Implementing XML Guidelines for the Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) & eTravelIAEeTravel June 16, 2004 Ken Sall ([email protected]) Copyright

Implementing XML Guidelines for the Integrated Acquisition Environment (

IAE) & eTravel

June 16, 2004Ken Sall

([email protected])Copyright © 2004 Kenneth B. Sall. All Rights Reserved.

Presented to the CIO Council XML Working Group

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/internal/acquisition.htm

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/internal/etravel.htm

mailto:[email protected]

http://xml.gov/

2Copyright © 2004 Kenneth B. Sall. All Rights Reserved.

Outline

Federal XML Guidance Sources: – FEA, CIOC, DON, EPA

International Guidance Sources: – ISO 11179, ebXML Core Components, and UBL

Data Normalization for the eTravel Service

ISO 11179/Core Component/UBL Modeling for the Integrated Acquisition Environment

CORE.gov Registry and Repository

Summary and Conclusions


Business Reference Model (BRM)• Lines of Business• Agencies, Customers, Partners

Service Component Reference Model (SRM)

Technical Reference Model (TRM)

Bu

sin

ess a

nd

Perfo

rman

ce-D

riven

Ap

pro

ach

Performance Reference Model (PRM)

• Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes• Uniquely Tailored Performance Indicators

• Service Domains, Service Types• Business and Service Components

• Service Component Interfaces, Interoperability• Technologies, Recommendations

Data and Information Reference Model (DRM)• Subject Areas, Classifications, Data Elements, • Data Properties, Data Representations

Inte

rop

era

bility

/ Info

rmatio

n S

harin

g(B

usin

ess-C

on

text D

riven

)

Source: FEAPMO.govSource: FEAPMO.gov

Federal Enterpise Architecture (FEA)


Federal XML Guidance Sources CIO Council, XML Working Group, “XML Developer’s Guide” [draft,

dated April 2002]: http://xml.gov/documents/in_progress/developersguide.pdf

DON XML Working Group, “XML Developer’s Guide”, Version 1.1 [dated May 2002] and related material [See “Library” and then “Developer’s Guide”; guide contains a very useful glossary; library includes a useful three-page XML Schema checklist] [TBD – link is broken ] https://quickplace.hq.navy.mil/quickplace/areatypes/navyxml/main.nsf

EPA’s “XML Design Rules and Conventions for the Environmental Exchange Network” [dated September 2003]. This long and comprehensive two-part document presents many XML design issues, contains a helpful “Summary of XML Rules” (Appendix A), and covers several issues that are unresolved as of this writing:

– http://www.exchangenetwork.net/documents/XML_DRC_Section_1.pdf– http://www.exchangenetwork.net/documents/XML_DRC_Section_2.pdf

“Recommended XML Namespace for Government Organizations” [dated August 2003] – This guidance is controversial: http://xml.gov/documents/completed/lmi/GS301L1_namespace.pdf


International Guidance Sources

JTC 1/SC 32 ISO/IEC 11179: Information technology -- Specification and standardization of data elements -- Part 5: Naming and identification principles for data elements

UN/CEFACT Techniques and Methodologies Group: ebXML Core Components

– ebXML Adoption Update as of Dec. 2003

OASIS Technical Committee: Universal Business Language (UBL), Version 1.0 (OASIS “Committee Draft”, May 2004)

– UBL: A Lingua Franca for Common Business Information– UBL Reader , the free UBL variant of GEFEG EDIFIX

Other eGovernment Sources: UK, Hong Kong (common schema), Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, etc. Some mature implementations.


ISO 11179: Data Element Naming Consider these ISO 11179-based element names:

– Employee Last Name– Payment Card Expiration Date– Tree Height Measure– Cost Budget Period Total Amount

Object Class - objects that share the same attributes, operations, methods, relationships, and semantics (e.g., Employee, Payment Card, Tree, Cost)

Property Term – property that the data element represents (e.g., Last Name, Expiration Date, Height, Total)

Representation Term – basic data type (e.g., Text [for Name], Date, Measure, Amount, etc.)

