USTR Open Government Plan Self-Evaluation

Name of Evaluator: Fred L. Ames, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative

Directions

The enclosed list of 30 criteria is drawn directly from the text of the Open Government Directive.  Please return this form to the White House Open Government team at opengov@ostp.gov by 5 pm on Friday, April 23rd. To complete the self-evaluation form, please indicate a response to each of the criteria as follows:

• Red (R) – plan does not satisfy the requirement
• Yellow (Y) – plan partially satisfies the requirement
• Green (G) – plan fully satisfies the requirement
• N/A - not applicable because agency does not engage in that activity or area

Please include any explanatory comments on the last page.

Optional: If you wish, please provide the page range for the relevant section of the plan that is the basis for your answer to each question.

Formulating the Plan in the Open

1.) Was multidisciplinary collaboration involved in formulating the plan? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

2.) Was public consultation involved in crafting the plan? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

3.) Was the plan published in an open format, online, on time and on the open government page and with raw data? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

4.) Is there a plan for continued public engagement as part of the review and modification of the open government plan? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

Transparency Strategic Action Plan

5.)  Does the plan contain a strategic action plan that inventories agency high-value information currently available for download? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

6.) Is there a plan to foster the public’s use of this information to increase public knowledge and promote public scrutiny of agency services? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

7.) Does the action plan identify high value information not yet available and establish a reasonable timeline for publication online in open formats with specific target dates? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

8.) For agencies providing public information in electronic format: Is there a plan for timely publication of underlying data for public information maintained in electronic format? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

9.) Does the plan identify key audiences for information and their needs, and the agency endeavors to publish high-value information for each of those audiences in the most accessible forms and formats? 

10.) Is there a plan to demarcate educational material as free for re-use? 

Score - Not Applicable

 

11.) Does the plan detail compliance with transparency initiative guidance, and where gaps exist, detailed steps the agency is taking and the timing to meet the requirements for each initiative: 

• Data.gov  
• eRulemaking  
• IT Dashboard  
• Recovery.gov  
• USAspending.gov  

Score - Meets Expectations

 

12.) Are there details of proposed actions (with clear milestones) to inform the public of significant actions and business of the agency (e.g. agency public meetings, briefings, press conferences, town halls)? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

13.) Does the plan address existing record management requirements by providing: 

• Website link  
• Identifying and scheduling all electronic records  
• Timely transfer of all permanently valuable records to the National Archives 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

14.) Does the plan address FOIA by providing: 

• Website link?  
• Staffing, organizational structure, and process for responding to FOIA requests?  
• Assessment of capacity to analyze, coordinate and respond to requests in a timely manner?  
• If there is a significant FOIA backlog, details on how the agency will reduce the backlog by 10% each year? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

15.) Does the plan address congressional requests by providing a: 

• Website link? 
• Staffing, organizational structure, and process for responding to Congressional requests? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

16.) Does the plan address declassification, if applicable by providing a: 

• Website link?  
• Where the public can learn about declassification programs, accessing declassified materials, and provide input about what types of information should be prioritized for declassification? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

Participation

17.) Does the plan explain how the agency will improve participation, including steps the agency will take to revise its current practices to increase opportunities for public participation in and feedback on the agency’s core mission activities (including proposed changes to internal management and administrative policies to improve participation)? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

18.) Does the plan describe and provide links to websites for the public to engage in existing participatory processes? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

19.) Are there proposals for new feedback mechanisms (including innovative tools and practices for public engagement)? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

Collaboration

Does the plan list steps the agency will take to revise its current practices to further collaboration: 

20.) With other Federal and non-Federal government agencies? Including the use of technology platforms to this end? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

21.) With the public? Including the use of technology platforms? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

22.) With non-profit and private entities? Including technology platforms? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

23.) Are there links to websites that describe existing collaboration efforts of the agency? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

24.) Does the plan describe the Innovative methods (e.g. prizes and collaborations) to increase collaboration with the private sector, non-profit, and academic communities? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

Flagship Initiative

25.) Does the plan include at least one specific flagship engagement? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

26.) Does the description provide an overview of the initiative: how it addresses one or more of the three openness principles and how it aims to improve agency operations? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

27.) Does it identify external partners for collaboration (if appropriate)? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

28.) Is there a plan for public participation in contributing innovative ideas to the flagship? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

29.) Does the description explain how the improvements to transparency, participation and/or collaboration will be measured? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

30.) Does the flagship include a description of sustainability and room for improvement? 

Score - Meets Expectations

 

Comments:
 

USTR is a small policy agency (240 employees) within the Executive Office of the President.  USTR provides trade policy leadership and negotiating expertise promoting the Administration’s trade policy to open markets throughout the world to create new opportunities and higher living standards for families, farmers, manufacturers, workers, consumers, and businesses.  The nature of this mission and our trade advisor, negotiator, monitoring and enforcement and dispute litigator responsibilities requires us to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders.  Our normal business requires us to be transparent, participatory and collaborative wherever possible.  We cannot operate in a vacuum.  To fully achieve our mission requires the participation of all our stakeholders – the public, non-governmental agencies, states, businesses, other government agencies, and Congress.

Question 5 and 8 are now green.  Plan was updated to be specific with regards to inventorying and posting high-value data.  These changes are summarized in the document “USTR Open Government Plan External Evaluation Action.”  Numerous changes made throughout Plan in response to external evaluation.