PA/220/B-95/002
              United States
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
Administration and
Resources Management
(36tO)
EPA-220-B-95-002
April 1995
              Providing Information to Decision
              Makers to Protect Human Health
              and the Environment
              Information Resources Management
              Strategic Plan
              REGION VI LIBRARY ^(W1TPM!W,
              US.ENVIRONRCNTAL PROTECTION
               AGENCY
               i445 ROSS AVENUE
              DALLAS, TEXAS 75202
                                                  Printed on Recycled Paper

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          MESSAGE  FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR
     I am pleased to present EPA's IRM Strategic  Plan.  This plan
charts a bold new course for information management at EPA.
Information has a key role in the success of  the  guiding
principles of the Agency's Strategic  Plan:  Ecosystem Protection;
Environmental Justice; Pollution Prevention;  Strong Science and
Data; Partnerships; Reinventing EPA Management; and Environmental
Accountability.  These guiding principles are comprehensive
approaches which span the Agency's traditional programs such as
air, water and waste. Essential to their success  is the ability
to integrate data from across the Agency.   This plan includes the
foundation necessary for integrating  data across  programs--
establishing facility identification  standards and collecting
locational data.

     For example, only with integrated air, water and waste data
can the overall viability of an ecosystem be  assessed.  With the
ability to accurately identify the facilities in  a community and
to effectively collect and analyze environmental  data about
precise locations within a community,  two essential tools  for
achieving environmental justice will  be available.  The ability
to accurately and comprehensively assess a facility's compliance
record is essential for the success of the Environmental
Accountability principle.  Such an assessment requires that
facility information be easily combined--a standard facility
identification is critical for accomplishing  this.

     Information management has a vital part  in environmental
protection.  By harnessing the power  of information, the Agency
will make significant strides towards achieving its mission.
                                        Carol M. Browner

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                 TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                    Page No.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

     EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 	  i

CHAPTER 1

     INTRODUCTION  	  1

CHAPTER 2

     MISSION 	  9

CHAPTER 3

     IRM VISION	  13

CHAPTER 4

     OPERATING PRINCIPLES	  25

CHAPTER 5

     CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES	  35

CHAPTER 6

     PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS	  51

APPENDICES

     APPENDIX A
          ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 	61

     APPENDIX B
         SUPPORT FOR THE AGENCY'S GUIDING PRINCIPLES 	65

     APPENDIX C
         SUPPORT FOR IRM VISION ELEMENTS	69
IRM Strategic Plan

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  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                       EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION

The White House, Congress and the public are demanding a transformation of Federal agencies to
results-oriented, customer-focused enterprises.  EPA has developed a new Agency Strategic Plan to
dramatically improve and change the way EPA does business.  One of the most important tools in
this challenging undertaking will be the intelligent and visionary planning for and use of information.

In Reengineering Through Information Technology, the accompanying Report to the National
Performance Review, the executive summary discusses the critical importance and role of
information technology and proposes that "public officials should view information technology as the
essential infrastructure for governments of the 21st century, a modernized electronic government to
give citizens a broader, more timely access to information and services through efficient, customer-
responsive processes." '

This Information Resources Management (IRM) Strategic Plan provides a comprehensive outline of
how the Agency will manage its information resources to embrace the challenge of creating a
"modernized electronic government."  This plan supports the goals and guiding principles of the
Agency's Strategic Plan and the vision of a more comprehensive approach to environmental
protection. In order to achieve the Agency's vision, effective information resources management is
essential.

MISSION

EPA must have the ability to "collect,       „„ .,  ,__,,„  .
process, and analyze the information        EPA s IRM Mission:
needed to ensure that it is managing for
and achieving real environmental
To Provide Information
To Decision-Makers
To Protect Human Health and the Environment
results."   To have this ability, EPA's
IRM mission is focused on three
primary areas. First, to provide the
needed information.  Second, to provide it to the Agency's decision-makers—anyone who uses
information to make decisions that could impact human health and the environment.  Third, to
provide information to decision-makers to accomplish the Agency's mission.

Effective management of information must occur at all stages of the information life cycle, including
information collection, storage, processing, and maintenance. This requires EPA to develop the
appropriate methods, tools and formats to deliver integrated information of known quality.  In short,
EPA is committed to managing its information resources to provide the information necessary to
inform and empower decision-makers to protect human health and the environment.
       1     National Performance Review Accompanying Report, Reengineering Through Information Technology
            (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, September 1993) pp. 1-2.

       2     EPA's Five-Year Strategic Plan; The New Generation Of Environmental Protection, USEPA,
            Washington, D.C., July 1994, p. 2.


IRM Strategic Plan                                                                              iii

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
VISION

EPA has adopted eight
IRM vision elements
which together provide
for full access to
integrated environmental
information for effective
decision making, and
provide for efficient
Agency operations, both
internally and in
partnerships. These vision elements define the optimum state that EPA will achieve in order to
fulfill its mission, and detail Agency objectives for managing the Agency's information resources for
the future.  These vision statements are interrelated and each element will be implemented to ensure
that the information necessary for environmental decision making is available.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES
                            EPA's Eight IRM Vision Elements:
                            >  Public Access               >   Solid IRM Foundation
                            >  EPA Access                 >   Reduce Reporting Burden
                            *  Data Integration            *   Electronic Management
                            >  Environmental Information  >   Communications
                                    EPA's IRM Operating Principles:
                                     *•   Customer Focus         >   Data Standards
                                     >•   Strategic Asset          *   Balanced Approach
                                     *•   Information Stewards   >   Stay the Course
EPA's six operating principles focus
on three areas of behavior. The
first area is an enhanced customer
focus, rather than the traditional
sole technical focus. The second
area is one of focus on how we
mange our information in terms of
its value, our stewardship duties,
and standardization.  The final area
focuses on our management culture and the need to balance various requirements and to avoid a
culture of initiative "du jour."

Implementing EPA's Operating Principles will create the culture necessary to support the Agency's
mission in EPA's decentralized IRM community.  Each operating principle is a formal statement of
the values, rules, or codes of conduct that will be adopted as part of EPA's "way of doing business."
These operating principles set boundaries for appropriate behavior and provide guidelines and
standards for decision making.

CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

EPA has defined 16 core IRM implementation strategies to focus the Agency's efforts and resources
to implement the Agency's IRM vision.  These elements represent the specific actions the Agency
plans to take to  achieve the IRM vision in support of the Agency's mission.  While operating
principles define Agency IRM culture, the core implementation strategies define specific work to be
performed.
IV
                                                                            IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                      EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
   EPA's Core IRM Implementation Strategies:

    >  Public Access Strategy              +   External Connectivity
    >  Public Access Methods              >   Integrated Planning
    >  Information Locator                >   Performance Measures
    *•  Key Identifier Standards            *•   Senior Management Attention
    *•  Spatial Analysis Systems            >•   Staffing for IRM
    >  Targeted Training                  >   Electronic Data Collection
    >  Desktop Capabilities                *   Paperless Process
    *  Data Requirements                 »   Sound IRM Infrastructure
These core implementation strategies are the initial and crucial steps that EPA will undertake to
implement the Agency's IRM vision.  They are the building blocks that establish the foundation: the
strategies that are the essential work for the implementation of the IRM vision.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS

EPA is committed to measuring the progress of its IRM implementation strategies and projects to
determine success. EPA has defined 3 key areas where performance measures will be defined. They
are: 1) customer satisfaction, 2)  value of efforts, and 3) success of implementation. There are 16
specific areas where performance measurements will be developed over time.
   EPA's Performance Measurement Areas:

   *•   Increased value of EPA information to customers
   *•   Increased customer satisfaction with access provided
   *•   Improved customer ability to access EPA information
   *•   Increased value of EPA information to decision makers
   *•   Increased customer satisfaction with access to EPA information and available tools
   *•   Increased customer knowledge and use of available tools
   »•   Increased ability to integrate information resources
   *•   Increased ability to assess progress of programs in achieving environmental goals at all
       levels
   >   Improved quality of EPA's IRM program in relation to industry's IRM best practices
   >   Improved management satisfaction with IRM stewardship and governance
   *•   Reduced burden on reporting community
   »•   Improved stakeholders' satisfaction with reporting process
   >   Increase in administrative processes conducted electronically
   >•   Decreased staff time required to complete administrative processes
   >•   Reduced total time to complete administrative processes
   >•   Increased customer access to and satisfaction with communications abilities: reliability,
       ease of use, and range of services provided
 IRM Strategic Plan

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Based on the measurement areas defined in this plan, EPA will develop specific performance
indicators and measurement goals.  The challenge will be to implement appropriate performance
measurement systems that provide quantifiable, relevant, reliable, standard, and verifiable results that
reinforce the desired outcomes. Initially, EPA will choose one crucial  area identified by its
customers and build its success in measuring performance. As EPA becomes more knowledgeable
about the process and collects data in the selected areas, the Agency will revise, enhance, and/or
replace performance indicators as necessary. The Agency will add additional measurement goals as
it moves forward in its Agency-wide performance measurement process.

CONCLUSION

As stated in the Agency's Strategic Plan, "EPA must shift toward a more comprehensive approach to
environmental protection." In turn, the management of EPA's information resources must become
more comprehensive in order to support the Agency's new approach to its mission.  EPA's IRM
Strategic Plan defines the steps EPA will take  to move toward a more  comprehensive approach to
managing its information resources.

EPA's IRM vision provides a focus for IRM and sets a direction for the management of information
resources that will begin to meet the demands  of the Agency's mission. The IRM vision supports
streamlining, customer satisfaction, empowered employees, and re-invention for effective and
efficient programs. A full realization of the IRM vision will ensure that EPA information resources
are managed to  support environmental results.

EPA's IRM Strategic Plan was developed with the Agency's Senior Management, with input from
program and IRM staff and external stakeholders, to ensure that the insights and wisdom of all key
groups were included.   The Plan defines an IRM mission and vision, and demonstrates how the
management of EPA's information resources will support the Agency's mission and vision.

This document is written for those who manage EPA's information resources. Anyone who provides,
collects, uses, processes, or distributes EPA's information is an information manager. While the
traditional IRM community provides the technical support and "professional" tools to support  the
Agency's information resources, every EPA employee  has a unique role to play  in managing the
Agency's information resources.
vi                                                                            IRM Strategic Plan

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             Chapter 1
       INTRODUCTION
IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                              INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE

"If EPA does not change its approach to managing information resources, the Agency will fail to
implement its new guiding principles." 3  EPA's Information Resources Management (IRM) Strategic
Plan establishes the vision and supporting framework for the changes necessary to provide EPA the
information required for a new generation of environmental protection.  The purpose of this IRM
Strategic Plan is to establish the strategic directions for effectively managing the Agency's
information resources, provide key principles which will guide the IRM work of the Agency, and
identify areas to measure the success in achieving its IRM mission.

BACKGROUND

Information is a key resource to empower EPA to better protect, restore, and manage our ecosystems.
Critical to the success of the Agency's environmental strategy,  therefore, is the  thoughtful and
visionary  planning and utilization of the Agency's information  resources.  While the guiding
principles outlined in the Agency's Strategic Plan present a tremendous challenge for the effective
management of the Agency's information
resources, this IRM Strategic Plan presents a
clear and  concise set of vision elements that,
when successfully implemented, will provide
the necessary foundation for the support of
these Agency guiding principles and the
evolving priorities of environmental
protection.

As the Agency fully embraces and
implements the concepts  and practice of
ecosystem protection, environmental justice,
pollution prevention, and partnerships, the
IRM Strategic Plan vision elements, which
include data integration, public access and
managing for results, will prove to be
essential tools for the success of these
strategic priorities.  In addition, the IRM
vision  elements of EPA Access, electronic
management, solid IRM foundation and
communications will be invaluable in
support of the Agency's principles of strong
science and data, and reinventing EPA management.
        GUIDING PRINCIPLES
                 OF
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

>   Ecosystem Protection

>   Environmental Justice

>   Pollution Prevention
>   Strong Science and Data

>   Partnerships

>   Reinventing EPA Management

>   Environmental Accountability
            Report of the IRM Strategic Planning Task Force, NACEPT, EIAC, Using Information Strategically to
            Protect Human Health and the Environment; Recommendations for Comprehensive Information
            Resources Management, September 1994.
IRM Strategic Plan

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INTRODUCTION
EPA has undertaken three initiatives that support the philosophical and practical tenets of these
guiding principles: Common Sense; Reengineering; and Community-Based Initiative.  Each of
these initiatives requires a strong foundation of quality information.  To that end, the IRM Strategic
Plan supports these initiatives by establishing the mechanisms for insuring that quality, integrated
data is accessible to the EPA workforce, its partners, and stakeholders.

