News
Press Releases: Government to Government
June 30, 2003
OMB and Interior Launch New Portal to Access Geospatial Information
Washington, D.C. - The first release of GeoData.gov, the new public gateway to maps, geospatial data and resources, was launched today as part of Geospatial One-Stop, one of the President’s E-Government initiatives. GeoData.gov, launched by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Interior, features "one-stop" access to geospatial information and resources and allows multiple users in different locations to share information, while integrating data from many sources. It also allows easy searches for existing and planned data with a goal of "two clicks to content."
”Nearly every government program uses geospatial technology in some capacity. However not every program needs to buy its own data and build its own systems,“ said Mark Forman, Administrator of E-Government and Information Technology at OMB. ”By promoting collaboration and streamlining programs across government jurisdictions, GeoData.gov is E-Government at its best. By adopting the ‘buy once, use many’ approach of electronic government, the Geospatial One-Stop initiative is reducing duplicative spending while improving government effectiveness.“
With the goals of improved interoperability and access to geospatial data and resources, GeoData.gov is the first major milestone for the Geospatial One-Stop project. Although the portal is only a first step, Forman praised the initiative for the work that’s been done and stressed the benefits of moving to more open, standards-based architectures that state and local governments are demanding.
Work on a second iteration of the portal with enhanced functionality and alignment with the Federal Enterprise Architecture is already underway.
As an integral part of the President’s Management Agenda, the E-Government initiatives make it easier for citizens and businesses to interact with the government, save taxpayer dollars, and streamline citizen-to-government transactions. For more information on each of the President’s E-Government initiatives, please visit www.egov.gov or contact OMB Communications at 202-395-7254.