Object Class and Property Term can have Qualifiers (e.g., Budget Period)

[Object Class Qualifier] + Object Class + [Property Term Qualifier] + Property Term + Representation Term

[Object Class Qualifier] + Object Class + [Property Term Qualifier] + Property Term + Representation Term


UN/CEFACT Core Components (ebXML)

Methodology for developing a common set of semantic building blocks that represent the general types of business data in use today and provides for the creation of new business vocabularies and restructuring of existing business vocabularies.

Core Component Type – basic concept without any business context (e.g., Quantity)

BIE – Business Information Entity = Core Component with business context (e.g., Quantity Shipped)


UN/CEFACT ebXML Core Components

ABIE – Aggregate BIE; several related BIEs (e.g., Address [consists of BIEs for Street, City, State, Zip, etc.]); relates to Object Class

ASBIE – Association BIE; represent relationships between 2 or more Object Classes (e.g., Work Address, Home Address, Shipping Address)


Core Components Documents

Approved Documents – UN/CEFACT - Core Component Technical Specification Version 2.01 (200

3-11-15)

– UN/CEFACT TMG - General Document Download Section [http://www.untmg.org/doc_tmg.html]

– UN/CEFACT - Modeling Methodology - Meta Model - Revision 12 (2003-01-17)

– UN/CEFACT - UMM User Guide Revision 12 (2003-09-22)

– ebXML - Business Process Specification Schema v1.10 (2003-10-18)

– ebXML - Business Process Specification Schema v1.01 (2001-05-11)

Documents for TMG Review (not for implementation) – CC User Guide V20031030 Revision 10A


UBL Technical Committee

OASIS Universal Business Language TC includes link to the UBL 1.0 release and downloadable documents.

Goal: to develop a standard library of XML business documents (purchase orders, invoices, etc.) by modifying an already existing library of XML schemas to incorporate the best features of other existing XML business libraries.

The TC will then design a mechanism for the generation of context-specific business schemas through the application of transformation rules to the common UBL source library. UBL will become an international standard for electronic commerce freely available to everyone without licensing or other fees.

Highly recommended intro: Eve Maler’s "XML for e-Business" [July 2003; tutorial on UBL, Core Components, and ISO 11179] http://www.ibiblio.org/bosak/ubl/tut/csw-xml-for-ebusiness.ppt

Source: OASISSource: OASIS


UBL: A Lingua Franca for Common Business Information

“UBL is designed to facilitate data interchange between entities that may not use common vertical industry vocabularies. A good example might be a scenario involving an electronic equipment manufacturer, a hospital, and a chemical supplier.”

“Rather than adopt each of the vertical industry vocabularies, the hospital could eventually conduct business within healthcare in HL7 and all others in UBL...UBL could be the interchange to each of the many formats an organization may interact with. “

Source: UBL: A Lingua Franca for Common Business Information Source: UBL: A Lingua Franca for Common Business Information


Selected UBL Sub-Committees

* Code List SC - Create "standard" and "stock" code lists, and template

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-clsc

* Library Content SC - Library of BIEs, Schema, examples, customization

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-lcsc

* Naming and Design Rules SC - Rules for Schema design and element naming

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-ndrsc

Forms Presentation SC - Formatting Specifications

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-fpsc

Implementation SC - Collate issues discovered during implementation phase http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-isc

Tools and Techniques SC - Utilities such as spreadsheets and scripts

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/sc_home.php?wg_abbrev=ubl-ttsc

GSA's Marion Royal is co-chair of Library Content SC.

LMI's Mark Crawford is co-chair of Naming & Design Rules SC.

GSA's Marion Royal is co-chair of Library Content SC.

LMI's Mark Crawford is co-chair of Naming & Design Rules SC.


UBL NDR: Naming and Design Rules

Long checklist of Do's and Don't for moving from BIE/ASBIE/ABIE to XML Schema.

Rules are in flux.

Some rules are debatable (e.g., xsd:choice not allowed) or perhaps context-specific.


