[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46913-46923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11864]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

Office of Federal Procurement Policy


Acquisition Data Management

AGENCY: Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and 
Budget.

ACTION: Notice of final Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-
137, ``Strategic Management of Acquisition Data and Information''.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) is issuing a Circular entitled 
``Strategic Management of Acquisition Data and Information.'' This 
Circular will improve agency access to reliable data and information at 
the point of need throughout the acquisition lifecycle to ensure 
successful contracting outcomes without duplicating data, tools, or 
effort. The Circular establishes a centralized data management strategy 
to allow for the creation of more comprehensive knowledge and data 
banks, the development of standard data sharing processes, and improved 
access to tools and resources for acquisition-related decision-making 
in a Hi-Definition Intelligent Acquisition Data Environment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [email protected], Office 
of Federal Procurement Policy, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 
20006, at 202-881-9246.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Overview

    Across the Federal enterprise, there are tens of billions of 
acquisition data points residing in over 170 contract writing systems 
(including legacy systems) and over 15 payment processing platforms. 
Historically, much of this data has been collected and managed at the 
agency level. Agencies have used their resources to build tools within 
their agency, harnessing internal data and databases, but this has 
often led to duplicative tools and efforts and a lack of coordination 
across agencies. This approach has limited central capacity for 
analytics, insights, and efficiency gains outside of the System for 
Award Management and the Federal Procurement Data System, which 
generally provide aggregate data but very little pricing and best 
practices information.
    To address these challenges, OMB's new Circular establishes a 
centralized data management policy framework for the creation of a 
High-Definition Environment (HDE). Through the HDE, which is the 
technical architecture for the data, users will have access to the 
right data at the point of need through a single, central access point, 
better enabling them to buy as an organized entity. Creating the HDE is 
a critical component of the acquisition community's work to make 
purchases as an organized enterprise. The HDE will provide agencies 
with access to the breadth and depth of information needed to support 
the acquisition needs of the Federal Government--the largest and most 
sophisticated buyer in the world.
    Achieving the HDE will require greater transparency and 
collaboration in agency data systems planning and investment decisions. 
This is particularly true with respect to activities that would affect 
the Government's ability to achieve data interoperability for 
information that is critical or can otherwise significantly improve 
acquisition decision-making at

[[Page 46914]]

both the Government-wide and agency-wide level.
    To this end, the Circular: (1) establishes the principle that 
agencies should no longer view acquisition data as a singular agency 
asset, but rather an asset critical to supporting the missions of the 
Government at large, and should be prepared to collect and share the 
data accordingly; (2) defines agency roles and responsibilities; and 
(3) supports the design and development of solutions to drive data 
interoperability, allowing systems to connect and share acquisition 
data wherever they reside within the Federal Government without 
duplication.

B. Summary

The Circular

    Establishes a centralized data management policy framework, 
including a comprehensive data governance process. Outcome oriented 
data policy and governance serves as both a safeguard and an 
accelerator for data initiatives. OMB will facilitate the development 
of policies and practices to support the collection, sharing, and use 
of the data and a governance process to ensure appropriate 
representation and accountability for how datasets and data products 
are prioritized, managed, consumed, and secured in the HDE.
    Directs the establishment of the HDE. Agency data will be shared 
and accessed by Federal users through a coordinated, Government-wide 
solution for accessing and using acquisition data and developing and 
deploying innovative tools that better support the acquisition 
lifecycle. The HDE leverages a scalable technical architecture to 
store, access, utilize, share, and archive acquisition data without 
duplicating data, tools, or effort. The HDE will use existing agency 
investments in systems and data infrastructure to the maximum extent 
practicable.
    Requires agencies to prepare annual strategic plans. In accordance 
with guidance issued by OMB, agencies will report on steps to address 
general data management stewardship, government-wide priority 
initiatives and individualized acquisition data hurdles or 
responsibilities that may affect other agencies.
    Builds appropriate centralization. The Circular will support 
centralized standards, knowledge banks, and data-sharing tools using 
established and strengthened governance. Existing standards and 
processes will be updated, modernized, and enforced through greater 
transparency and interoperability. Data sharing tools will allow 
agencies to maintain existing systems but create the ability to pull 
data from the source where it resides for improved analytics and 
insights. Shared solutions will increase efficiency across all 
agencies, rather than within a single agency, when internal tools are 
developed.
    Promotes data-sharing technologies. The Circular prepares agencies 
for an interoperable future where all acquisition data can be accessed 
on-demand. Current data sharing efforts are being conducted through 
pilots on a voluntary basis to address challenges in interoperability. 
This Circular anticipates that agencies will begin exploring, planning 
for, and building application programming interfaces, Extract-Transfer-
Load processes, and other access points while working within the HDE 
governance structure to develop appropriate standards. It provides a 
mechanism to enable agencies to ask for further direction and resources 
in these endeavors from OMB and through the budget process. Increased 
collaboration among agencies will facilitate sharing knowledge and best 
practices.
    Requires data-sharing. Contract cost efficiencies increase, and 
wasteful cost variances between agencies decrease, when buyers are able 
to improve their negotiating posture with access to standardized 
transactional data that can give them insight into prices paid and 
favorable contract terms and conditions. Accordingly, with limited 
exceptions, agencies will be required to share their acquisition data--
such as prices paid and terms and conditions--on a phased basis as 
directed by OMB. This is to ensure an enterprise approach to the 
Federal acquisition function. Part of the challenge to increasing 
interoperability is the protection of data within each agency. Agencies 
must use appropriate protocols to prevent the unauthorized disclosure 
of data. Accordingly, templates for data-sharing agreements and 
memoranda of understanding (MOUs) will be developed to help facilitate 
acquisition data sharing. Standardized processes for data-sharing that 
explicitly emphasize data protection and security will decrease 
barriers to interoperability and greatly increase the speed of 
transfer, all while maintaining critical data protections.
    Facilitates other collaborative actions and workforce development 
with data management. Agencies will be expected to actively contribute 
to existing knowledge portals on innovative techniques and emerging 
technology and support expansion, implementation, and promotion of 
acquisition data management training and certification efforts for the 
acquisition workforce.

C. Public Comments

    In response to its November 17, 2023 notice inviting public comment 
on the proposed Circular, 88 FR 80339, OFPP received public comments 
from seven respondents, including from several coalitions representing 
industry interests. Copies of the public comments received are 
available for review at https://www.regulations.gov/document/OFPP-2023-0001-0001. A summary of the comments and OFPP's responses and changes 
adopted in the final Circular are described below.

