May 19, 1998

     As you know, the CIO Council Committee on Year 2000 has been working with the State CIOs through the National Association of State Information

     Resource Executives (NASIRE) on year 2000 data exchange issues. At an April 22, 1998 meeting (chaired by Mr. John Koskinen, Chairman of the President?s Council on Year 2000, and Mr. Steven Kolodney, CIO for the State of Washington and Year 2000 Coordinator for NASIRE), participants agreed to share detailed information about the status of data exchanges and to update that information monthly. The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you of these reporting requirements.

     You are probably aware that NASIRE has already posted on the GSA web site www.itpolicy.gsa.gov, under State Issues) points of contact for data exchanges by State. In addition, your agency should already have provided to GSA a list of your data exchanges, as well as a point of contact for each, including a phone number. By June 1, 1998, each State will verify the accuracy of these initial lists (adding exchanges, if necessary) and provide additional points of contact for each data exchange or system, including a phone number.

     By June 1, 1998, GSA will provide a format to federal agencies for them to provide an electronic report on a monthly basis on the status of data exchanges. The status of each data exchange will be broken down by State and must be shown as one of four categories: either (1) compliant and successfully tested by both parties; (2) successfully bridged with both parties concurring in the format; (3) federal side ready but not yet tested; and (4) not yet compliant or testing still in progress.

     GSA will post this information on the GSA web site by State and by system. The purpose of this detail is to ensure that CIOs on both sides are made aware of the status of data exchanges and are able to confirm that testing has been successfully completed. In addition, CIOs need to be able to identify potential problems hindering compliance. For example, if multiple agencies are having problems testing with a particular State, or if several States are having problems with a particular agency, this process will enable CIOs on both sides to take the necessary steps to ensure progress.

     If your agency would prefer to establish its own web site for this information, you may do so, as long as you provide a link to the GSA web site. If your agency has security or other special concerns, your list of data exchanges can be sent via electronic mail to NASIRE for distribution to the States. Please contact Mr. John Clark, GSA, at (202) 501-4362 or by email at john.clark@gsa.gov, at your earliest convenience to inform him of your agency?s preference for providing this information.

     The first submission is due July 1, 1998, while updates are due the first of each month thereafter. Each report must be a complete replacement of the prior submission; GSA is not able to modify previous submissions.

     Thank you for your cooperation in this important effort. In September 1998, the CIO Council Committee on the Year 2000 and NASIRE will meet again to review progress and identify any concerns. In the meantime, should you or your staff have any questions about this process, please contact Pam Woodside, Chair of the State Issues Working Group, at (202)755-2000 or pam_woodside@hud.gov.