UBL Code Lists

Clever but complicated mechanism for creating separate XML Schema for each code list (e.g., Country codes, FIPS codes, etc.)

Goal is for standards organizations such as ISO and NIST to take ownership of these XML Schema.

Everyone else "includes" the code list schema they need without worrying if it's up-to-date.

For example, IAE might designate itself as maintainer of U.S. procurement-related code lists.


eTravel eGov Initative In fiscal year 2001, agencies processed roughly 2.4 million employee

travel vouchers totaling over $9 billion.

GSA’s eTravel Initiative “[p]rovides a government-wide web-based service that applies world-class travel management practices to consolidate federal travel, minimize cost and produce superior customer satisfaction. The eTravel Service will be commercially hosted to minimize technology costs to the government and guarantee refreshed functionality.”

“From travel planning and authorization to reimbursement, end-to-end service will leverage administrative, financial and information technology best practices to realize significant cost savings and improved employee productivity.”

Three 10-year contracts—worth $450 million combined—are expected to cut federal travel management costs by as much as 50 percent.

12/23/03: FTR Amendment requiring agencies to complete adoption of eTS by September 2006.

Sites (multiple vendor award): – http://www.govtrip.com/govtrip/site/index.jsp (Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS))– http://cwgt.com/default.asp (Carlson Wagonlit Government Travel, Inc. (CWGT)) – http://www.fedtraveler.com/ (Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS) )


eTravel Data Modeling Process Started with 40 poorly defined elements in the Federal Travel Regulations (see

“Appendix C to Chapter 301—Standard Data Elements for Federal Travel”).

Focus on U.S. Federal travel, not on international harmonization.

Given 3 months (10 man months) to complete work due to RFP schedule.

Data call responses received from 17 of the 24 BRM agencies.

Identified 385 elements (279 for exchange, 106 for data warehouse).

Arranged elements into “groups” (e.g., Official Duty Station) and larger functional “categories” (e.g., Traveler Profile), analogous to XML Schema complex types and schema, respectively.

Worked with agencies to normalize names. NOTE: Did not follow ISO 11179.

Published results as GFI via an attachment to the eTravel Service RFP on FedBizOpps: “to provide eTravel Service offerors with details concerning the standard data elements identified to date by the Government as needed across agencies for exchange between eTS and agency business systems. The goal is to create a standard data set for input and output that is common across agencies, making it easier and less costly for agencies to integrate with the eTS.”

Multiple awards; 3 vendors delivering XML Schema based on our attachment.

Hope to eventually align with non-profit OpenTravel Alliance.


eTravel Data Modeling Spreadsheet


eTravel XSD Evaluation Criteria


Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) The Federal government spends roughly $190 billion to $220 billion on

the acquisition of goods and services each year, making it the largest purchaser in the world. There are over 315,000 vendors registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system.

GSA’s Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) E-Government initiative is creating a secure business environment that facilitates and supports cost-effective acquisition of goods and services in support of agency mission performance.

Common acquisition functions that benefit all agencies, such as the maintenance of information about suppliers (e.g., capabilities, past performance histories) are managed as a shared service.

Associated web sites include: – www.BPN.gov – www.ICD.gov [new: Interagency Contract Directory]– www.EPLS.gov – www.FedBizOpps.gov – www.FedTeDS.gov – https://www.FPDS.gov– www.PPIRS.gov – www.WDOL.gov


IAE Business Areas and Standard Transactions

IAE is composed of 4 business areas:– Business Partner Network (BPN)– eMarketplace– Intra-governmental Transactions (IGT)– Acquisition Information Reporting (AIR)

Objective of Standard Transactions is to develop a Standard Vocabulary to facilitate exchange of data between and within agencies.

In October 2003, the PMO (Program Management Office) published initial definitions of Standard Information Exchanges and Standard Vocabulary based on an analysis of the existing interfaces for five of the shared IAE systems:

– CCR (Central Contractor Registration), – FPDS-NG (Federal Procurement Data System Next Generation), – PPIRS (Past Performance Information Retrieval System),– IGT (Intra-governmental Transactions), and – FedReg (Federal Registration).