Data Protection

    Respondents representing industry interests commented on the 
potential misuse of pre- and post-award pricing data about the scope of 
the user base. Specifically, concerns were raised about the potential 
accessibility of proprietary information by the public or by 
competitors, as well as the management of the data chain of command and 
the management of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
    To address these concerns, OFPP added language to section 2 of the 
Circular to clarify agency responsibilities for securing data shared 
within the Government and to make clear that any requests for release 
of information, such as through FOIA, will be handled in accordance 
with statutes, regulations, and protocols that address the release of 
contractor information to non-governmental sources. The Circular makes 
no changes to policies or practices governing the release of contractor 
data to the public.
    Furthermore, OFPP added additional language to define roles and 
responsibilities that address data security and data sharing. 
Specifically, OMB will work with the Hi-Def Managing Agency, which is 
identified as the General Services Administration (GSA), to support the 
creation of standard data sharing MOU templates that can be tailored on 
an agency-by-agency basis to document comprehensive data management and 
security protocols.
    The Circular now clearly defines that the role of the Hi-Def 
Managing Agency (GSA) includes comprehensive data security. GSA is 
tasked with coordinating with agencies to define an acceptable set of 
data security standards for the transfer, storage, and use of Hi-Def 
data through data sharing agreements and properly securing all agency 
data, based on established data security standards, once transmitted 
into the HDE.

[[Page 46915]]

    Finally, the Circular establishes that any Government-wide data 
products ``powered by'' data originating from the HDE are subject to an 
interagency governance process to ensure that the use of the data is 
aligned with law and policy.

Data Context

    OFPP received comments highlighting the complexity of pricing data, 
expressing concerns that if prices paid data are used without the 
relevant context to adjust for contract terms and conditions, supply 
chain fluctuations, and other time-bound factors, the usefulness of the 
data is jeopardized for forward decision making and market research.
    OFPP agrees. While the final Circular reflects the importance of 
context surrounding data, it is important to recognize that key 
elements of the contextualizing data, such as contract terms and 
conditions, are often stored separately in an unstructured, 
decentralized manner across the enterprise. The collection of this data 
is on the Hi-Def roadmap but full implementation will take time and 
coordination with the agencies.
    Through the annual planning process, agency stakeholders will have 
the opportunity to assess agency data sharing readiness and identify 
critical acquisition data needs. Agency responses will enable 
prioritized and orderly data collection efforts to fulfill these needs 
through small, scalable pilot efforts complete with assessments of the 
required data context. Data quality issues within existing datasets 
(for example, low quality data in the Unit of Measure field) will be 
addressed through both the governance and training processes.

Training and Workforce Development

    OFPP received a comment asserting that training of the acquisition 
workforce must be part of the implementation of the Circular and is 
critical to its success. A second, related comment noted that 
successfully implementing these initiatives will require significant 
``human-focused'' cultural and process changes within the Government's 
acquisition and related workforces.
    OFPP agrees. The final Circular establishes that OMB, in 
coordination with the Federal Acquisition Institute, agency working 
groups, and data experts, will launch a role-based Federal Acquisition 
Data Training Curriculum that addresses best practices and policies 
related to data sharing, data use, and the current landscape of 
Government-wide acquisition tools and resources. The Circular also 
notes that through the new curriculum and other applicable training 
paths, agencies are responsible for building data analysis and related 
skills as a core acquisition workforce capability.

Scope of the Circular

    OFPP received comments requesting that the Circular express a 
position on the impacts to procurement administrative lead time, 
challenges associated with sub-tier contractor and vendor data, the 
role of GSA in negotiating prices for GSA Schedules, and the data 
differences that will arise between best value and lowest price, 
technically acceptable contracts.
    The intention of the Circular is to establish the framework for 
data sharing to improve enterprise-wide contracting outcomes. Specific 
use cases may be defined and addressed through the Hi-Def planning 
process for government-wide, agency-wide, or targeted use, as needed.

Christine J. Harada,
Senior Advisor, Office of Federal Procurement Policy.
Circular No. A-137

To the Heads of Executive Departments and Establishments

Subject: Strategic Management of Acquisition Data and Information

1. Introduction

    The United States Government is the largest buyer of goods and 
services in the world. However, due to the decentralized nature of 
Federal acquisition processes and systems, the acquisition workforce is 
not able to fully utilize the volume of data collected across the 
Federal enterprise for more informed procurements, resulting in time 
and cost burdens on both the workforce and industry.
    To address this issue, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
seeks to promote Hi-Definition (Hi-Def) acquisitions where agencies are 
able to acquire supplies or services using relevant acquisition data 
that is easily accessed and available when it is needed. Government-
wide acquisition initiatives such as Category Management have 
established that there is significant commonality in the goods and 
services procured across the enterprise. It follows that the strategy 
to collect, share, and use procurement data should also extend beyond 
agency-specific strategies and systems.
    Agencies should no longer view acquisition data as a singular 
agency asset, but rather as an asset that is critical to support the 
mission of the Government. As such, agencies should be prepared to 
collect and share the data accordingly.\1\
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    \1\ For purposes of this Circular, ``agency'' is defined as in 
41 U.S.C. 133.
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    Important work is already underway in this area through key data 
modernization efforts resulting from OMB Circular A-130,\2\ The 
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018,\3\ and the 
Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary Government Data Act.\4\ However, 
these efforts address agency-specific data requirements and do not 
speak to making data available centrally across the entire Government. 
This Circular aims to address that gap by establishing a centralized 
data management policy framework to promote acquisition data 
interoperability, data sharing between agencies, and enterprise-wide 
data analytics; and a Hi-Def Environment (HDE) for Federal users to 
enable access to critical data, tools, and resources for acquisition-
related decision-making.
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    \2\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the President, 
Circular No. A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource 
(July 28, 2016), https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/OMB/circulars/a130/a130revised.pdf.
    \3\ Public Law 115-435, https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4174/text.
    \4\ Public Law 115-435, title II, https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4174/text.
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2. Purpose

