National Committee for Information Technology Standards

Doc: IT/99-541 X
Date: November 19, 1999
Project: n/a
Ref. Doc:
Reply to: Deborah J. Donovan
Phone: 202-626-5746
email: ddonovan@itic.org

Technical Committee L1 has approved a Project Proposal for a New Standard, Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment  (SDSFIE) to NCITS for further processing.

In accordance with the TC-empowerment approval procedures approved by NCITS in October 1999 and now included in the NCITS/SD-2, the NCITS Secretariat confirmed the TC approved this project proposal after complying with the meeting requirements listed below or through a 30-day letter ballot.

If the Project Proposal originates within an NCITS Subgroup, voting on the submission of the Project Proposal is conducted in accordance with 4.4; the vote must be included with submission of the Project Proposal.

The Project Proposal must be included on the Draft Agenda for the Subgroup meeting at which action is expected according to 4.3.4

If the Project Proposal is approved, work on the project may begin immediately on the project.

1) The approved Project Proposal
2) The next Subgroup meeting information
3) Any other supplemental information the Subgroup may wish to provide (i.e., draft press release) for registration of an NCITS project number and web announcement.

Upon receipt of the information package from the Chair of the originating Subgroup, the Secretariat shall electronically notify NCITS members of the approved Project Proposal.

Any two NCITS members may request an appeal of the approved Project Proposal within seven calendar-days.

If there is no appeal of the approved Project Proposal, a project number is assigned and announced by the Secretariat.

If an appeal is made of the approved Project Proposal, the Chair of the originating Subgroup is notified and NCITS voting is conducted according to 4.4.

If the Project Proposal is not approved, the Secretariat so notifies the proposer.

1. Source of the Proposed Project

1.1 Title: Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment  (SDSFIE)

1.2 Date Submitted: August 09 1999.

1.3 Proposer:  The members CADD/GIS Technology Center for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment (i.e., U.S. Air Force (Center for Environmental Excellence), U.S. Army (Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Marine Corps (USMC LFL), U.S. Navy (Facilities Engineering Command), Defense Logistics Agency, General Services Administration, U.S. Coast Guard.)

2. Process Description for the Proposed Project

2.1 Project Type: Development

2.2 Type of Document: Standard

2.3 Definitions of Concepts and Special Terms:

A/E/C    Architectural, Engineering, and Construction
AM    Automated Mapping
AM/FM   Automated mapping/facilities management
Attribute   Descriptive or characteristic information (data) con-cerning a particu-lar graphical object or entity type.
Attribute Table  A relational database table containing attribute data.
Bit-mapped   Also raster image.  A digital image made up of pixels (on-screen dots).
CADD    Computer-aided design and drafting
Cell/block   An association of elements that can be stored and placed as a group and then manipulat-ed as a group of indi-vidual elements.
Crosshatch   A specific configuration of hatch lines used to aid in delin-eat-ing graphi-cal fea-tures.
DEM    Digital Elevation Model
DTM    Digital Terrain Model
Domain Table  A database table containing domain values.
Domain Value  A standard "valid" or "allowable" value for a specific attribute.  Includes units of measure, materials, methods, dispositions, classes, status, phase, etc.
Entity Class   Sub-Grouping of features and database tables with an Entity Set for data management purposes.  Each Entity Class constitutes a separate map or drawing file.
Entity Set   Broad grouping of features for data management purposes.
Entity Type   A grouping of "real-world" objects or features with similar data characteristics.
FGDC    Federal Geographic Data Committee
FM    Facility Management
GIS    Geographic Information System
GPS    Global Positioning System
Line style/type  A specific line pattern which type has vector properties and is used to delineate between dif-ferent graphical entities that are represented by lines or polygons.
Pattern    A specific configuration of lines, dots, or other graphi-cal objects used to aid in delineat-ing graphical features.
SDTS    Spatial Data Transfer Standard
SDSFIE   Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure & Environment
TSSDS   Tri-Service Spatial Data Standards (superseded by SDSFIE)
TSFMS   Tri-Service Facility Management Standards (superceded by FMS)
USACE   U.S. Army Corps of Engi-neers

2.4 Expected Relationship with Approved Reference Models, Frameworks, Architectures, etc.:

This Standard is anticipated to generally comply with the ISO standard for Geographic Information.  (Since this standard is still in the drafting stages no exact determination is possible at this time.)  This Standard will be modeled using IDEF1x data models tools.  This Standard is a different type of standard than the Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS); however, this Standard generally agrees with the Entity/Attribute/Domain logical data model defined in SDTS.