EPA's Common Sense Initiative is based on the principle that the Agency "can best protect the
environment by setting tough environmental goals while encouraging flexibility and innovation in
how the goals are met."4 The principles of the Common Sense Initiative are consistent with the
National Performance Review (NPR)5, and include: a focus on customers; empowering EPA
employees to move the Agency towards meeting its goals; and encouraging market-based approaches
to reducing pollution. The Common Sense Initiative also establishes the principle that EPA will
actively promote  pollution prevention as a standard business practice. Vision elements in the IRM
Strategic Plan, including focusing on customers' needs;  data integration; reduced reporting burden;
electronic communication
and information
management; and the
information necessary to
manage for results will
ensure that the goals of
the Common Sense
Initiative are supported
by effective information
management activities.
EPA's Eight IRM Vision Elements:
    Public Access
    EPA Access
    Data Integration
    Environmental Information
Solid IRM Foundation
Reduce Reporting Burden
Electronic Management
Communications
The Agency's Reengineering Initiative reflects the NPR's emphasis on effective, entrepreneurial
government and reinforces the cross-media orientation and principles of the Agency's Strategic Plan.
EPA's strategic IRM vision elements are consistent with NPR recommendations for streamlining,
customer satisfaction, empowered employees, and re-invention for effective and efficient programs.
Reengineering requires a clear vision of how the Agency can use information technology to change
the way it does business, and a commitment to making the vision a reality. Information technology
is clearly a powerful tool for the support of re-invention efforts in the Agency.   The IRM Strategic
Plan establishes a clear vision for the intelligent planning and use of emerging  information-related
technologies that will provide the tools for an empowered and effective workforce.  This includes
promoting the use of electronic communications, electronic management of administrative work, and
improved access to information by EPA employees.
       4     Administrator's Update, Common Sense Initiative. Number 12, July 29, 1994.

       5     National Performance Review Accompanying Report, Reengineering Through Information Technology
            (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, September 1993).
                                                                                IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                             INTRODUCTION
EPA's Community-based Initiative represents a new paradigm in environmental protection by
creating an integrated approach to nature as an interrelated system, involving key participants in the
decision making process, and strengthening the principles of environmental protection.  The IRM
Strategic Plan supports this initiative by promoting key vision elements for effective information
management, including data integration, and improved public and employee access to information.
These vision elements will allow EPA staff to more effectively conduct cross-media and spatial data
analysis on specific geographic locations.

The IRM Strategic Plan brings a new focus to EPA's management of information resources—a focus
on improving access to and the collection and integration of EPA's information—and supports EPA's
strategy to adopt an industry-by-industry approach to environmental policy  and ultimately change the
way in which the Agency protects human health and the environment.

ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN
                             What do we do?
                                  CORE
                                  IMPLEMENTATION
                                  STRATEGIES
EPA's IRM Strategic Plan
presents the mission and
vision necessary to guide
the Agency in managing
its information resources.
The IRM mission and
vision are the core of the
IRM Strategic Plan and
define how the
management of EPA's
information resources will
support the Agency's new
approach to achieving its
mission.  Subsequent
sections of this Plan
provide a detailed
description of the
operating principles, core
implementation strategies,
and performance
measurement areas
necessary to implement the vision and measure success.
The IRM Strategic Plan is organized in the following manner:

Chapter 1:   Introduction - General overview of the Plan.

Chapter 2:   Mission - A description of EPA's IRM mission.
                                              PLANNING FRAMEWORK
                                                                                How do we do it?
OPERATING
PRINCIPLES
                                                             How well did we do?
                                                      PERFORMANCE MEASURES
IRM Strategic Plan

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INTRODUCTION
Chapter 3:   Vision - High-level statements of the key IRM areas in which EPA will focus its efforts
            to support the Agency's mission.

Chapter 4:   IRM Operating Principles - Principles that provide guidance and set standards for the
            behavior of the Agency in managing its information resources.

Chapter 5:   Core Implementation Strategies - The primary work EPA will implement to achieve
            its IRM vision and mission of support for the Agency.

Chapter 6:   Performance Measurement Areas - The initial  IRM performance measurement areas
            that will be used to measure success.

IRM STRATEGIC PLANNING APPROACH

EPA's IRM Strategic Plan is a guiding document and presents EPA's broad IRM vision and the
strategies that will enable the Agency to adapt to the information technology challenges of the future.
The IRM Strategic Plan is not  intended to be an all inclusive  planning document.  Detailed planning
documents will specify how the vision and implementation  strategies included in this IRM Strategic
Plan are carried out in daily  operations.

This Plan addresses information resource management for the Agency as a whole rather than
presenting ongoing, program specific, IRM operational efforts currently underway in the Agency's
program offices.  Although the IRM Strategic  Plan is embracing comprehensive and  Agency-wide
approaches to information resources management, the need  and support for program-based plans and
investments in information resources will continue.

This IRM Strategic Plan is a dynamic, working document and will be revised to reflect changes in
the Agency's Strategic Plan,  legislation, information technology, and other relevant factors as they
develop.

IRM STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPMENT

The IRM Strategic Plan was developed by a team with broad representation including the Agency's
Senior Management, program and IRM staff, external  stakeholders, and partners.  EPA used this
approach to ensure that the Plan included the insights and wisdom of these key groups.

EPA Senior Management from across the Agency were appointed by the Administrator to
participate in the Executive Steering Committee  (ESC) for IRM.6  The ESC is chaired by the
Assistant Administrator  for the Office of Administration and Resources Management (OARM) who
is the Designated Senior Official (DSO) for IRM at EPA.  The ESC for IRM received  input from
           The membership includes the Deputy Chief of Staff; all Assistant and Associate Administrators; four
           Regional Administrators; the General Counsel; the Inspector General; and five State representatives.
                                                                              IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                            INTRODUCTION
EPA's external stakeholders and partners and the Agency's program and IRM staff.  The ESC for
IRM will continue to be instrumental in subsequent phases of the Agency's strategic planning
process.

EPA's external stakeholders and partners provided recommendations to the Agency's IRM
Executive Steering Committee through a Federal advisory committee, the National Advisory Council
for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT).  NACEPT is a formally chartered committee
charged with providing the Administrator of EPA with  advice and recommendations on a broad
range of environmental issues. NACEPT has several standing committees,  including the
Environmental Information and Assessment (EIA) Committee which formed an Information
Resources Management (IRM) Strategic Planning Task  Force to provide recommendations to EPA on
strategic IRM issues.  This NACEPT Task Force included members from five states, one local
government, three public and environmental interest groups, two Federal agencies, and one academic
institution.  The Task Force delivered two reports to the ESC summarizing  the IRM issues that the
Task Force identified as crucial to the success  of EPA's new approach to protecting  human health
and'the environment.

Program and IRM staff played an important  role and  provided input throughout all stages of the
strategic planning process. Workgroups comprised of program and IRM staff from across the
Agency provided  recommendations to the ESC for IRM on all elements of  the IRM Strategic Plan.
Over  100 staff were engaged in the process of developing recommendations and proposals for the
ESC's consideration.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR IRM

The mission of the Agency's IRM program, as articulated by this Plan, is dynamic and ambitious,
and has been developed to provide a strategic foundation for the effective management of the
Agency's information resources.  The Agency's management, partners and stakeholders as well as the
traditional IRM community each have specific and unique roles and responsibilities.  Senior
management establishes the vision, budgets the resources, and oversees the  work.  The Agency's
partners and stakeholders contribute valuable information as well as use and provide feedback on
information received from EPA. Regulation writers provide definitions for  the information that the
Agency collects.  Congress provides statutes and authorities.  EPA's program managers  provide a
vision for their data, define how the data is used within their program, and  provide the means (tools)
and resources (dollars) for using the data. Scientists collect and analyze the information needed to
assist EPA in improving the environment.  The traditional IRM community provides the technical
skills  to accomplish the work. Each of the members of EPA's community are active participants in
the management of the Agency's information resources  in order to effectively support the mission
and vision of the  EPA.
IRM Strategic Plan

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                 Chapter 2
              MISSION
IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                                       MISSION
   EPA's IRM
   MISSION
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO DECISION-MAKERS TO
PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION

The core focus of the management of information resources is providing information. For example, to
fulfill EPA's Common Sense Initiative, EPA must manage its information resources to provide
integrated information to the public, businesses, educational, environmental, and community-based
organizations,  other Federal agencies, and governmental entities.  The provision of information requires
EPA to wisely manage all stages of the information life cycle, including information collection, storage,
processing, and maintenance.  Providing information requires systems and technology that support the
management of the information throughout its life cycle. Finally, to provide information, the Agency
must develop the tools necessary to ensure that integrated information of known quality is available and
is delivered using methods and formats appropriate to the target audience.

TO DECISION MAKERS

Ultimately, anyone who uses information to make decisions that could impact human health and the
environment is a potential customer of EPA's information resources. These customers ultimately
influence the ability to protect our environment.  Decision makers include everyone from the public
making consumer choices, academics studying environmental issues, local governments making land use
decisions, EPA support staff processing travel vouchers and procurement requests, environmental
scientists studying ecosystems, to senior managers making policy and operational decisions.  EPA is
committed to managing  its information resources to provide the information necessary to inform and
empower these decision makers to protect human health and the environment.

TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Ultimately, the purpose of
managing information resources is
to support the Agency's mission.
Information is the basis of
knowledge about the environment
we seek to protect.  As public
stewards, EPA employees must
have the information to make wise
use of the public's resources. In
short, information is critical to  the
success of the mission of the
Agency.
                                     EPA's Mission

                "The people who work at EPA are dedicated to improving and
               preserving the environment in this country and around the globe.
               Highly skilled and culturally diverse, -we work with our partners to
               protect human health, ecosystems, and the beauty of our environment
               using the best available science.  We value and promote innovative and
               effective solutions to environmental problems. We strive to protect and
               sustain the productivity of the natural resources on which all life and
               human activity depend." 7
        7     EPA's Five-Year Strategic Plan; The New Generation Of Environmental Protection, USEPA,
             Washington, D.C., July 1994.
 IRM Strategic Plan
                                                                      11

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                 Chapter 3
            IRM VISION
IRM Strategic Plan                                 13

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                                                                                    IRM VISION
   EPA's IRM
   VISION
THE AGENCY'S IRM VISION IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT
INTERRELATED ELEMENTS
EPA has adopted eight IRM vision elements which provide for full access to integrated
environmental information for effective decision making, and efficiency of Agency operations, both
internally and in its partnerships.  These vision  elements define the optimum state that EPA will
achieve in order to fulfill its mission, and detail Agency objectives for managing the Agency's
information resources for the future.  These vision statements are interrelated and each element must
be implemented to ensure that the information necessary for environmental decision making is
available.
                                           IRM VISION
   EPA PROVIDES FULL
   ACCESS TO WELL
   ORGANIZED DATA
    EPA HAS THE RIGHT
    INFORMATION
    EPA USES IRM TO
    IMPROVE OPERATIONS
   PUBLIC ACCESS
   EPA ACCESS
   DATA INTEGRATION
   ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
    REDUCE REPORTING BURDEN
    SOLID IRM FOUNDATION
    ELECTRONIC MANAGEMENT
    COMMUNICATIONS
  EPA GUIDING PRINCIPLES



» ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION

» ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

» POLLUTION PREVENTION

» PARTNERSHIPS

»STRONG SCIENCE AND DATA

»REINVENTING EPA MANAGEMENT

» ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY
EPA's vision can be thought of in 3 parts. First, EPA will ensure full access to well organized
information.  Second, EPA will have the environmental information it requires. Finally, EPA will
use IRM to improve its operations and support reengineering.  The eight elements of the IRM vision
provide a clear statement of the various aspects of these 3 concepts.

Implementation of the Agency's IRM vision will improve the usability and accessibility of EPA's
information and ensure the information necessary for environmental decision making is available.  At
the same time, these improvements will help reduce costs by eliminating redundant  data collection
and storage practices and ensuring better use of technology.  Better use of technology will help EPA
work smarter as appropriate tools are utilized.
IRM Strategic Plan
                                                                        15

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IRM VISION
  PUBLIC ACCESS      *•

  EPA ACCESS         >

  DATA                »•
  INTEGRATION
  ENVIRONMENTAL     *•
  INFORMATION
  SOLID IRM           >•
  FOUNDATION
  REDUCE REPORTING  *•
  BURDEN
  ELECTRONIC         *•
  MANAGEMENT
  COMMUNICATIONS    »•
 EPA's Eight IRM Vision Elements

EPA will actively disseminate and provide access to its information to
educate and empower its partners and the public.
EPA employees will have the technical resources and means to access the
information needed to perform their duties.