    Using relevant acquisition data as a strategic asset throughout the 
acquisition lifecycle facilitates successful contracting outcomes. The 
Federal Government has taken significant steps to improve the 
collection and use of data related to contracting transactions, 
including amounts obligated, information about how contracts are 
awarded, and the identity of the awardees.
    However, other important acquisition-related data and information 
are not being shared Government-wide. For example, contract line item 
(CLIN) pricing information \5\ may be kept in agency-specific contract 
writing systems, in one or more payment platforms, or in internal or 
external databases that are not easily accessible. All stakeholders 
from across the Federal Government may not have access to key 
information for contract planning, negotiations, and other critical 
contract management functions. Most commonly, the information resides 
in

[[Page 46916]]

disparate agency systems or includes non-standardized data elements and 
definitions that impedes interoperability across agencies. In many 
cases, agencies have agreed to terms and conditions with their 
contractors or shared service providers that prohibit the sharing of 
their acquisition data with other Government agencies, even though the 
data or information is not classified or proprietary and sharing would 
not otherwise be prohibited by law.
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    \5\ The term ``line item pricing'' as used in this Circular 
broadly covers the price the Government pays for a commodity or 
service. Under the current systems landscape, pricing at this level 
can be complex (e.g., pricing conditions that roll up to a line item 
price, line item discounts, and premiums).
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    To address these issues and the broader landscape of acquisition 
data management, OMB is creating a Hi-Def centralized data management 
policy framework to promote data interoperability, the sharing of 
acquisition data between agencies, and enterprise-wide data analysis. 
This framework will be supported and enabled by the HDE, the technical 
architecture used to consume and make acquisition data collected across 
the Federal enterprise accessible in a secure and scalable solution. 
The HDE will:
     serve as a centralized access point and aggregator of 
acquisition data;
     provide Federal users with a secure entry point to access 
acquisition data collected by disparate systems and processes across 
the enterprise; and
     leverage existing architectures, agency offerings, and 
established governance bodies and processes to the greatest extent 
possible to avoid duplicative efforts.
    Data ingested into the HDE will be phased based on agency data 
sharing readiness, Hi-Def targeted outcomes, and Government-wide data 
use cases prioritized through the data governance process.\6\
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    \6\ The Comprehensive Hi-Def Data Governance Plan will be 
established within one year of this Circular and is further detailed 
in Sec.  7.b.
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    The data collected and used through the HDE will allow stakeholders 
\7\ to understand acquisition community needs, opportunities for data 
and process improvement, and future program and policy requirements 
through interagency governance structures including existing 
committees, such as the Procurement Committee for E-Government and 
other working groups. The data collected through the HDE is intended 
for internal Federal use only and will be secured and used in 
accordance with law. Any requests for release of information to non-
governmental sources will be managed in accordance with applicable laws 
and regulations.
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    \7\ Hi-Def Stakeholders are further described in Appendix G.
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3. Policy

    Agencies should regard acquisition data as a Government asset, and 
should utilize acquisition data management practices that promote 
collection, interoperability, scalability, sharing, and usability 
across the Government.\8\ These practices should make acquisition data 
easily accessible when it is needed to inform decision-making 
throughout the acquisition lifecycle. Agencies should begin to 
establish the infrastructure and relevant policies needed to collect 
and share data into the HDE, and identify appropriate security and 
privacy controls to ensure agency data is protected from misuse in a 
common environment.
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    \8\ Acquisition Data Management best practices will be posted 
and updated on the Hi-Def website at The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    a. Data Collection--agencies shall identify opportunities to 
improve the collection and sharing of both structured and unstructured 
acquisition data, including but not limited to prices paid data, 
contract files, CLIN data, terms and conditions, sub-contracting plans, 
survey data, purchase card data, and other relevant data sources as 
identified by OMB.\9\
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    \9\ Further guidance on targeted datasets and the required 
context will be issued by OMB on a phased basis, based on responses 
to the Agency Baseline Assessment outlined in Sec.  7.a and the Hi-
Def annual planning process outlined in Sec.  4a.i and Sec.  4.b.i.
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    b. Data Sharing--agencies shall:
    i. Continually facilitate adoption of new and emerging technologies 
to support the ability for cross-agency data sharing, including but not 
limited to the use of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), data 
exchange platforms, and Extract-Transfer-Load tools;
    ii. Identify and take steps to update agency-specific policies or 
operational practices, as necessary, to remove any prohibitions or 
limitations on the collection and sharing of acquisition data within 
and among agencies in the Federal Government, consistent with 
applicable law;
    iii. Include clauses, as appropriate and consistent with applicable 
law, in new contracts to inform contractors that acquisition data 
included or generated in connection with the contract by either the 
Government or the contractor may be shared within and among agencies of 
the Federal Government;
    iv. Review and maintain protocols to protect against the 
unauthorized release of data; and
    v. Identify and mitigate data sharing risks as outlined in Sec.  
3.c.
    c. Data Risk Management--agencies shall:
    i. Consistent with OMB Circular A-130,\10\ identify and mitigate, 
either internally or in coordination with OMB, information security, 
privacy, records management, and supply chain security issues for data 
sharing activities throughout the acquisition data lifecycles so that 
risks are appropriately identified and mitigated;
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    \10\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the 
President, Circular No. A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic 
Resource, Appendix I Sec. Sec.  3, 4.
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    ii. To the maximum extent possible, align acquisition data sets 
with data security standards, which shall be determined by the Hi-Def 
Managing Agency \11\ and the Hi-Def Governance Plan; \12\
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    \11\ As defined in Sec.  4.c.
    \12\ As defined in Sec.  7.b.
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    iii. Regularly review and address risk regarding acquisition 
processes, people, and technology; and
    iv. Practice and share data management best practices relevant to 
acquisition data.
    d. Leadership and Workforce--agencies shall:
    i. Ensure that the acquisition workforce has appropriate knowledge 
and skills to facilitate the data lifecycle, including best practices 
for acquisition data entry and maintenance;
    ii. As aligned with OMB Circular A-130,\13\ implement innovative 
approaches and track workforce development training, including cross-
functional training, rotational development and assignments, and other 
Federal and private sector training opportunities to maintain and 
enhance data literacy and data skills; and
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    \13\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the 
President, OMB Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic 
Resource Sec.  5(c)(3).
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    iii. Promote the use of the HDE and associated tools to meet agency 
data requirements, as they become operational.
    4. Responsibilities: This policy will be implemented in accordance 
with the following responsibilities.
    a. OMB: With the support of the Government-wide governance 
structures identified in Appendix B, OMB will:
    i. Provide direction to agencies for an annual strategic plan to 
prioritize acquisition data management activities. OMB will provide 
direction to agencies for the creation of an Annual Acquisition Data 
Strategic Hi-Def Plan (Hi-Def Plan) that addresses the agency's 
acquisition data resources and infrastructure and the status of the 
agency's activities to implement Government-wide and agency-specific 
priorities.
    ii. Facilitate the development of a comprehensive Hi-Def data 
governance