2.5 Recommended NCITS Development Technical Committee: GIS technical committee (L1)

2.6 Anticipated Frequency and Duration of Meetings: Quarterly Meetings

2.7 Target Date for Initial Public Review (Milestone 4): February 2000.

2.8 Estimated Useful Life of Standard: 10 years or more.

3. Business Case for Developing the Proposed Standard

3.1 Description.

This document contains a data dictionary (data model) for depicting geospatial features and data in a GIS schema.  Geospatial features graphically depict "real-world" phenomena in a GIS at their "real-world" locations (coordinates).  The following twenty-five themes (or entity sets) are addressed, which include: Auditory, Boundary, Buildings, Cadastre, Climate, Common, Communications, Cultural, Demographics, Ecology, Environmental Hazards, Fauna, Flora, Geodesy, Geology, Hydrography, Improvements, Landform, Land Status, Military Operations, Olfactory, Soil, Transportation, Utilities, and Visual.

3.2. Existing Practice and the Need for a Standard.

The collection, storage, management, and analysis of geospatial data are critical components of a GIS.  Geospatial data can be stored in a number of ways (i.e., paper, microfilm, and/or electronically) which may not be readily accessible and usable, or easily shared with, or reported to others.  GIS technology can provide cost-effective and efficient tools to apply and manage such data.  However, careful planning and the use of a consistent "non-proprietary" GIS standard are necessary to provide the capability to share data between organizations, and to achieve the full potential offered by GIS technology.   For most organization that use GIS technology today, their geospatial data is stored in a proprietary database schema (or a schema created in an "ad hoc" fashion.)  This existing practice effectively "locks" these organizations into a single proprietary solution (or in the case of the "ad hoc" schema often a poorly designed and non-standard solution.)

This Standard provides a non-proprietary "data dictionary" and data model for geospatial information that can be easily implemented within commercial "off-the-shelf" GIS technology.   This Standard supports the ability to create a standards-based, interoperable database schema.

3.3. Implementation Impacts of the Proposed Standard.

          3.3.1 Development Costs: $50k

          3.3.2 Impact on Existing or Potential Markets:

This Standard will have a positive impact the GIS tools and spatial database marketplace.  This Standard will allows organizations that are first implementing GIS technology to get started with considerable less database design and implementation costs.  It will also allow organization to better manage their geospatial data.  Because this Standard will supports a cost-effective solution to implementing an interoperable, standards-based geospatial database schema, it will enable more organizations to "get started" using commercial GIS and spatial database technology.

This Standard will also have a positive impact on the GIS application and spatial database services marketplace.   This Standard will provide a mechanism for those companies to provide a more cost-effective, standards-based solution for their services.

          3.3.3 Costs and Methods for Conformity Assessment:

The CADD/GIS Technology Center is considering developing tools (potentially in cooperation with industry) that support conformity testing.  The conformity testing would be done on a "self test" basis.  The costs associated with this type testing would be minimal if testing tools are developed and readily available.

          3.3.4 Return on Investment:

The Federal Agencies that have developed the source standard for this ANSI/NCITS standard (i.e. TSSDS) have calculated a Return on Investment (ROI) in the form of a Benefit/Cost Ratio = 812.8 (based upon FY98 Analysis for SDSFIE).  This metric was determined using Kaplin & Martin’s approach to determining a ROI.

3.4 Legal Considerations

          3.4.1 Patent Assertions:

Patents are under development on the SDSFIE and FMS software, schema, and graphical data modeling methodology.

3.4.2 Dissemination of the Standard or Technical Report:

The SDSFIE and FMS are updated annually, and disseminated on CD-ROM and Internet by the CADD/GIS Technology Center.  The CADD/GIS Technology Center will continue development, and dissemination of the SDSFIE and FMS through the Federal Government.