EPA will ensure its data can be integrated to support comprehensive
environmental protection and public access to environmental information.
EPA will effectively collect and manage the information that the Agency
and its partners require  in order to manage for environmental results.

EPA will establish a solid IRM foundation to efficiently meet
the Agency's evolving mission and program  needs.
EPA will improve its data collection quality and reduce reporting burdens
through innovative methods.
EPA will manage electronically to empower staff, reduce cost, and
improve management results.
EPA will enable "people-to-people" electronic communications.
The ESC vision for IRM was defined with input from program and IRM staff, to guide the Agency's
IRM strategic planning efforts.  To define IRM's support for the Agency's mission, the Agency's
approach to its mission as embodied in the Agency's guiding principles, its initiatives, and in
legislative mandates was examined.  The matrix in Appendix B identifies the support each of the
IRM vision elements offers to the Agency's guiding principles and mission.
 16
                                                      IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                                  IRM VISION
  PUBLIC
  ACCESS
EPA WILL ACTIVELY DISSEMINATE AND PROVIDE ACCESS
TO ITS INFORMATION TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER ITS
PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC
The Agency will disseminate its information and ensure that the data is accessible through a variety
of ways: publications, electronic media, or person-to-person contact.  EPA will provide access
appropriate to the audiences, including: a directory of its information;  data organized into subject
areas such as facility identification, parent corporation, chemical abstract number, and spatial
location; and descriptive elements such as the original purpose, source, and limitations of the
information.  EPA will seek opportunities to work with other partners for efficient information
dissemination while EPA's policies will ensure appropriate security.

Mission Support:

"Since the inception of EPA over 20 years ago, the nature of environmental protection has become
increasingly complex.  It has become clear that all stakeholders must work together better to further
the nation's environmental goals." 8  As noted in the Agency Strategic Plan, EPA's partners will have
access to the appropriate types of EPA information to strengthen their efforts to protect the
environment and human health. Access to EPA information will provide:

    Empowered environmental justice and pollution prevention partners to prevent pollution;

    Improved academic partnerships with the Agency to promote better science;

    Increased Federal, state, local, and tribal governmental partners' capability to make
    environmental decisions;

    Improved corporate environmental decisions, thereby reducing long-term costs, potential
    liabilities, and public concern; and

    Empowered citizens to participate in  community environmental and human  health issues.

Active dissemination will ensure that the  general public and EPA's partners are  aware of potential
issues  and have the information necessary to make sound environmental decisions.  Accurate,  useful
information placed in the hands of the general public and EPA's partners promotes a market-based
approach—an approach in which environmentally-aware choices are made regarding technology and
products that move the country toward preventing pollution and protecting the environment. The use
of information by others will create  a valuable feedback mechanism regarding the quality and value
of EPA's data and will enable EPA to improve the quality and usefulness of its  data for future users.
       8    EPA's Five-Year Strategic Plan; The New Generation Of Environmental Protection, USEPA,
           Washington, D.C., July 1994, p. 28.


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IRM VISION
  EPA
  ACCESS
EPA EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE THE TECHNICAL RESOURCES
AND MEANS TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO
PERFORM THEIR DUTIES
EPA will provide employees with access to a minimum set of desktop computing resources and
communication tools, including voice and data communications, to ensure that they have the
information necessary to accomplish their duties. Employees will have the tools they need to access
a full range of information resources
including financial, programmatic,
environmental, economic, geographic, and
scientific information.  Access to this
information will be easy and transparent.
                       "We must allow the people who face decisions to
                       make decisions. We must do everything we can
                       to make sure that when our Federal workers
                       exercise their judgement, they are prepared with
                       the best information, the best analysis, and the
                       best tools we have to offer."
                                   Vice President Al Gore
                                   The Report of the National
                                   Performance Review
Employees will have desktop access to
information resources that encompass
Agency-internal holdings as well as the
holdings of EPA's partners.  Information
will be available in specialized form through
primary-use (program-specific) systems as
well as aggregate and cross-media forms.
Information will be organized based on common data identifiers such as facility identification (ID),
parent corporation, chemical abstract number, and spatial location.  The information will include
descriptions of the original purpose, source, and limitations.  EPA employees will have library-like
support to locate and obtain information in all forms, including database, text, and graphics records.
EPA will secure appropriate  information to prevent its inappropriate release.

Mission Support:

In order to guide comprehensive approaches to protect human health and the environment such as
ecosystem protection, pollution prevention, environmental justice, and environmental accountability,
EPA employees must be able to organize, combine and analyze information from many sources.
EPA's automated systems and databases, which are traditionally single media and/or
program-specific, were  not designed to support comprehensive, cross-media use.  EPA will manage
and organize its information assets to support aggregate and cross-media strategies such as
geographic targeting, ecosystem-wide planning, and integrated  cross-media approaches for key
economic  sectors. This will provide new and more powerful tools and technical  resources to  EPA's
scientific community, thus enhancing EPA's capability to perform sound science and providing a
broader  range  of data for decision making.

Access to  information and automated tools will enable many re-invention strategies. Frequently,
re-invention and streamlining are possible because electronic access to information allows
fundamental changes in processes.  EPA will provide its employees access to the information and
automated tools necessary to support re-invention at EPA.
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                                                        IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                                 IRM VISION
  DATA
  INTEGRATION
EPA WILL ENSURE ITS DATA CAN BE INTEGRATED TO
SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
EPA will standardize its key information identifiers to ensure that data from multiple sources can be
consolidated into subject areas such as industrial sector, facility identification, parent corporation,
chemical abstract number, spatial location, and taxonomy. The Agency will develop tools to
integrate and coordinate information reporting requirements,  analysis, and display of environmental
information.  To successfully integrate EPA's data, the  information needs of primary and secondary
users will be identified and considered when legislation, regulations, and data collection tools are
developed and modified.

Mission Support:

Integrated information is a key to EPA's success in implementing comprehensive strategies such as
ecosystems, pollution prevention, environmental justice, and  holistic environmental accountability.
To fully understand how to protect the environment and human health, EPA must have the ability to
conduct analysis across the spectrum of media and exposures.  Integrated data will facilitate these
analyses and thus, the implementation of the Agency's comprehensive approaches to environmental
protection.  Thus, integrated data is a key asset that the Agency and its partners can use to manage
and make environmental decisions. Access to integrated data will provide:

    EPA staff the ability  to conduct cross-media analyses to identify stressed or threatened
    ecosystems and identify and support the needs of affected communities and populations;

    The general public and EPA's partners the information so that they are able to make
    environmentally-sound decisions;

    EPA's  scientists with better organized and more useful Agency data;

    EPA's  staff and managers a better ability to aggregate and consolidate information to make
    informed decisions; and

    EPA the ability to target comprehensive enforcement actions across all media.

All disciplines will benefit from being able to easily access,  combine, and analyze information from
a variety of media and exposures.   Integrated information sources will permit the exploration and
understanding of issues more thoroughly and with a broader perspective than possible with a
single-program or single-media approach. The public and EPA's partners will benefit because they
can access  data organized into useful subject areas such as industrial  sector, parent corporation,
spatial location, and chemical abstract name, on a cross-media basis.  Integrated data will empower
EPA's current partners and be a key point in forming new information-based partnerships.
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IRM VISION
  ENVIRONMENTAL
  INFORMATION
EPA WILL EFFECTIVELY COLLECT AND MANAGE
THE INFORMATION THAT THE AGENCY AND ITS
PARTNERS REQUIRE IN ORDER TO MANAGE FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS
EPA will identify the information it needs to measure results and manage its work, determine gaps,
and actively seek new sources of information to fill the information gaps. EPA will only collect new
data to fill critical gaps that cannot be filled in other ways. EPA will foster data partnerships to
share information and to reduce the data collection and handling burdens of all parties. EPA will
develop the infrastructure necessary to use externally managed information and to exchange
information with its partners.  Data collection decisions will be enhanced as trained IRM personnel
help program managers determine data requirements and identify information resources as regulations
are written.
Mission Support:

"EPA must...collect, process, and analyze the information needed to ensure that it is managing for
and achieving real environmental results." 9 Managing for environmental results requires new and
different information from that which EPA has traditionally collected.  EPA's information systems
currently have substantial resource, program, and regulated community information, but staff often do
not have the information necessary to assess the results of the Agency's activities.  EPA and its
partners need this information to analyze and solve complex cross-media environmental problems.
EPA will identify and acquire or obtain access to
information so that EPA's managers and its partners
have the data they need to make sound decisions.
With this information, the Agency and its partners
will have the ability to plan strategically and
develop, operate, and evaluate programs based on a
clear understanding of environmental complexities.
                    "Management isn't about guessing, it's about
                    knowing.  Those in positions of responsibility
                    must have the information they need to make
                    good decisions."
                                Vice President Al Gore
                                The Report of the National
                                Performance Review
Management for environmental results requires that
information and information access be obtained and effectively managed to provide timely
information of known quality to those that must make the decisions that impact the environment.
This information, when placed in the hands of decision makers, supports ecosystem protection,
ensures environmental justice, and promotes compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
To effectively manage for environmental results, EPA will set environmental goals and assess its
progress toward achieving its goals.  This assessment will provide management with the ability to
refocus its efforts and resources  and ensure that EPA's activities are leading to real improvements in
the environment.
       9    EPA's Five-Year Strategic Plan; The New Generation Of Environmental Protection, USEPA,
           Washington, D.C., July 1994, p. 2.
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                                              IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                                 IRM VISION
   SOLID IRM
   FOUNDATION
EPA WILL ESTABLISH A SOLID IRM FOUNDATION TO
EFFICIENTLY MEET THE AGENCY'S EVOLVING MISSION AND
PROGRAM NEEDS
IRM must fulfill its part of EPA's pledge to "ensure integrity and effective management of its programs
and resources."  10 A solid IRM foundation utilizes sound information management tools, policies, and
standards which will be developed through an open participatory process involving all stakeholders.
These tools, policies, and standards include such things as integrated planning and budgeting,
performance measurements, and data standards to ensure maximum return on IRM investments.  A
solid IRM foundation will allow EPA to better fund ongoing operational needs, demonstrate financial
responsibility, secure funding for  Agency IRM goals, and ensure a solid IRM foundation for future
users of EPA's information resources.

EPA will maintain a strong Executive Steering Committee for IRM and a strong management champion
for IRM to guide its IRM program.  EPA will  strive to obtain the necessary resources to retain capable
and trained IRM staff who will ensure strong program IRM capabilities. Capable  staff will provide
information services, technology and telecommunications support, and basic information such as
demographic and geographic data to support users.

Mission Support:

As EPA's understanding of the complex world of environmental protection continues to evolve, the
Agency's success in achieving its goals will greatly depend upon sound information resource
management. EPA's information  resources are, and will remain, the one asset that can be used
repeatedly and in multiple ways, increasing in value with use—unlike many other  assets.

EPA will manage its information resources efficiently and effectively in order to provide a solid
foundation  for Agency and program use of information.  Sound IRM practices will ensure EPA has
well organized,  high quality information that can be accessed by everyone.  The availability of timely
and useful  information is critical in ensuring ecosystem protection, environmental justice, environmental
accountability, and strong science.  This information also educates and empowers the public and  EPA's
partners to  encourage pollution prevention and foster the exchange of data and innovative ideas.

Some tension will always exist between meeting specific short-term needs and the need to follow sound
IRM policies and procedures to provide for the long-term efficiency and effectiveness of information
management. The need for flexibility and innovation to meet pressing and/or unique short-term needs
must be balanced against the long-term benefits to  be gained from compliance with strong standards
and policies.  Because there is no single balance point between innovation and compliance with
standards, EPA will guide the management of information resources by maintaining a strong Executive
Steering Committee for IRM and a commitment to strong leadership and sound management of EPA's
information resources.
            Ibid., p. 3.
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 IRM VISION
  REDUCE
  REPORTING
  BURDEN            METHODS
EPA WILL IMPROVE ITS DATA COLLECTION QUALITY AND
REDUCE REPORTING BURDENS THROUGH INNOVATIVE
EPA will implement innovative data exchange methods to reduce the burden associated with collecting
and reporting data.  The innovative methods will include, but will not be limited to, Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), document imaging, and electronic forms.
EPA will utilize benchmarking techniques to measure its success in reducing the information providers'
data collection and reporting burden.  Data collection standards will be based on a cooperative process
that emphasizes the accuracy and usefulness of the data while recognizing that the Agency's IRM
decisions can define and establish standards for the market.  EPA will seek to leverage this impact to
the benefit of its information supplying partners.