[[Page 46917]]

plan. OMB will work with agency stakeholders to develop a governance 
process to ensure appropriate representation and accountability for how 
datasets and data products are prioritized, managed, consumed, and 
secured in the HDE.
    iii. Facilitate the development of standards, in coordination with 
appropriate data governance structures, to support transactional 
pricing data or any other acquisition activity requiring 
standardization. OMB will identify minimum transactional pricing data 
elements (e.g., CLIN standards) for collection and transmission that 
would minimize agency burden while providing insight at a Government-
wide level. OMB will consider the commonalities identified from the 
initial data assessment, outlined in Section 7, performed by agencies 
as a basis for standardization.
    iv. Require appropriate information sharing and collaboration. OMB 
will collaborate with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council on any 
appropriate regulatory amendments to support sharing of acquisition 
data within and among agencies with proper data security. OMB will also 
work with individual governance groups identified in Appendix B and 
agencies to prioritize information sharing needs and capabilities and 
to develop appropriate templates, and guidance to support scalability.
    v. Prioritize data collection efforts and targeted data sets based 
on targeted outcomes. Given the wide range of data required to support 
the acquisition process, OMB will leverage the Hi-Def data governance 
process to collaborate with agency stakeholders, Hi-Def data domain 
stewards, the Hi-Def Managing Agency, and the government-wide Category 
Managers to establish prioritized outcomes and the agency datasets 
required to support outcome implementation.
    vi. Establish a Federal acquisition data training curriculum. OMB, 
in coordination with the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), agency 
working groups and data experts, will establish a role-based Federal 
acquisition data training curriculum that addresses best practices and 
policies related to data sharing, data use, and the current landscape 
of Government-wide acquisition tools and resources.
    vii. Support the development of standard data-sharing agreements 
for Hi-Def purposes. OMB will facilitate the development of memorandum-
of-understanding (MOU) templates that agencies can use to expedite data 
sharing into the HDE in coordination with the Hi-Def Managing Agency, 
the Hi-Def Executive Steering Committee and, on an as needed basis, the 
Senior Agency Officials for Privacy,\14\ and agency general counsels. 
MOUs can be customized on an as-needed basis; standard data elements 
can be found in Appendix F.
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    \14\ As defined in Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of 
the President, Circular No. A-130, Managing Information as a 
Strategic Resource Sec.  5(f).
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    b. Agencies: Agencies are responsible for taking the following 
actions in furtherance of the acquisition data management policies 
established by this Circular:
    i. Develop an annual strategic Hi-Def plan to prioritize and 
resource their acquisition data management activities, consistent with 
direction from OMB. Starting one year after the initial baseline 
assessment \15\ agencies shall annually evaluate and document results 
of assessments along with any new agency policies, processes, and tools 
in an annual Hi-Def Plan, as outlined in Appendix E, using the template 
provided \16\ to support agency budget planning and investment 
discussions.
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    \15\ As defined in Sec.  7.a.
    \16\ A template will be provided on a yearly basis and found on 
the Hi-Def website at The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    ii. Integrate best business practices into agency data strategy for 
the generation, collection, use, sharing, and improvement of data. 
Agencies should utilize the Federal Integrated Business Framework \17\ 
in developing their annual Hi-Def Plan and share best business 
practices with the General Services Administration (GSA), which will 
make the information publicly available and easily accessible.
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    \17\ Mission Support Business Standards, https://ussm.gsa.gov/fibf/.
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    iii. Collect data centrally and be prepared, upon OMB's request, to 
share their acquisition data into the HDE, including the relevant 
context and security protocols required, on an agreed upon cadence.\18\ 
Centralized data collection within the agency is critical to the 
agency's ability to readily share their acquisition data Government-
wide, as well as the terms and conditions that provide critical context 
to making use of data. Agencies that are responsible for collecting 
agency data must use appropriate protocols to prevent the unauthorized 
disclosure of data. Agencies shall not agree to terms and conditions 
with their contractors or shared service providers that prohibit the 
sharing of their acquisition data with other Federal agencies, except 
where sharing is prohibited by law, where the contract identifies the 
data or information is classified, or where the agency makes a 
determination approved by the agency senior procurement executive 
(without delegation) after consultation with the Administrator for 
Federal Procurement Policy of a compelling business interest to 
restrict sharing.
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    \18\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the 
President, Memorandum M-19-13, Category Management: Making Smarter 
Use of Common Contract Solutions and Practices (Mar. 20, 2019), 
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/M-19-13.pdf.
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    iv. Actively contribute to existing knowledge portals on innovative 
techniques and emerging technology. Agencies shall actively collect and 
share information and data about their innovative activities through 
organized means, including but not limited to the Inventory of Emerging 
Technologies, the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations, and future 
knowledge management tools in the HDE, that contribute to the 
collective advancement of a more effective acquisition system.
    v. Appoint an accountable official responsible for Hi-Def 
activities. This individual will be the primary point of contact for 
coordinating with OMB and the Hi-Def Managing Agency on functions that 
include (but are not limited to): use case identification, dataset 
prioritization, submission of the baseline assessment and annual Hi-Def 
plans, and sharing Hi-Def updates with agency stakeholders.
    vi. Support expansion, implementation, and promotion of acquisition 
data management training and certification efforts for the acquisition 
workforce. Agencies shall work with OMB and FAI to build data analysis 
and related skills as a core acquisition workforce capability. Agencies 
shall promote and monitor workforce participation in the OMB Federal 
Acquisition Data Literacy training curriculum, once available. Agencies 
shall take steps to ensure members of the workforce with 
responsibilities for managing common spending are trained in using 
relevant Government-wide data and tools, as they become available 
through the Hi-Def initiative.
    vii. Generate quality data consistent with procurement policy, 
standards for business processes, data, and interoperability. This 
includes using independent verification and validation (V&V) processes 
and acquisition data dictionaries maintained through the Integrated 
Award Environment (IAE), as well as the other agency responsibilities 
outlined in Appendix D.
    c. Hi-Def Environment Managing Agency: As aligned with GSA's 
mission

