Data Element: OFFICE NAMES AND ACRONYMS
You are invited to read the definitions of terms used in this data standard.
| Name |
Office Names and Acronyms |
| Description |
Official names and acronyms used to identify Service organizations at the following levels: (1) Washington Office-Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Directors and Chiefs of the Programs, divisions, branches, and first-level (non-regionalized) field offices; and (2) Regional Office-Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director, and Assistant Regional Directors (ARD's) or equivalent. Specific U.S. Department of Interior offices involved in the Service's document work flow process are also included, such as the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks (FW). |
| Type |
Character Field |
| Syntax |
Office name, up to a maximum of 70 characters, including the
letters A-Z, punctuation marks, and the forward slash (/) character. Office acronym, up to a maximum of 15 characters, including the letters A-Z, punctuation marks, and the forward slash (/) character. |
| Recommended Field Name | Office Name: OFFICE Office Acronym: OFFACRO |
| Values |
The official values to be used for this data element are provided in the Source. |
| Source | A table of the office names and acronyms used to identify Service organizations at the levels described above is available in Word format. These values are current as of March 21, 2003. |
| Historical Data | For information on past versions of this standard, contact the National Data Administrator, Branch of Data and Systems Services, Division of Information Resources and Technology Management. |
| Reference(s) |
Part 270, FW 6, Data Management and Standards, has been superceded by Part 274, FW 2, Establishing Service Data Standards. Part 040 FW 2, Naming and Renaming Units and Unit Sites. |
| Use Instructions |
As of the approval date, this data element will be used in any new
automated system, data set, database, or information application, including new Geographic
Information System (GIS) data and applications. This data element will also be used in any
major modifications to existing systems or versions of these data-related items that
identify the office names and acronyms of Service organizations at the following levels:
(1) Washington Office - Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Directors and Chiefs of the
Programs, divisions or equivalent, branches, and first-level (non-regionalized) field
offices; and (2) Regional Office - Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director, and
Assistant Regional Directors or equivalent. If appropriate, this data element may also be
used for the purpose of routing and tracking internal mail, correspondence, and official
documents in the Service's document work flow process. This data standard does not apply to (1) second-level organizations within the Service, which include field stations (i.e., National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish Hatcheries, etc.), field units (e.g., special agent offices and refuge units), and satellites (i.e., designated, but unstaffed, land management units of the National Wildlife Refuge System) that are administered by a field station or field unit; and (2) subordinate organizational components of a Service organization within the Washington or Regional Offices (e.g., sections and units). Refer to the Service data standard for Organization Name to view the identifying names given to Service organizations where personnel are permanently located (i.e., the Washington Office, Regional Offices, field stations, and field units), and designated, but unstaffed, land management units (i.e., satellites). Service staff are strongly encouraged to utilize this data element in existing systems, data sets, databases, and information applications. Where existing systems and data-related items are not in compliance, they should be modified to achieve compatibility and implement this data standard. When appropriate, the office acronym for a Service organization should be used in conjunction with the office name. Office names and acronyms will be handled as separate data fields in any new or modified automated system, and will not be combined in a single data field. Examples of office names and acronyms are the Director (D), Assistant Director-Business Management and Operations (ABMO), Chief-National Wildlife Refuge System (CNWR), Division of Human Resources (HR), Office of the Regional Director (RD), and Assistant Regional Director (ARD). |
| Phase | Adopted |
| Approval Date | February 23, 2000 |
| Revision Date | January 17, 2003 |
| Validation Date | January 18, 2011 |
| Data Steward |
National Data Administrator, Branch of Data and Systems Services, Division of Information Resources and Technology Management. |