Mission Support:

EPA has a wide range of complex reporting requirements that simultaneously impose burdens while
also providing valuable information about ecosystems and pollution that often are not otherwise
obtainable.  EPA recognizes the need to commit to keeping reporting burdens as low as possible while
collecting the information needed to protect human health and the environment.  Therefore, EPA will
strive to reduce reporting burdens and associated costs on the regulated community and other partners
through increased use of electronic exchange, elimination of duplicative reporting, better organization
of reports, and other innovative techniques.

By using new and innovative methods to exchange data, EPA will enhance its partnership with the
regulated community.  States, which are major data suppliers, will not only benefit from a reduced
reporting burden, they will be able to provide and access  information in a more timely and accurate
fashion than previously possible.  Innovative techniques such as electronic reporting will improve data
accuracy and integrity by eliminating  a significant source of errors: the re-keying of data from hard
copy reports into EPA systems. Eliminating re-keying errors will benefit efforts to improve
environmental science and data for EPA and its partners.

EPA's Common Sense Initiative is one on-going effort that encourages innovation and focuses on
bringing Government officials, environmentalists, and industry leaders together "to create strategies that
will work cleaner, cheaper,  and smarter" to protect human health and our natural resources.  This
initiative places an emphasis on harnessing the expertise of EPA's partners and stakeholders and  will
make environmental information collection easier on  industry.  Reporting will be easier, information
will be integrated, and duplication will be eliminated.

Many innovative methods of data exchange have also proven useful to large companies in their efforts
at re-invention and streamlining.  Many management experts believe that streamlining and re-invention
in the private sector are the realization of the cumulative cost savings from prior years of automated
techniques such as electronic data exchange.
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                                                                                 IRM VISION
  ELECTRONIC
  MANAGEMENT
EPA WILL MANAGE ELECTRONICALLY TO EMPOWER
STAFF, REDUCE COST, AND IMPROVE MANAGEMENT
RESULTS
EPA will use innovative electronic management methods to reduce paper consumption, time delays,
costs, and data quality problems.  EPA will use electronic forms and signatures to reduce the copying,
movement, and reliance on paper throughout the Agency's business and program processes.  The
Agency will electronically collect, process, disseminate, and store information.  EPA will develop
procedures to meet Federal requirements for creating and maintaining official records electronically.
This will allow EPA to substitute electronic storage for paper backup.

EPA will also investigate and implement appropriate electronic commerce techniques to facilitate work
with its business partners.  EPA will establish collaborative efforts with its internal and external
partners to implement  electronic information management.  Interoperability among the various parts of
the technology infrastructure will be required so that this process can proceed efficiently.

Mission Support:

EPA has "committed to reinventing its management systems and processes so that there is renewed and
continual emphasis on quality, efficiency, and integrity."  To do this, EPA has committed to "make full
use of advanced technologies to cut costs,  boost productivity, enhance communications, and speed the
flow of information." "  EPA requires accurate, complete, and timely data to fulfill its mission, support
Agency and programmatic activities, and meet its mandated requirements. Large amounts of data are
required by EPA's managers and partners in making decisions  for running the "business" of the Agency
as well as for protecting the environment.  The conversion from paper-supported decision making to
electronic-based decision making  empowers EPA and its partners to more effectively and efficiently
manage environmental activities and share innovative approaches and information to protect the
environment.

Electronic management will be a  major enabler of re-invention and streamlining at EPA.  The
substitution of electronic management for paper intensive processes will provide an opportunity to
redesign EPA's business processes with the goal of improving  results and reducing cost. Potential
improvements due to electronic management include eliminating process steps and eliminating
redundant processing, which will  reduce cost and process cycle time.  EPA's electronic management
focus will set an example for other government agencies to follow.

Electronic management techniques for sharing and managing information will provide tools to reduce
paper consumption.  For example, to support EPA's internal pollution prevention efforts, paper backups
could be eliminated by maintaining official records electronically.
        11    EPA's Five-fear Strategic Plan; The New Generation Of Environmental Protection, USEPA,
            Washington, D.C., July 1994, p. 38.


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 IRM VISION
  COMMUNICATIONS
                                  EPA WILL ENABLE "PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE"
                                  ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The People-to-people communication element envisions the development and maintenance of
state-of-the-art voice and electronic mail communication capabilities.  EPA will develop and implement
a technology infrastructure to ensure that these capabilities are fully integrated throughout the Agency.
In particular, EPA will develop a corporate Local Area Network (LAN) environment and maintain its
Wide Area Networks (WANs) to provide all EPA offices and partners with access to voice and
electronic mail.
                                                 "Empowerment ... is a disorderly and almost
                                                 meaningless gesture unless people doing the actual
                                                 work are given the tools and knowledge that self-
                                                 direction demands."
                                                             General Electric Executive Vice
                                                             President Frank Doyle
                                                             Reinventing Government Summit
The Agency will ensure that the network has
support services sufficient for the needs of
EPA staff.  The Agency will ensure that the
communication technologies are easy to use.
EPA will develop training and orientation
programs to ensure that staff have adequate
training and are empowered to use and
understand the available communications
capabilities.

Mission Support:

People-to-people communication is critical to the success of EPA and its partners in achieving its goals
because it enables individuals to communicate easily across organizational and geographic distances.
Communication is the underpinning for EPA's relationships with its partners. The connections with
EPA's partners further the dissemination of innovative solutions to environmental problems — they
facilitate technology transfer. Teamwork within EPA and between the Agency and its partners will be
greatly enhanced by better communication via LANs, WANs, and advanced voice systems.

EPA has  launched initiatives and established policies that require a solid foundation for communication
between the Agency and its partners.  The Common Sense Initiative encourages  the exchange of
information and solutions between EPA and its industry partners.  EPA's policy  for EPA/State
partnerships establishes a framework for the relationship between EPA and the States  in developing and
implementing effective environmental programs. This policy  is based on "open, honest, and frequent
communications" between EPA and its State partners.  Electronic communication capabilities are
essential to the success of these and other initiatives and policies.  These capabilities enhance EPA's
partners' ability to understand EPA decisions and provide EPA decision makers with crucial insights
from its partnership community.

Advanced electronic communication capabilities are also critical to the success of EPA's reengineering
and streamlining efforts.  Electronic communication capabilities will be the key to cementing together
the organizational structure  that will result from Agency streamlining efforts.
 24
                                                                               IRM Strategic Plan

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            Chapter 4
  OPERATING PRINCIPLES
IRM Strategic Plan                       25

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                                                                        OPERATING PRINCIPLES
OPERATING PRINCIPLES

EPA's six operating principles focus on three areas of behavior.  The first area is an enhanced
customer focus, rather than the traditional sole technical focus.  The second area is one of focus on
how we mange our information in terms of its value, our stewardship duties, and standardization.
The final area focuses on our management culture and the need to balance various requirements and
to avoid a culture of initiative "du jour."

EPA's Operating Principles will create the culture  change necessary to achieve the Agency's mission.
Each  operating principle is a formal statement of values, rules, or codes of conduct  that will be
adopted as part of EPA's "way of doing business." These operating principles set boundaries for
appropriate behavior and provide  guidelines and standards for decision  making.

These operating principles define  how the Agency will work together to reach its vision.  They will
bring consistency and cohesiveness to EPA's decentralized IRM community, and offer a higher
probability of success in accomplishing the Agency's mission.  As a regular part of the value system
of the Agency, these six operating principles will ensure that appropriate philosophies, values,
attitudes, and thinking are applied to the IRM decision making process of the Agency.

In defining these operating principles, EPA answered the  question:

                 What perceived  or actual characteristics of the
                 Agency's culture must we change in order to be
                 successful at achieving the IRM vision?
The Agency's operating principles describe
the desired behavior or value changes that
will create the optimal environment for
achieving the IRM vision.

The operating principles identify realistic,
achievable, understandable, and beneficial
attitudes that have universal application
across Agency programs and boundaries.

These operating principles reflect a
commitment by the IRM community to
change the way EPA conducts its day-to-
day business and they have the endorsement
of the Senior management of the  Agency.
The result of implementing these  operating
principles is  a customer-focused
organization  whose culture is mission-
driven, has the participation of all employees, and has a greater chance of success towards achieving
it's vision.
Realistic - The principles accurately reflect values, rules,
or codes of conduct that are advocated and actively
supported by upper management.

Achievable - The principles reflect a value or behavior
that can actually be  "performed" by targeted EPA staff
and will require little if any training.

Understandable/Succinct - The principles are clear and
understandable to the target audience.

Beneficial - The principles provide an identifiable benefit
to the Agency.

Consistent Across Organizational Boundaries - The
principles have the same interpretation at all
organizational levels across the Agency.
IRM Strategic Plan
                                                27

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OPERATING PRINCIPLES
   CUSTOMER
   FOCUS
EPA WILL FOCUS ON CUSTOMER NEEDS
Customer focus will be the watchwords for EPA.  EPA will identify its information customers.
Today, EPA has a good understanding of the primary customers of its programmatic and
administrative systems. A complete customer focus means EPA will also identify its secondary
customers, and their specific needs and uses for information.  Secondary customers can include both
internal and external users of EPA information.  Staff using Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data,
water permit data, and census data for an analysis are probably secondary users for some of the
information.  However, they are still important customers whose needs will be considered.

EPA will learn and consider the needs of its primary and secondary users, maintain open
communications with its customers, and avoid unilateral decisions without consulting our customers.
EPA's information customers will receive quality service and be considered at all stages of the
information lifecycle.  Everyone involved in the lifecycle of information, from regulation writers, to
system developers, to managers of programs will maintain a customer focus.

Therefore, EPA will increase its focus on accurately determining and confirming customer needs and
wishes.  EPA will confirm and validate with IRM customers often, to avoid potential misdirection of
IRM resources and functions.

Vision Support:

Only when EPA understands the needs of its information customers can EPA meet their needs.  As
customers' information needs are fulfilled they are empowered and educated to make wise decisions
which impact the environment.  The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) has proven this transforming
power of providing strategic information.  TRI has demonstrated that EPA has customers for
information beyond the traditional line staff.  Now EPA commits to focus on its customers and
provide the information services necessary to use the strategic power of information.

A customer focus will allow EPA to understand and meet the needs of customers working beyond
our traditional approaches. By focusing on customers, EPA's information resources can be more
effectively used, the return on investment improved, and comprehensive approaches to ecosystem
protection supported. This approach will  also ensure that EPA's information resources have value
and meet the needs of future users.
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                                                                   OPERATING PRINCIPLES
   STRATEGIC
   ASSET
EPA WILL MANAGE INFORMATION AS A STRATEGIC ASSET.
EPA commits to a new vision of information.  No longer will information be used primarily to track,
monitor, and record program activities.  EPA will recognize and harness the tremendous power of
information to transform itself, empower the public, and educate. EPA's managers will:
        •    manage information as an Agency asset,
        •    manage information as an essential element of their programs, and
        •    manage information strategically,  beyond "counting beans."
No longer will EPA information assets be held as the sole possession of individual programs.  While
program's  have a stewardship responsibility for the  information, they must see this in a larger context
than solely their own needs.  EPA managers will recognize that information is  a strategic asset that
has value to others and can be  used in a strategic fashion.  While EPA's information will continue to
serve the primary users of the information, EPA will also manage its information holdings to meet
the needs of the broader community of other Agency users, partners, and the public.  This change in
culture will require a transformation in how  EPA budgets for information systems, decides upon data
collection  strategies, and disseminates its information.  EPA's managers will ensure that as they
develop their programs, regulations, etc., that information resource issues are part of the issues
considered.  Managing EPA's information as a strategic Agency  asset demands the attention of all
EPA's senior managers.

Vision Support:

Managing EPA's information as an Agency asset will support the IRM Vision and the Agency's
mission in many ways. It will provide the culture and institutional rules to:
        •    support ecosystem and spatial analysis,
        •    transform EPA into an integrated  Agency,
        •    support holistic  approaches to environmental justice,
        •    support a sector approach to industry,
        •    allow greater return on our IRM investments,  and
        •    permanently alter  EPA's  ability to successfully fulfill it's mission.

Information managed as an Agency asset will allow EPA to move beyond a traditionally fragmented
approach to environmental protection  towards a new approach to integrate programs, empower
community-based approaches, educate the public, and improve ways  in which we do business in the
future.
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OPERATING PRINCIPLES
  INFORMATION
  STEWARDS
EPA ACCEPTS STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITY FOR
INFORMATION
Information produced and received by EPA is information entrusted to the Agency by the citizens of
this country.  EPA accepts responsibility as stewards of these information resources.  EPA is an
information agency. EPA does not produce widgets, maintain parks, or fight wars.  EPA's products
are information-based products, whether they be rules, environmental education, new science, or
enforcement actions.  Information is a common thread in all of EPA's work.  Thus, EPA will view
information management as a core function that is everyone's responsibility, and is essential to the
mission.