[[Page 46918]]

to deliver comprehensive products and services to the Government at the 
best value possible, GSA will serve as the Managing Agency for the HDE. 
With oversight from the multi-agency HDE Executive Steering Committee 
and other governing bodies as identified in Appendix B, GSA is 
responsible for:
    i. Managing the technical architecture and planned capabilities for 
the HDE;
    ii. Maintaining a sustainable support function to address the 
program management elements described in this Circular;
    iii. Coordinating with agencies to define an acceptable set of data 
security standards for the transfer, storage, and use of Hi-Def data 
through data sharing agreements;
    iv. Properly securing all agency data, based on established data 
security standards, once transmitted into the HDE; and
    v. Monitoring use and adoption for the HDE.
    d. Electronic Invoicing Providers: Electronic Invoicing Providers 
are responsible for providing electronic interfaces. Agencies shall 
ensure compliance with OMB Memorandum M-15-19 \19\ and successor 
policies, directing all Federal Shared Service Providers and other 
electronic invoice solution providers to integrate with the Integrated 
Award Environment and develop electronic interfaces.
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    \19\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the 
President, Memorandum M-15-19, Improving Government Efficiency and 
Saving Taxpayer Dollars Through Electronic Invoicing (July 17, 
2015), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/legacy_drupal_files/omb/memoranda/2015/m-15-19.pdf.
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    5. Authorities: OMB issues this Circular pursuant to the Office of 
Federal Procurement Policy Act (as amended, codified at 41 U.S.C. 101-
4714); the Clinger-Cohen Act, also known as ``Information Technology 
Management Reform Act of 1996'' (as amended, codified at 40 U.S.C. 
11101-11704); and 31 U.S.C. ch. 5.
    6. Effective Date, Applicability, and Scope: The Circular is 
effective upon publication. The policies in this Circular apply to all 
Federal agencies and shall only be used for unclassified data.
    7. Transition: The following phase-in actions shall be taken to 
help agencies prepare for the responsibilities enumerated in Section 3.
    a. Within one year of the effective date of this Circular, agencies 
shall perform an initial one-time baseline assessment of their 
acquisition data management capabilities based on a template provided 
by OMB. The assessment shall focus, at a minimum, on acquisition data 
principles, reduction of duplicative efforts, data sharing 
capabilities, and actions to exchange innovative practices and 
solutions. Agencies shall complete and submit an assessment of and a 
roadmap for acquisition data systems, structures, and elements 
involving invoicing, contract writing systems, and transactional 
pricing data. The results of this initial assessment may be used to 
inform future Hi-Def plans and will cover:
    i. Identification of the agency's accountable official responsible 
for Hi-Def activities;
    ii. Analysis of the current collection of transactional pricing 
data (i.e., contract line-item data) including existing systems, 
analytical capabilities, reporting requirements, and, if not currently 
being collected by a vendor, agency level of effort and required 
resources if changes are needed to collect that data;
    iii. Acquisition data domains that are defined and managed within 
the agency enterprise;
    iv. Adherence to the existing Federal G-Invoicing Standards; \20\
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    \20\ Bureau of the Fiscal Service, G-Invoicing, Resources, 
https://fiscal.treasury.gov/g-invoice/resources.html#standards.
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    v. The extent of unstructured acquisition data in contract writing 
systems that are not in a machine-readable format and would be unable 
to be transmitted via API (e.g., ``flat'' file PDFs, contract clauses, 
or additional scanned items that are not machine readable), with a 
focus on data that cannot easily be transformed to be machine readable. 
For example, line item pricing information may be kept in agency-
specific contract writing systems, in one or more payment platforms, or 
in internal or external databases that are not easily accessible; and
    vi. Existing and planned capabilities to share data centrally 
within the agency and to share data with other agencies.
    b. Within one year of this Circular, OMB shall establish a 
comprehensive, outcome-driven Hi-Def Data Governance Plan to ensure 
that data stored and shared through the HDE is responsibly and securely 
managed and consumed. The Hi-Def Data Governance Plan shall be updated 
at regular intervals and posted to the Hi-Def website.\21\
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    \21\ The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    c. Within two years of the effective date of this Circular, the 
Department of Defense and FAI, in coordination with OMB and GSA, will 
create an outline for the Federal Acquisition Data Literacy training 
curriculum.
8. Attachments
a. Appendix A--Definitions
b. Appendix B--Governance
c. Appendix C--Examples of Hi-Def Applications
d. Appendix D--Assuring Uniform Implementation and Data Integrity
e. Appendix E--Agency Planning
f. Appendix F--Sample Elements for Data Sharing Agreements
g. Appendix G--Hi-Def Stakeholders

Appendix A. Definitions

    Acquisition--as defined in FAR 2.101,\22\ acquisition is the 
acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or 
services (including construction) by and for the use of the Federal 
Government through purchase or lease, whether the supplies or 
services are already in existence or must be created, developed, 
demonstrated, and evaluated. Acquisition begins at the point when 
agency needs are established and includes the description of 
requirements to satisfy agency needs, solicitation and selection of 
sources, award of contracts, contract financing, contract 
performance, contract administration, and those technical and 
management functions directly related to the process of fulfilling 
agency needs by contract. For the purposes of this Circular, 
acquisition and procurement are used interchangeably.
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    \22\ 48 CFR 2.101.
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    Acquisition data--data or information that a contracting 
official, program official, or other member of the integrated 
product team would use during the acquisition lifecycle as part of 
their stewardship responsibility to obtain the best value for the 
Federal Government, such as, but not limited to, market research, 
contract documents such as statements of work, performance work 
statements, and statements of objective, terms, conditions, rates, 
and prices paid for commodities or services.
    Acquisition data sharing agreement--a document that creates an 
understanding between two or more agencies on how acquisition data 
will be accessed, used, and shared, including an understanding of 
the overall requirements, permissions, procedures, and limitations 
on sharing to ensure compliance with applicable law.
    Acquisition lifecycle--end-to-end management and execution of 
programs/contracts and projects. The lifecycle begins with the 
identification of a business need and ends with program or contract 
closeout.
    Data integrity--the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of 
data both in its physical location and during transmission and 
throughout the stages of generation, collection, use, sharing, and 
improvement, which summarize the Federal Data Lifecycle.
    Hi-Definition Environment (HDE)--a technical environment that 
uses a scalable architecture to store, access, utilize, share, and 
archive acquisition data without having to duplicate data, tools, or 
effort. The HDE is supported by a centralized data management policy 
framework (see definition of Hi-Definition framework). The HDE and 
the Hi-Def framework will provide a coordinated,