A primary goal is to maximize interoperability with other agency, federal lines-of-business, and external (industry, state and local, international) vocabularies.


IAE Conceptual Architecture (partial)


IAE Data Modeling Process

The process used in defining the IAE Standard Vocabulary is based on the general approach outlined in the FEA DRM: – Data modeling using UML (Unified Modeling Language)

– ISO/IEC 11179 data element naming

– UBL and UN/CEFACT Core Component principles.

– Followed by XML Schema development to define the precise structure of Information Exchange payloads.


IAE Data Modeling Process [cont] The data modeling and naming process results in Business

Information Entities (BIEs), which are data elements with a business context.

An Aggregate Business Information Entity (ABIE) is a collection of related pieces of business information that together convey a distinct business meaning in a specific business context. Expressed in modeling terms, it is the representation of an Object Class, in a specific business context.

In XML Schema, an ABIE becomes a complex type (e.g., ContactInformation). Ultimately, modular transactional and validation XML Schema will result from combining the ABIEs into Information Exchanges. Back office and agency systems can then apply XSLT stylesheets to map their data elements to or from the IAE Standard Vocabulary.


IAE Data Modeling Process [cont]

For Information Exchanges, an IAE-specific process was used.

Procurement SMEs identified 73 Information Exchanges that encompassed all steps in the acquisition process (to date).

Of these, 33 Information Exchanges apply to the IAE Portal IOC.

Particular Information Exchanges were then associated with specific shared systems.

Data elements were associated with the exchange as Sent, Received, Both, or Neither.

Information Exchanges with their designed data elements were then reviewed by SMEs.

Normalized ISO/Core Component/UBL element names were then substituted for the system-specific data element names.


Result: IAE Standard Vocabulary

Version 1.0 – 9/31/03– Data Call in Early 2003

– 450 data elements

– 5 shared systems (CCR, FPDS-NG, PPIRS, FedReg, IGTE)

– Early UBL 0.7

Version 2.0 – 6/30/04– Data Call in March 2003

– 1,300 data elements

– All 20 shared systems

– UBL 1.0 (Committee Draft)

– 33 Information Exchanges for 4 shared systems in Portal IOC


IAE XML Implementation Questionnaire

1. Which XML standards have you selected for project use?

2. Which international standards do you support?

3. Explain briefly how you decide on the XML element names used in your system. How do they relate to business names?

4. Describe briefly the case convention you follow when naming XML elements.

5. Do your XML elements include acronyms and abbreviations? If so, how do you decide which acronyms and abbreviations will be known to all of your business partners?

6. Is your XML fully documented, especially with comments or annotations in XML Schema, with appropriate headers, etc.?

7. Are you using XML Schema or DTDs for your data models?

8. To what degree do you use attributes? How do you decide whether to make something an attribute vs. an element?

9. To what extent do your XML Schema use global type and element definitions vs. local definitions?

10. How do you represent code lists (enumerations) in your XML?

11. How do you constrain data values to a range?

12. What is the XML namespace you have defined for your system? What other namespaces do you use?


IAE Summary XML Guidance

Published by the IAE Program Management Office in August 2003 and updated February 2004.

The purpose of the document is to provide summary guidance concerning the use of XML technology for the IAE eGov initiative. The goal is to highlight the key points from the major references and Web sites that XML developers should consult for federal guidance and governance.

Since this document is a high level summary, it is assumed that, whenever necessary, developers will refer to the sources listed at the end of the document for more authoritative and definitive information and governance.