The role of stewardship requires EPA to treat information as an asset that has a long life.  EPA will
look beyond the immediate use of the information, realizing information collected, stored, reported,
and analyzed has usefulness long after the immediate need has ended.  Therefore, EPA will strive to
ensure it's information resources are of known quality, standardized, secure, and accessible.

As EPA's approach to protecting human health and the environment evolves from a media-based,
command and control approach to a cross-media approach, the IRM community will establish a
partnership among all units. The central IRM community's stewardship role is to create an
infrastructure of technology, systems, data, and management integrity that allows integrated work
across the Agency. The programs, which are stewards of the systems and data, will  accept the role
of steward of the data for all customers, present and future.  EPA's program and IRM staff will foster
working relationships that enhance and strengthen the stewardship of information throughout the
information lifecycle.

Vision Support:

EPA's acceptance of its stewardship role will  provide the foundation for EPA's vision of an
integrated, common sense approach to protection of the environment.  As EPA practices stewardship,
EPA's staff gain greater access to information that can be used more easily, with greater confidence,
and across traditional program barriers. As EPA builds a strong infrastructure and partnerships
among programs are formed, EPA and its partners will benefit from enhanced usefulness of
information.

Just as EPA's new approach to environmental protection will not occur overnight, so too it will take
many steps and much time to  instill a new information stewardship ethic. However, the benefits are
clear. Information that is cared for as an asset, that is treated as a trust for all staff,  EPA's partners,
and the public, is the ultimate weapon in EPA's mission to protect the environment.
30                                                                           IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                                     OPERATING PRINCIPLES
  DATA
  STANDARDS
EPA WILL STANDARDIZE ITS DATA
EPA commits to standardize its data, thereby increasing the value and usefulness of its information
resources.  EPA will;
        •   establish and adopt appropriate standards for its information resources,
        •   utilize standards throughout the lifecycle of information resources,
        •   allow diversity where appropriate, but
        •   prefer to use and embrace standards where possible.
The Agency will reward those who are compliant with standards, and assist those who are not.  In
effect, no longer will efforts to implement data standards bear the burden of proof.  Efforts to
standardize EPA's  information will be presumed the correct choice, unless clear  and convincing
evidence demonstrates why the data should not be standardized.

Vision Support:

Data standardization provides a multitude of clear advantages to EPA.  Data which is standardized is
data which:
        •   has greater value, because it can be used more widely and readily (quickly),
            lends itself to support of data integration, or comprehensive, cross-media solutions,
        •   is more easily maintained and adapted to meet new and changing requirements for
            environmental information,
        •   decreases the chances of inconsistent or contradictory data,
        •   makes the Agency's information resources more understandable, and
        •   reduces the potential for  data duplication.
As EPA is successful at applying data standards, the Agency will  gain many benefits.  First, EPA
will be able to integrate its information across program lines.  This supports the Agency's strategic
directions of dealing with sectors of industry, not separate media of a single plant.  It provides the
basis for using information to understand and protect ecosystems.  It supports environmental
accountability by facilities on a holistic basis.  Second, data standardization will allow EPA to
consolidate many of its  data collection requirements.  Consolidated data collection requirements  will
greatly reduce the  financial burden on information providers.  Data collection methods that are less
burdensome for data generators will promote data accuracy and improve partnerships.  Finally, data
standardization will enable EPA  to more effectively share information both  internally and externally.
Standardized data is  useful, understandable, and sharable.
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 OPERATING PRINCIPLES
  BALANCED
  APPROACH
EPA WILL PURSUE A BALANCED APPROACH TO THE
COMPETING NEEDS OF EFFICIENCY AND FLEXIBILITY
EPA is committed to achieving a balance between the often competing demands of efficient controls
and responsive innovation. EPA will seek efficient use of its information resources while maintaining
an ability to innovate, experiment, and respond to customer needs. To balance these competing needs,
EPA will:
        •    evaluate the costs and benefits of different technologies,
        •    remember that little things often become big things that count in the long run,
        •    ensure customers are the focus of services,
        •    allow the use of alternative or non-standard approaches where justified,
        •    exercise controls only at critical leverage points, such as those ensuring interoperability,
            data standardization, and data accessibility, and
        •    adhere to good management practices which demonstrate clear and convincing
            stewardship of all resources, while eliminating unnecessary, burdensome rules whose
            value is exceeded by the cost.
EPA will constantly strive to empower employees  with the necessary tools and support, while meeting
its responsibility to all information customers and ensuring the value and usefulness of its information
assets.

Vision Support:

A careful balance will ensure that EPA's employees have the tools and freedom necessary to use
information to accomplish their jobs. Empowered employees will be more productive, make better
decisions and support EPA's mission.  Programs will have the freedom and ability to respond to their
needs in a timely and effective fashion.  With a proper balance, employees are freed from
encumbering rules.  However, rules can also free people from having to make all the decisions when
some decisions are already made, and a manager can move on to other issues.

A careful balance also allows EPA to ensure the usefulness of its information resources. The prudent
use of key leverage points will ensure that EPA advances data integration, reusability, and
accessibility. EPA's employees are  also  served best when technology is transparent to users, when
they don't have to learn new technology  for similar work with each new position.

Finally, EPA's mission is  advanced most when EPA makes efficient use of its funds in all aspects of
its work.  EPA, as a public funded agency, must demonstrate the highest attention to stewardship of its
financial, information, and human resources. EPA cannot attract the necessary resources to do  its job
if the public, Congress,  and others are not comfortable with the Agency's  ability to effectively use
those resources. Through careful balancing of controls and empowerment, EPA will demonstrate it
deserves the support of all.
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                                                                    OPERATING PRINCIPLES
  STAY
  THE
  COURSE
EPA WILL CONSISTENTLY SUPPORT LONG-TERM GOALS
EPA will "stay-the-course" on long-term efforts by embracing quality strategic planning for IRM
resources at all levels of the organization. The Agency will view these strategic plans as working
documents, and use them to guide the implementation of information resources.  EPA recognizes that
each tactical step is an important part of the whole, and commits to a focus on long-term visions for
IRM. The  Agency's IRM strategic plans will align resources, skills and strategies to support the
long-term visions of the Agency's IRM program, and the Agency's Strategic Plan.  EPA will avoid
operating in a reactive mode, and strive to achieve long-term results.  EPA will continually review
and measure the value and success of our information resources, and quantify their support of the
Agency's mission and goals.

Vision Support:

Only through proper planning and forethought can EPA achieve its long range vision for the Agency.
Mission-based information and technology architectures, a solid IRM foundation, data integration,
and external access capabilities take time to become a reality.  By committing to stay the course,
EPA's vision  of IRM supporting the Agency will be accomplished.  Adequate and appropriate
planning will help  eliminate funding shortages for IRM initiatives, and avoid duplicative,
incremental, and independent IRM implementations.  Effective and consistent planning will ensure
long-term financial support. Long-term planning and budgeting will establish more accountability for
IRM projects, and help managers look at the entire life cycle of information and systems.  Adequate
tracking will  enable EPA to account for  its IRM expenditures,  and enable the Agency to measure and
learn from  successes and  failures. Appropriate consideration of IRM in the legislation process guides
EPA towards strategic use of information.

EPA's mission and vision are not accomplished overnight. EPA conducts research that may take
years, yet is necessary to  lay a sound foundation for the strategies, laws, and regulations EPA will
adopt to protect the environment and human health. A long-term commitment to management of
EPA's information  resources is essential  to  the Agency's long-term commitment to  the environment.
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           Chapter 5

          CORE
    IMPLEMENTATION
       STRATEGIES
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                                                  CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
  CORE
  IMPLEMENTATION
  STRATEGIES
THE CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES SET THE
DIRECTION FOR THE AGENCY IN IMPLEMENTING ITS
IRM VISION.
The following core implementation strategies define the areas in which the Agency must focus its
activities to successfully implement its IRM vision. EPA has defined its core implementation
strategies to focus the Agency's efforts and direct its resources to fully implement the Agency's IRM
vision.  These strategies represent the specific actions the Agency will take to achieve the direction
defined by the IRM vision.
   >  PUBLIC ACCESS STRATEGY
   +  PUBLIC ACCESS METHODS
   >  INFORMATION LOCATOR
   +  KEY IDENTIFIER STANDARDS
   *  SPATIAL ANALYSIS SYSTEMS
   »>  TARGETED TRAINING
   *  DESKTOP CAPABILITIES
   >  DATA REQUIREMENTS
            EXTERNAL CONNECTIVITY
            INTEGRATED PLANNING
            PERFORMANCE MEASURES
            SENIOR MANAGEMENT ATTENTION
            STAFFING FOR IRM
            ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION
            PAPERLESS PROCESS
            SOUND IRM INFRASTRUCTURE
BACKGROUND

The core implementation strategies presented on the following pages describe the initial and crucial
steps EPA must undertake to achieve the goals of the IRM vision.  These core implementation
strategies  are the building blocks that establish the foundation — the IRM vision — to support the
mission of the Agency.  The chart in Appendix C illustrates the relationships between the core
implementation strategies and the IRM vision.

To ensure that these strategies align with the direction of the Agency and are achieving their
intended purpose, the Agency will evaluate the ongoing activities for each of these strategies. The
implementation status and appropriate funding for the core implementation strategies will be
reviewed periodically to demonstrate that EPA is acting as a wise steward of its resources.
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
  PUBLIC
  ACCESS
  STRATEGIES      PUBLIC ACCESS
  EPA WILL ESTABLISH A POLICY AND STRATEGY FOR
To increase the public's involvement in environmental decisions, EPA will establish a policy and
strategy for improving the public's access to, and understanding of, environmental information.  The
public access policy will demonstrate a clear commitment to disseminating environmental
information and set the priority for public access within EPA's activities.  The public access policy
statement will address access costs, access equality, environmental justice needs, ethics, partnerships,
and security. The strategy will define roll-out steps (e.g., notifying data providers that their
information will be accessible and actively disseminated), access methods (e.g., RTK Net, Internet),
dissemination methods (e.g., news media and public information centers), implementation costs and
options, and user support options.  EPA will announce a set of Agency initiatives in support of the
public access strategy.

Vision Support:

Establishing a policy statement on Public Access and Information Dissemination will guide Agency
efforts to ensure that a public  access and information dissemination program is implemented. An
implementation strategy demonstrates commitment by senior management to the effort and
communicates the importance of including public access considerations in all EPA information
resource management activities.
  PUBLIC
  ACCESS
  METHODS
EPA WILL ESTABLISH A TARGETED SET OF METHODS FOR
PUBLIC ACCESS TO EPA INFORMATION
EPA will reduce the effort required to access and obtain Agency information.  EPA has developed
many innovative methods of information dissemination and will continue to explore new approaches
while public access policy and targeted access methods are developed.  To improve EPA services,
the Agency will define and establish public access methods targeted to  key audiences and for specific
types of material.  For example, EPA will develop methods for disseminating reports on
environmental indicators that target the appropriate audience for these indicators.  EPA will establish
Agency-wide public access methods and form a consolidated strategy for marketing EPA's
information.

EPA will establish an electronic, integrated cross-media access tool (e.g., RTK Net, Gateway, etc.)
for use by the general public to  access basic environmental data.  Electronic access methods such as
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                                                       CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Internet, commercial on-line services, and bulletin boards will be available and targeted to the
appropriate audiences.

The Agency will also offer non-electronic interfaces to provide  access to, and dissemination of, EPA
information.  EPA will establish an expanded Public Information Center (PIC) in a highly visible,
high traffic area at the new EPA Headquarters location as soon as possible.  All Agency PICs,
through coordination with the Agency libraries, will serve as "storefront" information distribution
outlets at each Agency site.  Bulk dissemination of publications, disks, CD ROM, and other
appropriate media will be managed through a centralized distribution service to minimize cost and
ensure distribution expertise.

Vision Support:

EPA's information dissemination activities will no longer be a fragmented process characterized by
multiple uncoordinated contact points.  The fragmented nature of the Agency's dissemination
activities has served to frustrate public access efforts. Investment in a set of specific access and
dissemination methods for electronic, "storefront," and bulk distribution of EPA information will
improve public access and help to  reduce costs. EPA will also be able to identify the methods that
most  accurately target the experience level and information requirements of those requesting
information.
   INFORMATION
   LOCATOR
EPA WILL ESTABLISH AN INFORMATION LOCATOR FOR
THE AGENCY'S INFORMATION
A locator, like a card catalog, answers the question: "What is available and where is it?"  EPA will
establish a locator capability to facilitate searches of EPA information by EPA staff, the public, and
other partners.  EPA will compile a comprehensive inventory of its information assets using existing
inventories such as the Information Systems Inventory (ISI), Access EPA, On-Line Library System,
and card catalogs. The locator, like a card catalog, will be indexed in a meaningful fashion (e.g. by
facility, geographic area, commercial products, corporation, chemical, etc.). The inventory of EPA
information assets will provide  descriptive information (metadata) regarding the original purpose,
source, and  limitations of the data.  The locator services will be compatible with the Government
Information Locator  Service (GILS) and provide pointers to external locator systems such as National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) locator system.