[[Page 46919]]

Government-wide solution for accessing and utilizing acquisition 
data and for developing and deploying innovative tools that use this 
data to better support the acquisition lifecycle. As the functional 
arm of the Hi-Def framework, the HDE will improve the accessibility 
and usability of Government-wide data through the following four 
general capabilities:
    1. Data Management Layer: Aggregating siloed Government-wide 
acquisition data from agencies and other sources so that it is 
accessible centrally through a single data management layer.
    2. Data Product Development and Publication: Developing and 
publishing interoperable data products to power various analysis 
capabilities within the HDE and across customer agencies, including 
scalable and secure transmission across agency security boundaries.
    3. Customer Agency Access to Data Management Functionality: 
Hosting a workspace through which agency data analysts can access 
the HDE data management layer, allowing them to leverage HDE data 
sources to perform advanced analyses and develop custom data 
products for their agency, as aligned with data governance processes 
and procedures.
    Dashboard and Report Management: Hosting a data visualization 
application, usable by both agency stakeholders and the Hi-Def Team, 
to develop custom Federal user-facing dashboards and reports that 
provide immediate value to Hi-Def stakeholders.
    Hi-Definition Framework--policies, data standards, and 
governance addressing the acquisition of supplies or services using 
relevant acquisition data that is easily accessed and consumed at 
the time of need. The framework promotes data interoperability, 
secure sharing of acquisition data between agencies, and enterprise-
wide data analysis to inform Government-wide and individual agency 
procurements.
    Integrated Award Environment (IAE)--a Government-wide initiative 
administered by the General Services Administration that consists of 
a suite of systems and processes supporting parts of the Federal 
acquisition and financial assistance awards lifecycle. The IAE 
facilitates the awards processes in multiple online systems, 
including the System for Award Management (SAM), that each play a 
role in the awards lifecycle. Those systems are used for registering 
to do business with the Federal Government, listing contract 
opportunities, reporting performance, analyzing contract data, and 
more.

Appendix B. Governance

    The acquisition ecosystem requires a strong governance structure 
covering Hi-Def data and the HDE, as well as Government-wide 
acquisition systems and processes.
    Governing bodies and structures may periodically be updated and 
are subject to change; current charters and other updates will be 
posted to the Governance and Policies page on the Acquisition 
Gateway.\23\
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    \23\ The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    1. Hi-Def Governance: The Hi-Def framework will be supported and 
operationalized by the HDE. The HDE uses a scalable technical 
architecture to store, access, utilize, share, and archive 
acquisition data without having to duplicate data, tools, or effort. 
Together, the Hi-Def framework and HDE will provide a coordinated, 
Government-wide solution for accessing and utilizing acquisition 
data and for developing and deploying innovative tools that use this 
data to better support the acquisition lifecycle.
    a. Hi-Def Data Governance Plan, as referenced in Section 7.b: 
This plan will be established within one year of this Circular and 
updated on a regular basis. The plan will, at a minimum, cover the 
following:
    i. Accountability and decision rights;
    ii. Transparency and ethics considerations;
    iii. Data risk management;
    iv. Data security;
    v. Business outcomes prioritization;
    vi. Product development and dissemination; and
    vii. Data domain definition and management.
    b. Hi-Def Environment Executive Steering Committee: Technical 
oversight of the HDE will reside initially with the HDE Executive 
Steering Committee. This interagency committee will be responsible 
for establishing the strategic, technical, and change management 
approaches for building and maintaining the HDE. Oversight of the 
HDE is subject to change once the comprehensive Hi-Def Data 
Governance Plan is established.
    c. Hi-Def Implementation Groups: On an as-needed basis, OMB may 
convene working groups composed of agency policy, workforce, or 
acquisition system experts who are knowledgeable on key topics to 
support Hi-Def outcomes, including but not limited to: improving 
machine-readable data; interoperability and system integration 
(i.e., exposing data through application programming interfaces); 
the agency contract writing system(s) and associated interfaces; 
agency electronic invoicing solutions; and information technology 
infrastructure. Agency participation in these working groups is 
highly encouraged as outcomes may inform future guidance.
    2. Acquisition Systems Governance: Acquisition systems 
governance will be carried out using the established Integrated 
Award Environment governance structures including the Procurement 
Committee for E-Government (PCE) which serves as the primary 
interagency body advising OMB on acquisition data with a particular 
focus on the procurement process. In its role, and in consultation 
with additional governing groups, as needed, the PCE will provide 
recommendations, priorities, and implementation decisions that 
consider the policy, operational, and technological improvements 
necessary to effect positive change in the efficiency and 
effectiveness of the use of technology and data in the Federal 
acquisition and procurement processes.
    In addition, agencies will ensure that their current 
representatives selected for each governance structure or 
established in support of the goals of the Circular adhere to their 
respective charters, and possess the necessary skills and abilities 
to make recommendations and decisions that affect the generation, 
collection, use, sharing, and improvement of agency data.

