevant offices, the 
Departmental Internet Web site content clearance process and the 
Departmental Internet Web site content clearance requirements, which 
shall provide for:
    (a) Appropriate and timely approval or disapproval of content for 
policy consistency, prior to publication on all Departmental Internet 
Web sites; and
    (b) Appropriate coordination with SOL to ensure compliance with 
legislative and administrative mandates, including the Federal Records 
Act, Privacy Act, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
    (2) In coordination with DOL Agencies, OPA, OASAM, and SOL, 
establishing appropriate Department-wide policy for designing, 
developing, and overseeing implementation of an electronic 
correspondence tracking and reporting process to manage responses to 
electronic correspondence received via Internet Web sites. The process 
shall ensure that all information published on the Internet Web sites, 
all e-correspondence coming into the Internet Web sites as well as 
responses, and all records of business transacted in whole or in part 
via the Web sites are managed in accordance with the Federal Records 
Act, Privacy Act and other applicable legislative and administrative 
mandates and guidance to protect the legal rights of, and minimize the 
legal risks to, the Department.
    (3) Participating as a Vice-Chair of the Web Site Management Group.
    c. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is delegated authority and 
assigned responsibility for:
    (1) In consultation with SOL as appropriate, supporting, consistent 
with Secretary's Order 1-2000, all information technology aspects of 
DOL Internet Web sites and Intranet Web sites pursuant to the Clinger-
Cohen Act, E-Government Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, Section 508 of 
the Rehabilitation Act, Federal Information Security Management Act 
(FISMA) and other applicable statutory and administrative mandates;
    (2) In consultation with SOL as appropriate, set Departmental Web 
Site Information Technology Standards and technical policy for all 
Departmental Web sites, including standards to ensure compliance with 
the technical requirements of legislative and administrative mandates, 
such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;
    (5) Ensuring information technology resources are in alignment with 
the Department's capital planning and investment management program, in 
accordance with CIO statutory responsibilities, under the Clinger-Cohen 
Act, and E-Government Act.
    (6) Participating as a Vice-Chair of the Web Site Management Group; 
and
    (7)Coordinating and consulting, as appropriate, with other DOL 
agencies in fulfilling the above responsibilities.
    d. The Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (ASAM) 
is delegated authority and assigned responsibility for:
    (1) Ensuring, through the Department's budget review process, that 
agencies have appropriate plans and budgetary commitment to support the 
continuing development, implementation, operation, and expansion of DOL 
Web services.
    (2) Providing operational and maintenance support to OPA for the 
hardware and operating system used to run Internet Information 
Services, Internet Web sites, and Labornet, including network 
connectivity and backups.
    (3) In coordination with OASP, OPA, OCIO and SOL, ensuring that 
information published on Internet Web sites, e-correspondence coming in 
via Internet Web sites, and records of business transacted in whole or 
in part via Internet Web sites are managed in accordance with the 
Federal Records Act, Privacy Act and other applicable legislative and 
administrative mandates and guidance to protect the legal rights of, 
and minimize the legal risks to, the Department.
    e. The Solicitor of Labor (SOL) is delegated authority and assigned 
responsibility for:
    (1) Providing legal advice and counsel to the DOL agencies and 
offices on all matters arising in the administration of this Order;
    (2) Reviewing all Internet content for legal issues, in accordance 
with Departmental and Agency Web site content clearance processes and 
requirements; and
    (3) Participating as a Vice-Chair of the Web Site Management Group.
    f. DOL Agency Heads are delegated authority and assigned 
responsibility for developing, implementing, operating, and expanding 
their respective agency Internet services in accordance with this Order 
and DOL policy and standards. These responsibilities include the 
following:
    (1) Designating an agency Web site Coordinator at the policy level 
to serve as point of contact on any Internet Web site-related issue, 
and to serve as a member of the Web Site Management Group;
    (2) Ensuring compliance with all Federal and Departmental mandates, 
policies, and legislative requirements, including the Federal Records 
Act, Privacy Act, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, Clinger-
Cohen Act, and E-Government Act;
    (3) Overseeing and ensuring appropriate clearance of all Agency 
Internet Web site content for publication prior to providing the 
content to OPA;
    (4) Supporting and implementing Departmental Web Site Information 
Technology Standards and initiatives;
    (5) Developing, implementing and maintaining Agency Internet Web 
site content clearance processes, in consultation with SOL and OASP, 
which comport with Departmental review and clearance requirements;
    (6) Producing appropriate plans and budgets to support their 
Internet and Intranet Web sites in compliance with the Department's 
Capital Planning and Investment Control guidelines and the Enterprise 
Architecture;
    (7) Providing the resources and training necessary to develop, 
implement, operate, and expand individual agency Web site services;
    (8) Developing, implementing and maintaining Agency Internet and 
Intranet Web site design processes, which shall comport with the 
Departmental Internet and Intranet Web site design requirements and be 
properly integrated with general Department and agency design 
processes, as evidenced by review and approval by OPA and SOL;
    (9) Developing, implementing and maintaining Agency Internet Web 
site information technology practices, which shall accord, at a 
minimum, with the Departmental Internet Web Site Information Technology 
Standards, and be properly integrated with the Federal and Departmental 
Enterprise Architectures;
    (10) Ensuring that all information published on agency Web sites, 
all e-correspondence coming into the Web sites as well as responses, 
and all

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records of business transacted in whole or in part via DOL's Internet 
Web sites are managed in accordance with Federal Records Act, Privacy 
Act and other applicable legislative and administrative mandates and 
guidance;
    (11) Ensuring quality control and full compliance with all 
Departmental Internet and Intranet policies and processes;
    (12) Obtaining approval from OPA for all new Internet and Intranet 
Web sites before making the sites available to the public or employees;
    (13) Ensuring that all grandfathered Internet Web site content is 
cleared consistent with the requirements of this Order; and
    (14) Ensuring agency compliance with the Departmental Internet Web 
site content clearance process and requirements consistent with the 
requirements of this Order.
    7. Effective Date. This Order is effective immediately.
    8. Reservation of Authority:
    a. The submission of reports and recommendations to the President 
and Congress concerning the administration of statutory or 
administrative provisions is reserved to the Secretary of Labor.
    b. This Secretary's Order does not affect the authorities or 
responsibilities of the Office of Inspector General under the Inspector 
General Act of 1978, as amended, or under Secretary's Order 2-90 
(January 31, 1990).
    c. The Secretary retains all authorities delegated herein.
    9. Redelegations and Transfers of Authority:
    a. All of the authorities delegated herein may be redelegated.
    b. The Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs may transfer 
authorities set forth in paragraph 6a to other agency heads, as 
appropriate.
    10. Grandfather Clause:
    a. Existing Departmental and Agency Web site design requirements 
shall continue in effect until the new requirements authorized under 
this Order are established.
    b. Existing Departmental and Agency Web site information technology 
shall continue in effect until the new standards authorized under this 
Order are established.
    c. OPA shall ensure that all grandfathered Web sites comport with 
the Departmental Web Site design requirements authorized under this 
Order.
    d. OCIO shall ensure that all grandfathered Web sites interoperate 
with the Departmental Web Site Information Technology Standards 
authorized under this Order.
    e. The grandfather clause expires when new requirements and 
standards become effective.

    Dated: April 4, 2003.
Elaine L. Chao,
Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 03-8905 Filed 4-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P