Vision Support:

A locator system is fundamental to any effort to provide the public and EPA's partners with access to
Agency information.  In order for information to be accessible, both internal and external users must
be able to identify what exists and where it can be located.  The locator system will provide library
type support to locate and obtain the information necessary for all users of environmental data.
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
  KEY
  IDENTIFIER
  STANDARDS         STANDARDS
EPA WILL IMPLEMENT KEY IDENTIFIER DATA
EPA will validate, implement, and enforce the following key identifier data standards:
       •   Facilities/Sites (Facility Identification),
       •   Spatial locations (latitude and longitude),
       •   Regulated substances,
       •   Industrial sectors (Standard Industrial Codes (SIC)),
       •   Chemicals (CAS),
       •   Groundwater minimum set of data elements, and
       •   Organizations (Dun and Bradstreet).

For each key identifier, EPA will develop individual implementation strategies and will prioritize
their implementation.  The Agency will pay careful attention to the scope of these implementation
efforts.  EPA will identify other critical, widely used information areas where standardization of data
identifiers would provide wide benefits.

This implementation strategy will be pursued on an Agency-wide basis to provide the incentive and
support necessary for individual offices to budget for this effort.  Agency-wide implementation of
these standards will maximize the benefits to individual Agency offices, our external partners, and
the general public.

EPA will utilize its budget, planning, procurement, and grant processes to ensure that both internal
and external data  suppliers comply with the data identifier standards.  The Agency will utilize
mechanisms such as cross-media reports developed from disparate databases to check and determine
success in the use of key identifier data standards.

Vision Support:

EPA's information cannot be easily used by secondary users in its current fragmented, non-integrated
state. Secondary users often need access to information that is grouped in aggregate and/or cross-
media forms and organized according to common identifiers such as facility identification (ID),
chemical abstract number, or spatial location.  Implementing the data identifier standards will allow
internal and external users secondary use of information.  Use of common information identifiers will
enable EPA and its partners to effectively access and combine the financial, programmatic, and
environmental information needed to manage for environmental results at all levels.
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                                                      CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
The use of common data identifiers will also permit the Agency to collect and disseminate
environmental data more effectively. For example, integrated reports on the state of the environment
would be easier to produce and disseminate from an aggregated, cross-media data group than from
several disjointed program-specific data sources.  By using common data identifiers, partners such as
states, will be able to easily access and combine EPA and state data to produce state and local
reports.  This ability to combine data facilitates such efforts as the production of "report cards"  on
the environment.

Implementing and enforcing standards for key identifiers will allow EPA to integrate reporting
requirements. The ability to integrate reporting requirements will ease the burden on EPA's partners
by not asking them for the same data in multiple formats and by consolidating reporting.

This core implementation strategy is required to ensure full implementation of five of the eight  IRJVI
vision elements.  This strategy is critical to ensuring public access to EPA data, access by EPA staff
to the data they need to do their jobs, the ability to collect and manage data to achieve environmental
results, and the reduction in the reporting burden for EPA's partners.  It is one of the most
fundamental strategies for the  implementation of the Data Integration IRM vision element:  "EPA
will ensure its data can be integrated to support comprehensive environmental protection and public
access to environmental information."
   SPATIAL
   ANALYSIS
EPA WILL PROVIDE ITS EMPLOYEES WITH THE
CAPABILITIES TO ANALYZE LOCATION-SPECIFIC,
MULTI-MEDIA PROBLEMS AND MANAGE GEOGRAPHIC
INITIATIVES
EPA is undergoing an evolutionary change to focus on locations in addition to its traditional focus on
programs. The Agency needs new analytical and management approaches to support this evolution.
Regardless of whether the "location" is an ecosystem in need of protection or an urban area in need
of restoration, EPA must improve the manner in which it brings together the location's health,
environmental, regulatory, and socio-economic data.

EPA will provide a full set of geographic management and analysis capabilities to all employees who
need it.  In order to provide these capabilities,  the Agency will  make the necessary data accessible in
useable formats and distribute analytical approaches for interpreting that data.  Agency policies
regarding data collection, documentation, and transfer will support these goals.  EPA will coordinate
its efforts, to the extent possible, with GIS initiatives in other Federal agencies.

EPA cannot provide the full set of geographic  management capabilities to its partners due to cost.
However,  EPA will provide access to geographic management data, provide analytical approaches to
EPA partners, and share basic training and developments. EPA will examine the forms of
geographic information management support that the Agency currently provides in order to be sure
that they conform to this core implementation  strategy.  EPA will also provide locational information
to the public in a convenient and user-friendly  format.
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Vision Support:

The EPA's most important internal information goal is the integration of all data that pertains to a
specific spatial location.  All users who make judgements about spatial locations need to have access
to locational data of known accuracy and appropriate analytical tools. This core implementation
strategy must be implemented in close conjunction with the fourth core implementation strategy:
"EPA Will Implement Key Identifier Standards."
   TARGETED
   TRAINING
EPA WILL ESTABLISH A TARGETED IRM TRAINING AND
ORIENTATION PROGRAM
EPA will establish training and orientation programs to ensure that its information resources are
utilized as efficiently and effectively as possible.  EPA will establish information resources training
for three specific audiences: EPA employees, IRM staff, and regulation writers.  EPA employee
training will focus on providing awareness of EPA's information stewardship roles and information
partnership roles and using data locators to find information.  IRM staff training will include the
skills IRM staff need to understand the concerns of the regulation development community and work
together with regulation writers to identify information sources.  Training for regulation writers will
include information on internal and external information resources.

EPA will continue to invest in providing technical assistance to its partners.  Emphasis will be placed
on providing assistance to state partners, because they are co-implementors of many EPA programs.
EPA will work to provide its partners with access to EPA's IRM expertise.

The Agency will also provide appropriate IRM training to the public.  The training will provide
awareness of the environmental information available inside and outside the Agency and provide
information about accessing EPA's resources.  EPA will investigate innovative ways to provide
training to the public within available resources.

Vision Support:

Training programs are effective agents of cultural change that can improve EPA's ability to
implement the Agency's IRM Strategic  Plan. Well trained staff will be able to use information
resources and technology effectively and efficiently to manage for environmental results.  An
IRM-knowledgeable EPA workforce will be better information stewards.  Data collection decisions
will be enhanced as trained IRM personnel help program managers determine data requirements and
identify information resources as regulations are developed.

A carefully constructed training program will ensure that the public and EPA partners know how to
identify, locate, and access EPA's information and services.  A knowledgeable public will be more
effective in using Agency  information and other IRM resources and will deal with the Agency from
an informed perspective.
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                                                     CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
  DESKTOP
  CAPABILITIES
EPA WILL PROVIDE ITS EMPLOYEES WITH THE
ESSENTIAL SET OF DESKTOP CAPABILITIES
EPA will provide its employees with a core set of desktop computing and communications tools to
access EPA information. EPA will establish a list of recommended minimum computing and
communications tools (along with available options) that are targeted to user responsibilities. The
Agency will also define the relative priorities of each desktop capability.

In general, "essential" desktop capabilities are presumed to be a baseline capability (e.g., a PC
capable of word processing, LAN connectivity, Internet access, and voice communications) and any
special tools necessary for an employee's job function. (A small number of employees' jobs do not
require computers; however, the presumption will be that all employees need desktop capabilities
unless clear and specific reasons indicate that computers  are not necessary.)

The Agency will continuously upgrade its employees' desktop capabilities as necessary to provide
access to Agency-standard applications and meet an individual users' special needs.  EPA will also
institute a corporate approach to LAN installation, service, and support to provide the basic
infrastructure for electronic communications and workgroup  software for document sharing.

Vision Support:

A core set of desktop computing and communications tools will empower EPA's workforce by
providing them with the access to information that is necessary to accomplish the Agency's mission.
EPA's ability to provide its personnel with core computing and communications capabilities is critical
to achieving the Agency's Electronic Management IRM vision element.  EPA cannot mange
electronically if some of its staff cannot access the electronic environment. EPA's basic computing
capabilities and electronic network will enable effective communications within the Agency and
between the Agency and its external partners.
   DATA
   REQUIREMENTS
   EPA WILL DEFINE DATA REQUIREMENTS, GAPS, AND
   ALTERNATIVE SOURCES
EPA will clearly identify what data is required to meet specific Agency and program goals.  By
comparing the set of currently available data with the set of data required to meet specific Agency
and program needs, the Agency will be able to identify two types of data: data that is needed but is
not currently available (i.e., data gaps); and data that should no longer be collected.
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
The Agency will identify possible sources for data that is not currently available, with an emphasis
on access to alternative sources rather than new data collection efforts. EPA will then establish
access or collection mechanisms to secure required data.

The efforts necessary to define data requirements, gaps, and alternative sources are an essential part
of defining the current and future (or target) Agency data architecture.  These efforts will be carried
out on a regular basis.  Careful attention will be given to defining the purposes of the data to be
collected and to quality assurance concerns.

These efforts will be carried out in close coordination with EPA's partners.  In order to fulfill this
core implementation strategy, programs must define their specific data requirements, currently
available data, and potential data sources. The Agency will pay special attention to critical
information that is used by a range of programs.  EPA will define specific data requirements,
currently available data, and potential data sources for the information needed for EPA-wide,
government-wide, or international analyses.  EPA will  focus its efforts on defining information that
can be used at differing scales to meet a variety  of needs. Information that will be  used on an
Agency-wide basis will be collected or obtained through an Agency effort, not through
program-specific efforts.

EPA will carefully coordinate with its partners, especially other Federal agencies and the states, to
build the base layers of information needed to support  geographically oriented analysis and decision
making.  Examples of base information that are important to EPA include social, economic,
demographic, and industrial sector information, as well as information on the condition of ecological
and environmental resources.  While some information sharing among EPA partners is occurring,
EPA will work to increase information sharing.

EPA will continue efforts to coordinate environmental  data issues with other agencies and countries
through activities such as  sponsoring the Interagency Group on Environmental Data and participating
in the Interagency Sustainable Development Indicators Initiative.  EPA will continue its work with
Federal data standards groups and other bodies which assist EPA in defining and meeting its
information needs.

Vision Support:

Before EPA can establish access to the  information it needs, it must identify its information
requirements and information sources.  Access to needed information is essential to all facets of
environmental decision making,  including reporting on the state of the environment, defining and
measuring progress on environmental goals, and developing strategic plans.  Access to appropriate
information will support EPA and its partners' efforts at the international, national, regional, state,
and local levels.  This information will  provide critical support for EPA and its partners' activities
related to managing for environmental results, environmental justice, ecosystem protection, and
pollution prevention.

By carefully evaluating data requirements and collection efforts and emphasizing the use of existing
data, EPA will reduce the potential for duplicative data collection and therefore use its resources  in a
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                                                    CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
more cost-effective manner.  The efforts required to define Agency data requirements will reduce the
data reporting burden on EPA's partners.  EPA will be able to analyze its data collection activities to
ensure that its partners are not reporting unnecessary or duplicate data.
  EXTERNAL
  CONNECTIVITY
   EPA WILL ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS
   TO EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND OTHER SOURCES TO
   ACCESS NEEDED DATA
EPA will establish methods for access to external partners' data, including other Federal, state, tribal,
local, and international agencies, and commercial sources.  Access methods will include electronic
connectivity through direct telecommunications links, public access mechanisms like Internet, and
EDI. Purchasing methods will be identified for acquiring IRM resources, data, and materials from
commercial and non-commercial sources.  Connectivity will be enhanced by a locational base of
information, maintained by EPA's libraries, regarding the information available from other agencies
and other sources.

Vision  Support:

Establishing linkages will ensure timely, easy access to a full spectrum of information resources.
Knowledge of the existence or availability of these resources will reduce duplicate data collection.
Essentially, EPA will be part of the National effort to build the data  superhighway which will benefit
all EPA's partners and EPA as information is made more easily available.  Improved external
connectivity will also ease the burden of reporting requirements on groups that provide much of
EPA's data—states and tribes.
  INTEGRATED
  PLANNING
EPA WILL INTEGRATE IRM PLANNING WITH THE BUDGET
PROCESS
EPA will integrate IRM planning and the budget process and will establish IRM line items in each
office budget.  To create better accountability for IRM spending, IRM projects will be consistent
with approved IRM plans and budgets. EPA will establish a working capital fund to reduce year to
year funding problems for major IRM cost centers.  The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the
Designated Senior IRM  Official will have responsibility for directing this process.   Senior Budget
Officers (SBOs) will coordinate with the  Senior Information Resources Management Officers
(SIRMOs) in the program offices.