Appendix C. Examples of Hi-Def Applications

    This appendix provides illustrative examples of how a future HDE 
will benefit the acquisition lifecycle, agency planning, and 
budgeting. Based on agency feedback, the Office of Federal 
Procurement Policy has identified five initial targeted outcomes:

1. Improved Market Research
2. Supply Chain & Demand Management Insights
3. Vendor Management & Engagement Support
4. Streamlined Requirement Definition & Solicitation Development
5. Enhanced Contract Evaluation

    The table below demonstrates how the impacts of the HDE will map 
to each stakeholder group, summarizing the impact and noting to 
which Hi-Def Targeted Outcomes the impact primarily relates.
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Appendix D. Ensuring Uniform Implementation and Data Integrity

    Data integrity refers to the accuracy, completeness, and 
reliability of data in its physical location, during transmission, 
and throughout the stages of generation, collection, use, sharing, 
and improvement, which support the Federal Data Lifecycle (see 
Figure 1). Data integrity is maintained through compliance with 
laws, policies, and standards established by governance. The 
integrity of the Federal acquisition process, including budgeting 
for, planning, managing, and closing out contracts that support 
programs, depends on the quality and availability of data. 
Innovation leads to ongoing business process improvements, requiring 
regular assessments of processes and data against established 
standards. The standardized processes and data will drive strong 
foundations across the Federal acquisition enterprise, while 
encouraging and enabling agency innovation and agility in 
acquisition planning, management, and operations.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30MY24.015

Data Roles

    This policy builds on the Federal Data Lifecycle by organizing 
its data roles into the five phases of the acquisition data 
lifecycle: Generate, Collect, Share, Use, and Improve. In addition, 
privacy and security are roles that affect every aspect of 
acquisition data, and agencies should ensure that the most current 
data protection methodologies are used and that all applicable 
statutes and regulations are followed.

 Generate--
    [cir] Define: Identify agency and stakeholder needs for 
acquisition data of sufficient quality for intended uses
    [cir] Coordinate: Assess the ability of acquisition data 
resources and infrastructure to meet agency and stakeholder needs
 Collect--
    [cir] Collect: Organize, plan, and execute acquisition data 
collections and acquisitions to meet agency and stakeholder needs
    [cir] Curate: Organize, refine, and maintain agency acquisition 
data resources with sufficient quality to meet agency and 
stakeholder needs
 Share--Access: Identify and develop multiple acquisition 
data access methods for agency staff and stakeholders
 Use--
    [cir] Analyze: Optimize the ability of staff and stakeholders to 
use agency acquisition data to generate insights
    [cir] Visualize: Present acquisition data insights for 
consumption by all users, stakeholders, and leaders for their 
intended needs
    [cir] Disseminate: Provide multiple avenues for release of 
acquisition data and insights
 Improve--Implement & Assess: Maximize the use of 
acquisition data for decision-making, accountability, and the public 
good by continuously improving the acquisition data process

[[Page 46922]]

Vision for Data Integrity

    The governance model identified in Appendix B will support 
efforts to identify, develop, and implement common business 
processes, data, and standards. This includes assessing existing 
standards instituted at an agency level for their potential 
application to the broader Federal acquisition community. The future 
HDE will make possible a seamless flow of data from authoritative 
sources to the point of need. Data will only need to be entered once 
and will be available for use at any point in the acquisition 
lifecycle consistent with applicable regulations and policies 
through implemented machine-readable data, in an open format, and 
available to computer applications to promote interoperability and 
system integration such as APIs.
    As new regulations or policies are developed, new data may be 
required. Ongoing processes to review how best to collect this data 
from new or existing sources should be put into place, including for 
the review of the quality, security, and integrity of that data. 
Business process re-engineering may be required to avoid manual or 
redundant processes, improve quality, and make data available at the 
time of need. Reporting requirements may need to be adjusted or 
integrated as a result of increased data availability. Agencies must 
strategically plan how various Federal-wide and agency specific 
efforts can be harmonized and used to avoid duplication of effort, 
costs, and diminished data quality resulting from multiple instances 
of similar data across an agency.

Quality Technology and Data

    In collaboration with the Integrated Award Environment 
governance structures and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory 
Council, and in consultation with Managing Partners for common 
technology tools, the PCE will ensure that applicable regulations 
and policy are reflected in any technologies, processes, systems, 
and data to reduce agency burden and ensure quality data are 
available for downstream use.
    In addition, the PCE, in coordination with OMB and Integrated 
Award Environment governance structures, will review, and as needed, 
update the existing parameters and methods for annual V&V \24\ 
reporting every 5 years to align with policy, regulatory and agency 
needs as aligned with policy.
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    \24\ Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Executive Office of the 
President, OFPP Memorandum, Improving Acquisition Data Quality for 
Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010 (Oct. 7, 2009), https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/procurement_memo/data_quality_guidance_100709.pdf; Office of Mgmt. & 
Budget, Executive Office of the President, OFPP Memorandum, 
Improving Federal Procurement Data Quality--Guidance for Annual 
Verification and Validation (May 31, 2011), https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/procurement/memo/improving-data-quality-guidance-for-annual-verification-and-validation-may-2011.pdf.
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Agency Responsibilities

    In the distributed procurement information technology 
environment, agencies have responsibilities to generate data 
consistent with procurement policy, as well as standards for 
business processes, data, and interoperability. Federal agencies 
must manage data consistent with statutes, regulations, and OMB 
policies. Agency Chief Acquisition Officers, Senior Procurement 
Executives, Chief Data Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief 
Information Officers, and Budget Officers must collaborate to:
     Ensure independent V&V processes for data quality in 
accordance with relevant guidance;
     Assess the feasibility of building and maintaining 
appropriate and secure APIs to permit sharing and interoperability 
of procurement data and are developed through the appropriate 
working group(s) and after the initial data assessment period;
     Promote best business practices of appropriate data 
hygiene, principles, and standards as developed by the PCE;
     Further innovation and efficiency in the Federal 
acquisition system by leading or actively participating in the 
development and implementation of emerging technology tools that 
align with policy;
     Actively develop professionals with skills in Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based data analytics for decision-
making;
     Assume responsibility for making data-driven decisions 
and for providing their acquisition workforce with critical 
information needed to negotiate contracts in the best interest of 
taxpayers;
     Build security and fraud protection into the management 
of procurement data to ensure data availability and usability; and
     Practice and share data management best practices 
through interagency working groups, such as the Chief Data Officers 
Council.

