44 U.S.C. § 3506 Federal Agency Responsibilities

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a)

(1) The head of each agency shall be responsible for-

(A) carrying out the agency's information resources management activities to improve agency productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness; and

(B) complying with the requirements of this subchapter and related policies established by the Director.

(2)

(A) Except as provided under subparagraph (B), the head of each agency shall designate a Chief Information Officer who shall report directly to such agency head to carry out the responsibilities of the agency under this subchapter.

(B) The Secretary of the Department of Defense and the Secretary of each military department may each designate Chief Information Officers who shall report directly to such Secretary to carry out the responsibilities of the department under this subchapter. If more than one Chief Information Officer is designated, the respective duties of the Chief Information Officers shall be clearly delineated.

(3) The Chief Information Officer designated under paragraph (2) shall head an office responsible for ensuring agency compliance with and prompt, efficient, and effective implementation of the information policies and information resources management responsibilities established under this subchapter, including the reduction of information collection burdens on the public. The Chief Information Officer and employees of such office shall be selected with special attention to the professional qualifications required to administer the functions described under this subchapter.

(4) Each agency program official shall be responsible and accountable for information resources assigned to and supporting the programs under such official. In consultation with the Chief Information Officer designated under paragraph (2) and the agency Chief Financial Officer (or comparable official), each agency program official shall define program information needs and develop strategies, systems, and capabilities to meet those needs.

(b) With respect to general information resources management, each agency shall-

(1) manage information resources to-

(A) reduce information collection burdens on the public;

(B) increase program efficiency and effectiveness; and

(C) improve the integrity, quality, and utility of information to all users within and outside the agency, including capabilities for ensuring dissemination of public information, public access to government information, and protections for privacy and security;

(2) in accordance with guidance by the Director, develop and maintain a strategic information resources management plan that, to the extent practicable-

(A) describes how information resources management activities help accomplish agency missions;

(B) includes an open data plan for data that does not concern monetary policy that-

(i) requires the agency to develop processes and procedures that-

(I) require data collection mechanisms created on or after the date of the enactment of the OPEN Government Data Act to be available in an open format; and

(II) facilitate collaboration with non-Government entities (including businesses), researchers, and the public for the purpose of understanding how data users value and use government data;

(ii) identifies and implements methods for collecting and analyzing digital information on data asset usage by users within and outside of the agency, including designating a point of contact within the agency to assist the public and to respond to quality issues, usability issues, recommendations for improvements, and complaints about adherence to open data requirements within a reasonable period of time;

(iii) develops and implements a process to evaluate and improve the timeliness, completeness, consistency, accuracy, usefulness, and availability of open Government data assets;

(iv) includes requirements for meeting the goals of the agency open data plan, including the acquisition of technology, provision of training for employees, and the implementation of procurement standards, in accordance with existing law, regulation, and policy, that allow for the acquisition of innovative solutions from public and private sectors;

(v) identifies as priority data assets any data asset for which disclosure would be in the public interest and establishes a plan to evaluate each priority data asset for disclosure on the Federal Data Catalogue under section 3511 and for a determination under ¹ 3511(a)(2)(A)(iii)(I)(bb), including an accounting of which priority data assets have not yet been evaluated; and

(vi) requires the agency to comply with requirements under section 3511, including any standards established by the Director under such section, when disclosing a data asset pursuant to such section; and

(C) is updated annually and made publicly available on the website of the agency not later than 5 days after each such update;

(3) develop and maintain an ongoing process to-

(A) ensure that information resources management operations and decisions are integrated with organizational planning, budget, financial management, human resources management, and program decisions;

(B) in cooperation with the agency Chief Financial Officer (or comparable official), develop a full and accurate accounting of information technology expenditures, related expenses, and results; and

(C) establish goals for improving information resources management's contribution to program productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness, methods for measuring progress towards those goals, and clear roles and responsibilities for achieving those goals;

(4) in consultation with the Director, the Administrator of General Services, and the Archivist of the United States, maintain a current and complete inventory of the agency's information resources, including directories necessary to fulfill the requirements of section 3511 of this subchapter;

(5) in consultation with the Director and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, conduct formal training programs to educate agency program and management officials about information resources management; and