Vision Support:

Integration of IRM planning and the Agency's budget process will fulfill Federal requirements,
ensure that Agency IRM initiative funding decisions are clearly understood and made by  senior
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
management, and ensure that IRM is planned and accounted for as an essential element of program
initiatives and operations.  This core implementation strategy also provides a process to ensure IRM
projects are planned in light of budget constraints, and that IRM funding needs are considered during
budget preparation. Integration of IRM planning and the budget process can also improve the
Agency's ability to enforce standards and manage its information assets.
  PERFORMANCE
  MEASURES
  EPA WILL ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS
EPA will establish performance measurement criteria for the Agency's IRM program and IRM
initiatives. Performance measurements will be used to measure the progress of the Agency toward
implementing the vision established for the management of EPA's information resources and
ultimately in fulfilling its IRM mission. These performance measures will focus on the outputs and
outcomes of the information management efforts in support of the Agency guiding principles, with
specific emphasis on customer satisfaction, efficiency, and stewardship.  EPA will establish
measurement criteria in order  to gather data that is quantifiable, relevant, reliable, standard, and
verifiable. A "Report Card" will be generated to show EPA's accomplishments, document success at
meeting planned objectives, lessons learned, and recommendations for future improvements.
Benchmarking partnerships with other Federal and private partners will be used to provide IRM
managers with standards to evaluate their services and stewardship roles, allowing internal processes
to be modified as necessary to achieve successful results.

Vision Support:

Performance measurements will enable the Agency to determine how successful the management of
EPA's information resources has been in achieving the IRM vision and supporting the mission and
guiding principles of the Agency.  These measures provide  the Agency with the ability to make
appropriate adjustments to ensure a solid foundation and efficient use of Agency resources in
meeting the needs of the Agency and programs. Performance measures support the GPRA
orientation on results based outputs or outcomes rather than results based on inputs, i.e., how much
was spent.
  SENIOR
  MANAGEMENT
  ATTENTION          ATTENTION TO IRM
EPA WILL INCREASE SENIOR LEVEL MANAGEMENT
EPA will make four key efforts to increase senior level attention to IRM.  EPA will establish a Chief
Information Officer (CIO), responsible for Agency-wide IRM, with mission critical duties at an
Assistant Administrator level.  EPA will continue current efforts to maintain a viable Executive
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                                                    CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Steering Committee for IRM to guide IRM planning and decision making.  The CIO will establish a
Data Administrator to guide use of data as an Agency asset. EPA will continue an external
stakeholders group of senior managers to obtain and consider the needs of stakeholders.

Vision Support:

By these measures, EPA will convey the importance of IRM to the success of the Agency's mission
and increase the management of information resources as an Agency asset.  A senior management
champion and an  Executive Steering Committee will ensure IRM is well managed and meets mission
needs.
  STAFFING
  FOR IRM
EPA WILL STRIVE TO ENSURE ADEQUATE AGENCY STAFFING
FOR IRM
EPA will ensure that adequate staff resources are available to devote sufficient time to IRM issues
and that IRM staff have the background and capabilities necessary to meet the IRM needs of the
Agency.  EPA programs will train or otherwise acquire adequate IRM staff with the necessary skills
to guide program implementation of IRM initiatives and ensure adequate user support. EPA
programs will work to budget for appropriate staff to support IRM activities.

Vision Support:

By ensuring that Agency IRM staffing needs are met, EPA will improve its ability to meet Federal
and Agency IRM requirements and ensure adequate institutional IRM skills are developed and
retained.
  ELECTRONIC
  DATA
  COLLECTION      RECEIVE DATA FROM PROVIDERS
   EPA WILL EXPAND THE USE OF ELECTRONIC METHODS TO
EPA will establish procedures and guidance, especially within the regulation development process, to
encourage electronic data transfer. EPA will create effective electronic reporting mechanisms and
expand their use. EPA will adopt non-proprietary and widely used electronic reporting mechanisms
to ensure the widest possible use.  EPA will continue to  explore and pilot use of EDI as one means
of electronic reporting.
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CORE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Vision Support:

Fully utilizing electronic approaches to transferring data will ease the burden on information
generators by establishing a lower cost method for transmitting data.  This process will also increase
the accuracy and usefulness of captured data by eliminating potential errors from re-keying of the
data submitted.
  PAPERLESS
  PROCESS
EPA WILL IMPLEMENT PAPERLESS PROCESSES FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS
EPA will review active or planned reengineering efforts and other internal processes to identify an
opportunity to implement electronic management practices in a highly paper-intensive business
process. If a reengineering project is selected, EPA IRM staff will work with the reengineering team
to define the project scope and goals.  EPA will automate at least one process from "cradle to grave"
to demonstrate the potential of eliminating paper forms in appropriate situations. EPA will also pilot
electronic commerce projects with external partners.  The external pilot will collect, process,
disseminate and store information so that EPA need not exchange hard copy documents or perform
duplicate data entry.

Vision Support:

The first step toward electronic management of EPA is to actually select and implement an electronic
solution to an existing manual, paper-based process.  This project will serve as a learning process for
reengineering efforts, and demonstrate the benefits of electronic management in achieving the
paperless office. EPA's efforts toward reengineering are critical in supporting the Agency's Common
Sense initiative. EPA will be able to reengineer and move toward electronic management in support
of the Agency's efforts to work "cleaner,  cheaper, and smarter."
  SOUND IRM
  INFRASTRUCTURE
       EPA WILL MAINTAIN AND UPDATE ITS
       INFRASTRUCTURE, AS NECESSARY, TO SUPPORT
       THE IRM VISION STRATEGIES
EPA will plan for and manage its IRM infrastructure to allow the Agency to embrace its guiding
principles and utilize comprehensive approaches for protecting human health and the environment.
EPA's IRM infrastructure will provide direction to program offices as they migrate from single media
environmental programs and systems to cross-media programs and systems.  Equally as important,
the Agency's IRM infrastructure will help guide program office technology purchases to ensure
compatibility  with other Agency IRM investments and data integration efforts.
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Many of the Agency's systems are aging and will require major redesign to upgrade them in the
coming years. This upgrading will be important not only to maintain the functionality for the
systems' users, but to better enable the Agency to meet its other IRM goals. Without adequate long-
term support  for our base information systems, new initiatives will clearly fall short of our
expectations.  This also requires the continuing development of a technical planning process to define
and select the appropriate infrastructure.

Vision Support:

Upgrading EPA's information systems will require substantial investments in the Agency's
infrastructure including: LANs, WANs, and capacity.  These purchases will also enable EPA to
support other Agency IRM vision elements such as Public Access, Communications, Data
Integration, and Electronic Management.

SUPPORT OF VISION ELEMENTS

The matrix in Appendix C indicates the relationship between each  core implementation strategy and
each of the eight IRM vision elements. An implementation strategy  can have one of three possible
relationships  with a vision element.  A core implementation strategy  can:
    •   be essential to the vision element's implementation; that is, the vision cannot be
        accomplished without the implementation of this core strategy;
    •   directly support a vision element's implementation by providing key capabilities, tools, or
        information necessary to the full achievement of the  vision;  or
    •   indirectly support a vision element's implementation  by providing basic capabilities that
        allow greater achievement of the vision.

Every core implementation strategy is related in some way to every vision element.
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                             49

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           Chapter 6
      PERFORMANCE
  MEASUREMENT AREAS
IRM Strategic Plan                      51

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                                                      PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
INTRODUCTION

EPA is committed to measuring the progress of its core IRM implementation strategies and projects
to assess its success in supporting the Agency     	
and programs.  Measuring progress is an
accepted tool of good management—"if you
don't measure results, you can't tell  success
     „ .,    .. i,                                   considerations of input—how much money do we
from failure.
                                                  It may seem amazing to say, but like many big
                                                  organizations, ours is primarily dominated by
                                                  spend on a program, how many people do you have
                                                  on the staff, what kind of rules and regulations are
                                                  going to govern it; and much less by output—does
                                                  this work, is it going to change people's lives for the
                                                  better?

                                                          President Bill Clinton
                                                          Remarks at the signing ofGPRA: 8/3/93
As part of the Agency's commitment to
measuring performance, EPA has been engaged
in multi-agency efforts to identify the best
methods for measuring the performance of IRM
within a Federal agency. One key to successful
measurement is understanding IRM's role as a
support function—IRM provides support to
programs  which, in turn, work toward fulfilling
the Agency's mission.  By themselves, IRM efforts generally do not fulfill an agency's
mission—information resources are one of many types of resources that collectively support program
objectives. Consequently, while measuring performance for programs can be a difficult process,
measuring the performance of a support function such as IRM adds an additional layer of difficulty
to performance measurement.  Experience within other agencies has shown that the most  successful
IRM performance measurement programs are those closely  tied to an agency-wide performance
measurement process.  Most IRM measurement efforts measure the IRM support function in terms of
its effectiveness and efficiency in contributing to the success of the Agency's programs.

Successful performance measurement for IRM requires the  involvement of all the Agency's
customers, stakeholders, and partners.  To fully engage this process, the entire IRM community must
be committed to identifying performance indicators and measurement goals for their organization and
gathering  and analyzing performance data.

Measuring EPA's IRM performance will be an iterative process.  The steps to implementing this
process within EPA will include:
    •   defining the areas  in which the Agency will measure performance,
    •   identifying the audience—the customer—for each measurement area,
    •   identifying the corresponding detailed performance measures and  suites of measures,
    •   gathering performance data, and
    •   refining the measures so that they are truly indicative of success.
            David Osbourne and Ted Gaebler, Reinventing Government (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1992).
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                              53

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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
EPA's IRM performance measurement process will be based on the strategic vision elements defined
for information resources management within the Agency. Initially, the Agency will begin to
measure the progress of the projects that are specifically aimed at the strategic vision elements,
including public access and data integration.  The Agency will measure the effectiveness of its IRM
solutions to determine if these IRM projects are being accomplished according to plan and if the
approach selected is achieving the strategic vision.

This chapter represents the Agency's first step in establishing a successful IRM performance
measurement program. EPA has begun its performance measurement program by identifying the
initial IRM performance measurement areas by vision element needed to establish a framework for
measuring the IRM contribution to the Agency's mission and the satisfaction of IRM customers.
This chapter describes the areas identified by EPA for which performance will be measured and for
which detailed indicators  and  performance goals will be defined.  These performance measurement
areas focus on customer satisfaction as a primary method of measuring success.

Based on the measurement areas defined in this plan, EPA's next task is to  develop specific
performance indicators and measurement goals.  The challenge will be to implement appropriate
performance measurement systems that provide quantifiable, relevant, reliable, standard, and
verifiable results that reinforce the desired outcomes.  The information to be gathered for
performance measures must also be feasible: it must be captured within the time, resource, and
organizational constraints of the Agency.