IAE Summary XML GuidancePurpose

Guidance Areas

1. Selecting XML Standards for Project Use

2. Importance of International Standards

3. Creating ISO 11179 Names

4. Creating XML Element Names from Business Terms

5. Case Conventions

6. Usage of Acronyms and Abbreviations

7. Adding Comments and Metadata

8. When to Use XML Schema vs. DTDs

9. Schema Development Methodology

10. When to Use Attributes vs. Elements

11. Global vs. Local Elements and Attributes


IAE Summary XML Guidance [cont]12. Enumeration of Data Values (Code Lists)

13. Constraining Data Values

14. XML Namespaces

15. Web Services

16. Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT)

17. XML Software Tools

18. Unresolved Issues

Key Federal XML References and Web Sites

1. XML Guidance Documents

2. Related Guidance and Methodology

3. Related Web Sites

Glossary To request a copy, email [email protected] and cc: [email protected]


IAE XML QuickPlace Area


Element Naming Procedure


IAE UBL Modeling Spreadsheet Identifier

Original Data Source

Original Source ID

Original Source Data Element Name

Definition

XML Tag Name

Dictionary Entry Name

ABIE/ASBIE/BBIE

Object Class Qualifier

Object Class Term

Property Term Qualifier

Property Term

Representation Term Qualifier

Representation Term

Data Type Qualifier

Data Type

Associated Object Class Qualifier

Associated Object Class Term

Business Term

Min Occurrence, Max Occurrence

Data Format

Min Length, Max Length

Owning Agency

Comments

Data Flow

IAE SS Source

IAE Associated Object Qualifier

IAE Associated Object

IAE Business Rules

IAE Min Value, IAE Max Value

IAE Default Value

IAE Code List

IAE Type

IAE SS Interface Element Name

IAE SS Destination

IAE SS Name

Reviewer Initials

Core Component

UBL Source

LMI Status - Reviewed, Harmonized, Submitted


IAE UBL Modeling Example Identifier - 12889

Original Data Source

Original Source ID

Original Source Data Element Name - SELLER_ANNUAL_REVENUE

Definition - Total revenue from Intra-governmental sales for the previous fiscal year

XML Tag Name

Dictionary Entry Name

ABIE/ASBIE/BBIE

Object Class Qualifier - Seller

Object Class Term - Party

Property Term Qualifier – IntraGovernmental Sales

Property Term - Amount

Representation Term Qualifier

Representation Term - Amount

Data Type Qualifier

Data Type

Associated Object Class Qualifier

Associated Object Class Term

Business Term

Min Occurrence, Max Occurrence – 0, 1

Seller Party IntraGovernmental Sales Amount


IAE UBL Modeling Example [cont.] Data Format

Min Length, Max Length – 0, 15

Owning Agency

Comments

Data Flow

IAE SS Source - FedReg

IAE Associated Object Qualifier

IAE Associated Object

IAE Business Rules - Mandatory for Seller business Types. All Numeric Data but stored in character format.

IAE Min Value, IAE Max Value

IAE Default Value

IAE Code List

IAE Type – Alphanumeric ?

IAE SS Interface Element Name - Annual Revenue

IAE SS Destination - User Input

IAE SS Name - IGTE, IGTS

Reviewer Initials

Core Component

UBL Source

LMI Status - Reviewed, Harmonized, Submitted


GSA’s CORE.gov Registry/Repository

To improve interagency collaboration on component-based development.

To improve efficiency of development of component-based applications.

To support e-Gov initiatives.

To be user-friendly, efficient and effective.

To promote stakeholder participation.

To support OMB mandates for FEA development.

To refine and manage the component lifecycle process.


IAE.CORE.gov Structure


Summary and Conclusions Full compliance with Federal and International XML guidance is time-

intensive. Requires active buy-in from all partners.

Active participation of Subject Matter Experts in all phases is crucial for success.

Element naming is the first step toward defining robust information exchanges and XML Schema to implement them.

Objective evaluation and performance criteria are lacking.

Coordinating disparate systems across numerous agencies poses additional challenges that are out of the scope of XML (i.e., change management, political barriers, etc.).

Less than rigorous data modeling efforts may be fruitful if carrying the work forward becomes a requirement in the RFP.

eTravel: Time constraint due to RFP deadlines.

IAE: International scope, 4 times as many data elements, 20 shared systems, data modeling well underway.