Sample-RFQ-language

Some help to answer the common NIEM newbie question: "Is there any sample lanuage we could leverage to incorporate NIEM into our RFP?"

Grant Language

There is some grant guidance requiring the use of NIEM, you can find that at: https://www.niem.gov/grants

Sample Contract Language

Some sample overview language an organization could leverage to provide context in an acquistion is as follows:

• When information is shared or exchanged, a standards-based approach should be taken rather than the development of customized solutions. This is especially true for data interoperability.
• This comes into play with services that have the capability to generate, send and receive, and/or process data, while connecting disparate systems to promotes interoperability in shared services.
• The structure of data as it moves from one system to another must be consistent so that the sender and receiver can understand and interpret each other.
• As the number of systems involved in the service increases, the need for data standardization becomes even more critical.
• The National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) provides a stable vocabulary of agreed-upon terms, definitions, relationships, and formats independent of how information is stored in individual agency systems. NIEM enables organizations to move information across organizational boundaries in order to interoperate and act as one, while maintaining authority of their own existing systems.
• Through the use of NIEM, organizations are able to efficiently share and exchange information irrespective of the particular technologies used within an organization, thereby maximizing the reuse of existing technology.
• The awardee shall demonstrate how NIEM will be utilized as part of the technical solution.

Sample Federal Agency Guidance

The Department of Defense put out an enterprise-wide memo encouraging the use of NIEM that included:

DoD organizations shall first consider NIEM for their information sharing solutions when deciding which data exchange standards or specifications meet their mission and operational needs. Every effort shall be made to ensure that a rigorous analysis of NIEM be conducted as a part of this consideration.

The adoption of NIEM as a common standards-based data exchange may present challenges to some DoD stakeholders, particularly when viewed from the perspective of an individual program. In those situations where an organization's design goals and requirements are not fulfilled by NIEM, the organization shall provide justification why the use of NIEM is not feasible; exceptions may be granted by the DoD CIO. In such cases, an organization shall use an alternative or complementary data standard that is interoperable with NIEM.

You can access the DoD memo at: http://dodcio.defense.gov/Portals/0/Documents/2013-03-28%20Adoption%20of%20the%20NIEM%20within%20the%20DoD.pdf

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