Appendix E. Annual Agency Planning Requirements

    Strategic and operational planning by agencies, including budget 
planning, is essential to an interoperable environment where data 
are shared and available at the point of need. These activities 
provide opportunities for addressing gaps identified through 
assessments and innovation in business processes and technology, 
including lessons learned from pilots or shared activities. As such, 
agencies must include appropriate analyses of these considerations 
in agency annual strategic plans, as required by OMB Circular A-11 
and any supplementary direction from OMB during the budget process. 
These plans will be reviewed by OMB to inform and shape actions 
necessary to support Hi-Def implementation and maintenance.
    The Office of Federal Procurement Policy will provide a template 
with questions and structure for compiling agency Hi-Def strategic 
plans. The template will include sections for responding to 
questions related to acquisition data resources and infrastructure, 
Government-wide priorities established by OMB and governance groups, 
and agency-specific priorities. The yearly priority areas will be 
posted with an updated template on the Hi-Def website.\25\ The 
acquisition data resources and infrastructure questions will 
generally address the following areas and may include other areas of 
interest as appropriate:
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    \25\ The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    a. Appropriate resource management activities necessary to 
support innovative practices and alignment of data with statutes, 
regulations, policies, and standards to support interoperability. 
The identification of activities should be accomplished in 
coordination with the appropriate agency leaders directing the 
acquisition, information, security, data, finance, and human capital 
functions.
    b. Solutions (active, in development, or planned for future 
development) identified by the agency workforce as the greatest 
opportunity for improving processes and leveraging technology to 
support innovation and reduce burden. Such ideas support agency 
operations and mission success by addressing issues, challenges, and 
best practices identified by those most impacted on a daily basis by 
access (or lack thereof) to data and information.
    c. Details on how agencies are assuring any new technologies at 
the agency level are aligned with policy and regulations, and how 
agency technology supports the interoperability of data in the 
federated model established through this Circular.
    d. Recommendations on any business processes that should be re-
engineered to support innovation or just-in-time access to quality 
information or data. Re-imagining the process before applying 
emerging technologies or shared tools can lead to a more impactful 
change. This can be done by seeking workforce input, taking maximum 
advantage of FAR flexibilities, leveraging data and information 
technology as strategic assets, consulting with governance on how 
data is supposed to be used and displayed, and driving changes to 
agency-specific requirements.

Appendix F. Sample Elements for Data Sharing Agreements

    Based on input collected through agency plans and stakeholder 
use cases, OMB will identify and prioritize datasets to be shared 
into the HDE.
    Once identified, an MOU may be required to share data between 
the Hi-Def Managing Agency and the originating agency to ensure that 
data is properly stored, secured, and accessed. OMB is responsible 
for developing standard MOU templates to cover probable data 
scenarios, including but not limited to:
    1. Exchange of discoverable, non-classified data;
    2. Exchange of unstructured, document-based data such as 
contract terms and conditions; and
    3. Exchange of classified or otherwise sensitive data that 
requires additional security considerations.
    Sample elements for a data sharing MOU may include, but are not 
limited to:
    1. Scope of data: Specify the types of data involved and any 
restrictions on use.

[[Page 46923]]

    2. Data Ownership: Clarify who owns the data and any rights or 
responsibilities associated with it.
    3. Confidentiality: Outline privacy considerations and measures 
to protect sensitive information.
    4. Security: Detail security protocols required for 
transmitting, storing, and accessing data
    5. Permitted Uses: Specify the authorized uses of the shared 
data and any limitations (for example, vendor names must be 
anonymized).
    6. Duration of Agreement: Define the start and end dates or 
conditions for termination.
    7. Responsibilities of the Parties: Clearly outline the 
obligations and responsibilities of each party involved.
    8. Data Accuracy and Quality: Address the accuracy and quality 
standards expected for the shared data.
    9. Data Access and Sharing Procedures: Specify how data will be 
accessed and shared.
    10. Dispute Resolution: Establish procedures for resolving 
disputes or breaches of the agreement.
    11. Governing Authorities: Specify the governing authorities 
that provide for the sharing of this data.
    12. Amendments: Outline procedures for making changes to the 
agreement, as necessary.

Appendix G. HDE Stakeholders

    HDE Stakeholders fall into four categories: Users, Customer 
Agencies, Data Providers, and Industry. This list is subject to 
further refinement, with updates posted to the Hi-Def website.\26\
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    \26\ The Hi-Def Initiative, https://acquisitiongateway.gov/Hi-Def.
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    1. Data Providers will enable and provide access to their 
acquisition data to improve the capabilities, scope, and value of 
the HDE.
    a. All Federal agencies are expected to ultimately be data 
providers. However, in the initial phase of the HDE, individual 
agencies will be consulted by OMB and the Hi-Def Executive Steering 
Committee about pilot opportunities on a case-by-case basis.
    b. Other data providers may include non-Federal Government data 
sources and commercial data providers, where such data sources 
significantly enhance Hi-Def capabilities (e.g., market, business, 
sales, supply chain, and/or product intelligence information).
    2. Customer Agencies will be composed of HDE users (outlined 
below) and will have access to select HDE capabilities. They can 
leverage the HDE to help equip their agency users with Hi-Def 
insights and functionality.
    a. Customers will be Federal agencies who access select 
capabilities such as data products, applications, and support 
services.
    b. The customer base and services available are expected to grow 
and evolve as HDE functionality matures.
    3. Users will engage directly with the HDE or leverage HDE data.
    a. The Acquisition Workforce (AWF) will primarily engage with 
various AWF-facing applications, dashboards, and reports that 
leverage HDE data products, initially those focused on commodity and 
service prices-paid analysis for market research, monitoring buying 
patterns, and solicitation development. The AWF can also use their 
understanding of the data in the HDE to identify more complex 
acquisition questions that they would like their data analysts to 
address. AWF users will primarily be agency Contracting Officers, 
Contract Specialists, and Agency Buyers and Program Managers.
    b. Data Analysts from customer agencies will have access to 
usable agency acquisition data through various HDE components and 
features. This includes: (1) direct access to the HDE data 
management layer to perform custom analyses and develop new data 
products; (2) use of the dashboard and report management application 
to provide streamlined insights to their AWF in the HDE; and (3) 
ability to use HDE data products to power functionality developed 
and hosted by their home agency (e.g., an advanced web-application).
    c. Acquisition Executives will primarily engage with various 
end-user applications that use HDE data products to quickly identify 
key insights (e.g., demand trends, contractor performance, etc.) 
that support overall program direction and high-level decision 
making. Similar to the AWF, Acquisition Executives can also identify 
additional acquisition questions they would like data analysts to 
address. Acquisition Executives will include a range of program, 
category, and schedule managers.
    4. Industry will benefit from enhanced acquisition efficiencies 
from the HDE, but will not be given access to the HDE, unless in a 
manner explicitly specified by the agencies and approved by OMB 
based on need, and in accordance with statutes, regulations, and 
protocols that address the release of contractor information to non-
governmental sources.

[FR Doc. 2024-11864 Filed 5-29-24; 8:45 am]
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