U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Data Element:  PROGRAM NAMES AND ACRONYMS

You are invited to read the definitions of terms used in this data standard.

Name
 Program Names and Acronyms
Description
 Official names and acronyms that identify the primary operating programs and basic organizational structure of the Service Directorate.
Type
 Program Name:  Character Field

Program Acronym:  Alpha
Syntax
 Program name, up to a maximum of 100 characters, including the letters A-Z, punctuation marks, and the forward slash (/) character.

Program acronym, up to a maximum of 5 letters from A through Z.
Recommended Field Name Program Name:  PROGRAM

Program Acronym:  PROGACRO
Values
 The official values to be used for this data element are described in the Reference.
Source
 An ASCII (.txt) file of the values to be used for this data element is available here.  These values are current as of October 18, 2005.
Historical Data The initial data standard and source data is available here:  Program Names and Acronyms

Earlier revisions to the data standard and/or source data are available here: 

Standard Rev1  Standard Rev2  Standard Rev3  Source Data Rev4
Reference(s)

Part 270, FW 6, Data Management and Standards, dated September 30, 2002

Washington Office - Table of Organization

Part 022, Chapter 2, Office of the Director - organization and structure of the Fish and Wildlife Service
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 or classify the primary operating programs and basic organizational structure of the Service Directorate.

Assistant Directors and Chiefs provide staff support to the Director and Deputy Director and, within this broad area, direct the operations of Budget, Planning and Human Resources; Business Management and Operations; Endangered Species; External Affairs; Fisheries and Habitat Conservation; Information Resources and Technology Management; International Affairs; Law Enforcement, Migratory Birds and State Programs; and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Two new positions, Assistant Director-Information Resources and Technology Management (CIO), and Assistant Director-Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs (AFWR), are identified in the Washington Office Table of Organization. However, these positions are still vacant and should not be identified as operating programs of the Service until the official announcement is made.

To ensure compliance with the Service Information and Technology Architecture (SITA), 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.

The program acronym should be used in conjunction with the program name whenever possible. Program 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.
Phase
 Adopted
Approval Date
 February 23, 2000
Validation Date
 October 18, 2005
Data Steward
 Barbara White, National Data Administrator, Branch of Data and Systems Services, Division of Information Resources and Technology Management

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These pages are maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Information Resources and Technology Management. Please feel free to contact Barb White with any questions and comments.

Keywords=program, organization, name, type, structure, administrative, Directorate, data, standards, elements
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