Document Actions

Portfolio Management / A-16 Supplemental Guidance

Graphic showing the featured dataset 'National Wetlands Inventory'

At-a-Glance Fact Sheets

What is Portfolio Management?

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance was endorsed by OMB in November 2010. Since OMB endorsement, briefings, trainings, and information sessions have been conducted with FGDC partner agencies. In addition, the A-16 Supplemental Guidance Implementation Strategy was developed.

Portfolio Management, according to OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance, is the coordination of Federal geospatial data assets and investments to most efficiently support national priorities and government missions.

Portfolio Management applies consistent management approaches that help increase the quality of data through best practices and documentation in a manner that:

Reduces duplication and cost
Provides greater accessibility
Supports shared services across the Federal Government
Offers an accurate and accountable inventory of Federal Geospatial Portfolio assets
Improves government accountability and transparency
Improves data quality through lifecycle evaluations for content quality and fitness for use
Ensures national data are high quality, dependable, consistent, and available to agencies
Increases return on existing geospatial investments by promoting the reuse of data, applications, and tools.

How does Portfolio Management work?

Datasets are organized into management units called Themes, which are managed by Theme Leads. Dataset Managers and Theme Leads use industry-accepted practices to improve management of Themes leading to better outcomes. Data within Themes are made available through the Geospatial Platform.

Graphic showing the Portfolio being organized into Themes and Datasets

Draft NGDA Themes

What are NGDA Themes and Datasets?

National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) Themes are organizational constructs under which NGDA Datasets are grouped and managed. Each NGDA Theme consists of a related group of NGDA Datasets selected from a larger, constantly changing universe of geospatial datasets because they meet the inclusion criteria for the NGDA Theme. An NGDA Dataset is defined as a geospatial dataset that has been designated as such by the FGDC Steering Committee and meets at least one of the following criteria: supports mission goals of multiple federal agencies; statutorily mandated; supports Presidential priorities as expressed by Executive Order or by OMB. The 17 Themes are:

How were new themes developed?

Graphic showing the timeline of the portfolio management process.

Existing data organizational models evaluated included:

ISO Categories
The National Map
TIGER (Census)

Geospatial One Stop
DHS HSPD-7 Sectors
DHS Feature Base
Data.gov

Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and Responsibilities At-a-Glance Fact Sheets

Theme Lead (coming soon)
Dataset Manager (coming soon)
NGDA Theme Lead Agency (coming soon)

Successful management of the NGDA Portfolio requires coordination across a wide variety of organizations, each of which has specific roles to fulfill.

Implementation of OMB Circular A-16 Supplemental Guidance via these roles and responsibilities will help ensure that the Nation has a rich collection of NGDA Themes and NGDA Datasets.