Updates to the ANSI/NCITS standard will be updated by The CADD/GIS Technology Center annually.  The ANSI/NCITS standard will be disseminated by ANSI.

4. Related Standards Activities

4.1 Existing Standards: SDSFIE, FMS, ISO 15046-10 Geographic Information ? Feature Catalogue Methodology, FGDC Wetland, Soils, Vegetation and Cadastral Data Classification and Content Standards.

4.2 Related Standards Activity: SDSFIE and FMS.  The CADD/GIS Technology Center will continue to provide annual updates to the SDSFIE and FMS.

4.3 Recommendations for Coordinating Liaison: None

4.4 Recommendations for Close Liaison: None
 
 

Accredited Standards Committee
National Committee for Information
Technology Standards (NCITS)*   No.:L1/99-017
Date: November 17, 1999
Reply to: Henry Tom,
Chair L1,GIS
Oracle Corporation
1910 Oracle Way  MS/5049
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 364-2358
(703) 318-6342 FAX
email:  htom@us.oracle.com

NCITS L1 BALLOT 99 -11 RESULTS  - APPROVED

BALLOT 99 -11: New Project Proposal for "Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment" was issued October 15, 1999 and closed on November 15, 1999.

The voting results are:

10 YES  (2 with conditions attached - Census, AAG)
1 NO   (NIMA - reasons included)
5 Ballots not returned (ASPRS, FGDC, Lockheed, MITRE, Mitretek)
16 Voting members  (needed to pass 9/8)

Conditions:

AAG - "subject to correction for new number of the committee draft International Standard ISO 19109."

Census - "that the model of the standard include a UML model."

Reasons for the NO vote:
NIMA -  "This proposal is based on work done to develop a standard within the Department of Defense, but that work was not done under the auspices of the Defense Standardization Program or the Defense Data Administration Program.  As a result, it has never been harmonized with the results of data modeling activities carried out under those programs to define standard data elements for describing geographic information.  Such activities include work done on the USIGS Conceptual Data Model, which has incorporated much of the Feature and Attribute coding Catalog of the NATO adopted Digital Geographic Information Exchange Standard (DIGEST), and the Joint METOC Conceptual Data Model, which has defined a significant number of DoD standard data elements for environmental information.  The proposed standard should be harmonized with these activities before it is advanced as an ANSI standard."
 

* Operating under the procedures of The Arnerican National Standards Institute.
NCITS Secretariat: Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
1250 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005-3922
Telephone: 202-737-8888 (Press 1 Twice) FAX 202-628-4922 or 202-628-2829
Accredited Standards Committee
National Committee for Information
Technology Standardization (NCITS)*

L1 Doc. No.: L1/2000-001
Date: January 3, 2000
Reply to: Henry Tom, Chair L1,GIS
Oracle Corp.
1910 Oracle Way, MS 5049
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 364 2358
(703) 318-6342 FAX
email:  htom@us.oracle.com

To:  NCITS/L1, GIS
From:  Henry Tom, Chair,  L1, GIS

Subject: L1 and ISO/TC 211/US/TAG Meeting Announcement

The next scheduled L1, GIS meeting is Friday, January 21, 2000 in Silver Spring, MD  The meeting will be hosted by NOAA from 9AM to 4 PM at 1315 East-West Hwy. Silver Spring, MD 20890

The draft agenda for the meeting is as follows:

Draft Agenda

1.0 Call to Order
1.1 Approval of Minutes and Agenda
2.0 Chairman's Report
3.0 L1 Meeting Schedule
4.0 Projects
4.1 Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment
4.2 Ad hoc WG1 SDTS
4.3 Ad hoc WG2 GIS Extension to SQL
4.4 Ad hoc WG3 Spatial Data Quality
4.5 Ad hoc WG4 Geocoding Standards
5.0 U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 211, Geographic Information/Geomatics Committee
6.1 Agenda for the Cape Town Plenary
6.2 U.S. Delegation

* Operating under the procedures of The Arnerican National Standards Institute.
NCITS Secretariat: Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
1250 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005-3922
Telephone: 202-737-8888 (Press 1 Twice) FAX 202-628-4922 or 202-628-2829