EPA will work with the Agency's IRM customers to define specific indicators and measurement
goals to be used as performance measures for the performance measurement areas. EPA will  choose
one crucial area identified by  its customers and build its success in measuring performance. As EPA
becomes more knowledgeable about the process and collects data in the selected areas, the Agency
will revise, enhance, and/or replace performance indicators as necessary. The Agency  will add
additional measurement goals as it moves forward in its Agency-wide performance measurement
process.
54                                                                             IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                  PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
         IRM STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS

            Public Access
                »•   Improved customer ability to access EPA information
                *•   Increased customer satisfaction with access provided
                >   Increased value of EPA information to customers

            EPA Access
                >   Increased customer knowledge and use of available tools
                *   Increased customer satisfaction with access to EPA information
                    and available tools
                »•   Increased value of EPA information to decision makers

            Data Integration
                *•   Increased ability to integrate information resources

            Environmental Information
                *   Increased ability to assess progress of programs in achieving
                    environmental goals at all levels

            Solid IRM Foundation
                *   Improved quality of EPA's IRM program in relation to industry's
                    IRM best practices
                »   Improved management satisfaction with IRM stewardship and
                    governance

            Reduce Reporting Burden
                *•   Improved stakeholders' satisfaction with reporting process
                *•   Reduced burden on reporting community
            Electronic Management
                *•   Increase in administrative processes conducted electronically
                *   Decreased staff time required to complete administrative processes
                »•   Reduced total time to complete administrative processes

            Communications
                *•   Increased customer access to and satisfaction with communications
                    abilities: reliability, ease of use, and range of services provided
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                        55

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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
 PUBLIC ACCESS

 EPA WILL ACTIVELY DISSEMINATE AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO ITS INFORMATION TO
 EDUCATE AND EMPOWER ITS PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC:  If EPA succeeds in this, it
 succeeds in delivering environmental information to its customers—its environmental partners and
 the general public.  However, success means more than just putting the information in the public
 domain: it means providing the right kinds of access to the right kinds of environmental
 information. To accomplish this, EPA must identify the customer base that EPA is trying to serve,
 strive to reach out to new customers—people that are not familiar with EPA's information holdings,
 ensure that all types of customers are satisfied with their ability to  access the Agency's information,
 and provide valuable, useful information to all customers. Therefore, to measure the Agency's
 success in achieving this target, EPA will focus on the following measurement areas:

            •   Improved customer ability to access EPA information

            •   Increased  customer satisfaction with access provided

            •    Increased  value of EPA information to customers

 Focusing on customer satisfaction is the key to measuring EPA's success in achieving full, equitable
 public access.
 EPA ACCESS

 EPA EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE THE TECHNICAL RESOURCES AND MEANS TO ACCESS THE
 INFORMATION NEEDED TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES:  To achieve its mission, EPA's
 employees must have access to the Agency's information holdings in order to make sound
 decisions. Measuring EPA's success in providing employees the resources they need to perform
 their duties requires the Agency to determine whether its IRM customers—EPA employees—can
 access information of value in decision making and if they have the knowledge and the tools
 needed to use that information. EPA will measure its progress for this strategic goal by focusing
 on the following performance measurement areas:

            •    Increased customer knowledge and use of available tools

            •    Increased customer satisfaction with access to EPA information
                and available tools

            •    Increased value of EPA information to decision makers

 Ensuring access to valuable EPA information will enable EPA employees to support  the Agency's
 expanding focus on comprehensive cross-media environmental strategies.
56                                                                        IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                  PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
 DATA INTEGRATION

 EPA WILL ENSURE ITS DATA CAN BE INTEGRATED TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE
 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL
 INFORMATION:  As the Agency develops comprehensive approaches to environmental protection,
 the Agency must have the ability to integrate and coordinate information. In addition, according to
 one report, to fully support access by the public and EPA staff, the data must be integrated across
 media.13  The key issue in achieving the Agency's strategic vision is whether EPA is moving toward
 the integration of its environmental data.  Therefore, the performance measurement area for data
 integration is:

            •   Increased ability to integrate information resources

 The Agency has committed to integrating its data. EPA's first step toward integrated data is its
 efforts to ensure that all Agency systems contain key identifiers. Continually assessing the
 Agency's progress in its ability to integrate its data is critical to ensuring that EPA remains focused
 on this vision.
 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

 EPA WILL EFFECTIVELY COLLECT AND MANAGE THE INFORMATION THAT THE AGENCY
 AND ITS PARTNERS REQUIRE IN ORDER TO MANAGE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS:
 EPA and its partners require information on the effects of past activities on human health and the
 environment in order to model the effects of current and proposed environmental actions. EPA
 employees must have access to quality information in a timely manner in order to make decisions
 that influence the environment.  To successfully mange for results, EPA must first set
 environmental goals at all levels within the Agency: Agency-wide, by program, and by region.
 Secondly, the Agency must have the information needed to assess its progress toward achieving
 these goals. Therefore, the key area in which the Agency will measure its performance for this
 strategic vision is as follows:

            •  Increased ability to assess progress of programs in achieving
               environmental goals at all levels

 As EPA undertakes various projects to implement  its core IRM strategies, it will measure these
 efforts to determine their success in making EPA more efficient and effective at assessing program
 success.
           Report of the IRM Strategic Planning Task Force, NACEPT, EIAC, Using Information Strategically to
           Protect Human Health and the Environment; Recommendations for Comprehensive Information
           Resources Management, September 1994.
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                         57

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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
 SOLID IRM FOUNDATION

 EPA WILL ESTABLISH A SOLID IRM FOUNDATION TO EFFICIENTLY MEET THE AGENCY'S
 EVOLVING  MISSION AND PROGRAM NEEDS: To effectively meet mission- and program-level
 requirements, IRM requires a solid foundation: it must have strong management support, the IRM
 staff must be capable and well-trained, and sound techniques must be used throughout the Agency
 for managing information resources. Sound techniques for IRM have evolved within the private
 sector as industry has risen to meet the challenges of the economy and new technology. The
 Agency must demonstrate that its techniques for IRM rival the best  practices found in government
 and industry. Furthermore, since IRM is ultimately a support function that assists the Agency and
 programs in achieving environmental goals, management satisfaction with the support provided is
 an important measure in assessing the effectiveness and  success of the IRM program.
 Consequently, EPA will measure its performance in the  following key areas:

            •   Improved quality of EPA's IRM program in relation to industry's
                IRM best practices

            •   Improved management satisfaction with IRM stewardship and
                governance.

 Assessing performance in these areas will ensure that the Agency's information resources are
 effectively and efficiently managed to assist the Agency in meeting  its environmental goals.
 REDUCE  REPORTING  BURDEN

 EPA WILL IMPROVE ITS DATA COLLECTION QUALITY AND REDUCE REPORTING
 BURDENS THROUGH INNOVATIVE METHODS:  As stated in the Common Sense Initiative, EPA
 is committed to reducing the burden on its stakeholders and partners.  If EPA succeeds in
 implementing innovative data exchange methods with its partners, the burden of costs and time
 associated with collecting and reporting data will be reduced, the exchange of information will be
 more timely, and the information exchanged will be of greater accuracy and integrity. To ensure
 that EPA is moving towards this strategic goal, performance measurement must include a focus on
 the following areas:

            •    Improved stakeholders' satisfaction with the reporting process

            •    Reduced burden on reporting community

 The satisfaction of stakeholders and partners with EPA's reporting process and their reporting
 burden will provide an indicator to ensure that EPA's  resources remain focused on only those areas
 that provide a true reduction in reporting burden.
58                                                                        IRM Strategic Plan

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                                                    PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
 ELECTRONIC MANAGEMENT

 EPA  WILL MANAGE ELECTRONICALLY TO EMPOWER STAFF, REDUCE COST, AND
 IMPROVE MANAGEMENT RESULTS:  Effective electronic management is critical to ensuring that
 EPA has the information it needs in an accurate, timely, and cost-effective manner.  Electronic
 management, when successful, ensures that EPA staff are devoted to activities that improve the
 environment and not spending their time fulfilling administrative requirements.  The key areas in
 which the Agency will measure its performance in achieving true, effective electronic management
 include:

             •   Increase in administrative processes conducted electronically

             •   Decreased staff time required to complete administrative
                processes

             •   Reduced total time to complete administrative processes

 Successful implementation of this vision element will allow employees to devote more staff time to
 achieving environmental goals.  Additionally, as EPA fully implements electronic management,
 EPA will experience a reduction in paper consumption and realize savings and increased data
 quality.
 COMMUNICATIONS

 EPA WILL ENABLE "PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE" ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS:  If EPA
 succeeds in enabling "people-to-people" communications, it succeeds in developing and
 implementing a technology infrastructure that integrates state-of-the-art voice and electronic mail
 communication capabilities throughout the Agency.  As a support function, IRM must ensure that
 its customers—EPA employees and partners—have full access to a reliable, user-friendly
 communications infrastructure. Therefore, in assessing performance in this vision area, the key
 measurement should be:

             •   Increased customer access to and satisfaction with
                communications abilities: reliability, ease of use, and range of
                services provided

 The satisfaction  level of employees and partners regarding the availability, usefulness, and quality
 of electronic communications will provide valuable feedback about the utility of the
 communications infrastructure. Customer satisfaction surveys will enable EPA to focus resources
 on those areas that provide the most benefit to its customers.
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                           59

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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AREAS
                                                "What ever is counted,
                                                counts	What is counted shapes and
                                                influences the behavior of the
                                                organization." H
Performance measurement will be a key step
in ensuring that EPA manages its information
resources effectively and efficiently both in
supporting Agency programs and in
successfully implementing its IRM projects.
To accomplish both of these goals, EPA's
performance measurement program needs
many measures to assess its performance.  A
full suite of measures must be used to ensure
a healthy balance exists  between successfully implementing IRM projects and supporting EPA's
programs. For example, while EPA is committed to reducing the burden on reporters, it must still
ensure it collects the information needed for the progress of its programs.  Therefore, the Agency
must balance any reduction in reporting requirements against information collection requirements
needed to fully  support program operations.
 The Agency's performance measurement process will provide EPA with the ability to continually
 measure its progress and re-focus its efforts when necessary. As EPA gains experience and
 achieves success in measuring the performance of its IRM efforts, the Agency will demonstrate to
 its customers that it is committed to the stewardship of its financial, information, and human
 resources and to using these resources efficiently in fulfilling its mission.
           David Osbourne and Ted Gaebler, Reinventing Government (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1992).
60
                                                                              IRM Strategic Plan

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            Appendix A
  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
IRM Strategic Plan                        61

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                                                                    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgements
EPA wishes to acknowledge the members of the Executive Steering Committee for IRM for
their contributions to this Plan.

    Assistant Administrator,  Office of Administration and Resources Management, Committee
    Chair
    Director, Office of Information Resources Management, Executive Secretariat

    EPA Members:
        Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and Resources Management
        Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Administrator
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement
        Assistant Administrator, Office of International Activities
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
        Assistant Administrator, Office of Water
        Associate Administrator, Office of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations
        Associate Administrator, Office of Congressional  and Legislative Affairs
        Associate Administrator, Office of Communication, Education and Public Affairs
        General Counsel
        Inspector General
        Regional Administrator, Region IV
        Regional Administrator, Region V
        Regional Administrator, Region VI
        Regional Administrator, Region IX

    Key EPA Advisors:
        Comptroller,
        Director, Office of Acquisition Management
        Director, Office of Administration and Resources  Management—Research Triangle Park

    State Members:
        Deputy Commissioner, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
        Assistant for Environmental Information, California Environmental Protection Agency
        Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
        Deputy Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
        Assistant Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
IRM Strategic Plan                                                                          63

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EPA gratefully acknowledges the work of the members of the National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), Environmental Information and Assessment
(EIA) Committee, Strategic Planning Task Force, who's recommendations had a significant
influence on the strategies provided in this Plan:

Wayne Tamarelli, PhD., Dock Resins Corporation, Chair
Jerry Mechling, PhD., J.F.K. School of Government, Vice Chair

Edward Cole, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
John Dabuliewicz, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Ann Glumac, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Steve Hanna, PhD., California Environmental Protection Agency
Sylvia Herrera, People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources
Frances Irwin,  World Wildlife Fund
Bruce McConnell, Office of Management and Budget
Paul Qrum, Working Group on Community-Right-to-Know
Cynthia Rand, Department of Defense
Marc Schurger, Eastman Chemical Company
Mead Treadwell, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Saul Volansky, Hughes Information Technology Company
Sam Wear,  Westchester County Planning Department, New York

Additional  thanks go to the following Key EPA Staff Support:
Mark Day                     Patrick Garvey                  Bruce Rothrock
Andrew Battin                 Ted Harris                      David Schwarz
George Bonina                 David Henderson                Pam Shenefiel
John Bosch                    Tom Hooven                   Tony Studer
Jeff Byron                     Steve Hufford                   Linda Travers
Jeff Camp                     Art Koines                     Rachel Van Wingen
Mike Carpentier                Monica Lawson                 Donna Ventriss
Robert Currie                  Rick Martin                    Andrew Wheeler
Terry Forrest                   Mary Lou Melley                Nathan Wilkes
Jack Frost                     Ingrid Meyer                   Michele Zenon
Carol Galloway                Cliff Moore                    Jody Zeugner
Linda Garrison                 Tom Nessmith

Many other individual staff members contributed greatly to this project.  EPA gratefully
acknowledges their assistance and contributions.

Additional copies of this document are available from the U.S. EPA Public Information Center,
Mail Code 3404, 401MStreet, S.W., Washington, D.C,  20460 Phone:(202) 260-7751.  This
document may also be accessed via Internet at address gopher.epa.gov (under EPA Initiatives,
Policy, and Strategy Documents, IRMStrategic Planning Documents) and EPA's All-In-One
Electronic Messaging System.
64                                                                        IRM Strategic Plan

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           Appendix B
      SUPPORT FOR
      THE AGENCY'S
   GUIDING PRINCIPLES
IRM Strategic Plan                     65

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   IRM Strategic Plan
                                                                                         67

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           Appendix C

       SUPPORT FOR
  IRM VISION ELEMENTS
IRM Strategic Plan                      69

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                                                                                                                             71

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