How the ODC project Can Help You
• Throughout both the public sector, as well as in the private sector,
databanks of geographic information are becoming recognized as Strategic
assets. This not just due to the
development cost of these data, but because of their value to users of the
information. The value of improved
decision-making to users of digital
geographic information (dGI) far
exceeds the value of costs saved using analog map sheets.
• The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)
seeks to further increase the value and usage of dGI by advocating for
government policies that create an environment for sharing data, both among
Federal agencies and between all levels of government.
Sharing dGI reduces the costs of compilation and update over the costs of
individual data compilation efforts, to all participants.
• The USGS' "National Map" initiative is a specific
implementation of NSDI policy, in which the USGS seeks to update its 1:24,000
Quad maps with more accurate and current dGI, collected and maintained by local
and state governments. The concept
is to integrate local map data into Quad-map format, and publish regularly
(perhaps on-line) to reduce the current, 23-year average, obsolescence of the
map series.
• The Office of Management & Budget's "I-Team" initiative
is another example of NSDI policy that seeks to encourage regional dGI-sharing
consortia. The concept is to
coordinate selected Federal, State, and local agency data collection projects,
in order to leverage each independent effort for the good of all the
participants.
• The private sector – both data companies and software developers
– are realizing the market potential for selling dGI and associated
added-value services such as data catalog and identification services, data
re-format, data update, data integration, and packaged location-based services
that use dGI without downloading data to the user.
• While the demand for
high-quality dGI is increasing, the costs of creating and updating the most
accurate and most up-to-date dGI remains mostly with local government (state
government for some datasets).
• "Tax reform" legislation in many states has caused more and
more local government services to seek financing on a fee-for-service
basis.
• The primary public-sector mechanism for distributing awareness of dGI availability is via NSDI-compliant, web-based, spatial data catalogs. To date, registration and update of local government's metadata in these catalogs has been limited and sporadic.
• Private sector firms are developing their own on-line metadata
catalogs, as well as using their own proprietary marketing and sales channels,
to distribute dGI. Nevertheless,
this data distribution potential is still underutilized.
• In order to finance the creation or maintenance of dGI, an increasing
number of local governments are claiming copyright ownership of their data, and
are selling it.
• Such data sales policies by local governments are impeding the
distribution of dGI for three principle reasons:
1) Local governments are not experienced in marketing, hence awareness
of the availability of the data does not reach potential users or buyers.
2) Local governments are not experienced in fulfilling data request
orders, hence many users' need for special-purpose data products – in a timely
manner – goes unfulfilled.
3) In some cases, the cost of local dGI is prohibitive to potential
users.
• Many local governments have not yet developed a data distribution
policy, and are withholding their data pending definition of such policy, so as
not to preclude their options through precedent actions.
• As each city or county
government develops its own data sales/distribution policy, the
"market" becomes more complex and idiosyncratic.
• Private data resellers and location-based service creators are
experiencing greater difficulty and expense in locating and acquiring dGI
consistently from local governments.
• The NSDI vision of integrated data exchange is fragmenting.
A
standardized data distribution agreement among public data providers
and private sector data distributors could improve the market
mechanism for dGI. Such a
mechanism would better utilize private sector enterprise to distribute public
sector data.
√ Local governments would benefit from a wider
distribution and easier availability
of their data. They could also
experience greater data sales revenue (if they choose to sell their data)
through the wider marketing and sales reach of private distributors.
√ Private data distributors and value-added service providers
would experience lower costs for the
"raw material" (e.g., government dGI), more efficient
accumulation and update maintenance
of the data. These factors would
translate into lower prices for their services, along with greater volume and
higher profits.
√ Advocates for greater accessibility of government data to the
public would observe more providers of government dGI, offering greater
fulfillment of special-request services at competitive costs.
For
example, resellers and repackagers of USGS maps, and U.S. Census Bureau data,
supplement the distribution channels of government data providers.
They provide convenience and service to users of public data who would
not be fulfilled if only government distribution channels existed.
Private resellers make money distributing government data, yet, the added
cost does not inhibit user access – it actually increases data availability!
As
participating local governments collectively agree to adopt a standardized
set of terms and conditions for data distribution, the environment (i.e.,
the "market") for dGI could become more integrated and fluid.
A
standardized data distribution policy, coupled with an up-to-date catalog
(roster) of local government dGI providers (contact personnel) would enable data
users (including resellers and service providers) to gain access to dGI more
efficiently and more inexpensively.
• Therefore, a collaborative
project is proposed in which public sector data providers and private sector
data distributors cooperatively develop a set of standards and agreements for
creating a more efficient market mechanism to distribute dGI.
This project is being called the Open
Data Consortium.
• Under the auspices of a "sector-neutral", inclusive
organization, members of both private and public sectors will convene to
identify their common mutual benefits in improving the distribution and
maintenance of dGI. The result of
these discussions will be a Model
Agreement to guide public agency data distribution policy, focusing on the
terms and conditions for distribution or sales through third-party private
sector enterprises.
√ Local governments will benefit from a Model Agreement by
having a standard that has been developed and accepted by representative peers,
upon which to base their own public policy.
√ Private sector data distributors will benefit from a Model
Agreement that creates a regularized market environment from which to acquire
dGI at its sources. Predictable
costs and guaranteed data update cycles will enable businesses to invest in and
execute long-term distribution plans.
√ Data users (consumers) will benefit from an active data market
that encourages a greater number of data resellers to repackage government data
with value-added services. Consumers
would find more channels of data and services available to meet their needs.
A competitive environment would keep the cost low and service potential
high.
The
Open Data Consortium (ODC) project is
organized as an alliance for the mutual interests shared by various levels of
government, private sector, university, and non-profit service providers.
• Initially, self-selecting participants will meet via teleconference
to develop an agenda of dGI distribution issues.
In addition, participants would plan
an ODC organizing workshop.
• Initial organizing activities
include outreach to likely participants, identifying dGI distribution issues,
setting an agenda for the ODC organizing workshop, soliciting funds for startup
seed money, and conducting the organizing workshop.
The workshop will establish methods for participants to
collaborate on developing a Model Agreement that supports dGI distribution.
Subsequent activities to be determined by workshop participants.
• Data distribution issues
encompassed by the Model Agreement may include, but are not limited to: data
costs, payment methods, delivery schedule, update schedule, metadata
maintenance, liability, security, privacy, adherence mechanisms, data contents
and format.
• Initial funding of the ODC organizing activities will come from
seed-money grants.
• Ongoing operations on an ODC organization will come from subscription
membership of public agencies and private enterprises.
Suggest subscription rates:
√ Private sector Subscribing Memberships: $ 5,000
√ Public agency Subscribing Memberships: $ 2,000 per agency
• Please critique this proposal document and suggest additions to the
ideas presented.
• Identify people who are interested in the distribution or sales of
dGI and who may want to be participants in the formation of the Open Data
Consortium project.
• Please suggest possible sources of seed money funding.
• Become a Sponsoring Member to help make this project financially
self-sufficient.
• What skills, experience and interests do you have that can help
organize this Open Data Consortium project?
• Contact Bruce Joffe, project organizer, to share your ideas:
510-238-9771