Data elements and their descriptive information, referred to as metadata, are stored in the Environmental Data Registry (EDR), the Agency's tool for recording data standards. The EDR and Envirofacts are accessed through the Intranet and Internet. The Envirofacts Warehouse provides the public with direct access to the wealth of information contained in its databases. The Envirofacts Warehouse allows you to retrieve environmental information from EPA databases.
The purpose of the work is to improve the quality and accessibility of facility identification data to support the EPA and state environmental programs' mission and the public's right to know. The Facility Registry System (FRS) consists of core data elements that properly identify the location, the basic type function of a regulated entity, and the association between multiple records which are contained in other data systems relating to that same entity.
The primary focus of work for this task order is to verify and resolve manual linkages generated by the Facility Registry System, verifying a minimum of 80 facilities per work day. Meetings with EPA personnel to review progress and process are conducted monthly.
Other tasks include four modules of training, maintenance of a user guide for FRS specific to Region 7, technical assistance for issues involving system performance and design, program management, project management, and project planning, collecting customer feedback, preparing reports, and customer service functions.
When SRG obtained this task order, the incumbent was performing below the 80 entry per day standard. SRG recruited a replacement that has never performed below the standard, validating an average of 146 records per day (over 180% of the required review rate), with a validity rate of 95% and above. An internal User's Guide and Training Manual documented the service and assisted in training the Data Stewards in the FRS system.
In addition, when this project was assumed by SRG, a detailed, organized plan was developed by SRG, setting priorities, creating a tracking chart, and an update log. The review and validation process undertaken by SRG uncovered a number of state, regional, and national issues which were then brought to the appropriate groups for resolution.
The largest issue was with the FRS record overlay process, which affected all ten regions of EPA. Inaccurate or incomplete information was overlaid on top of validated records when the source information was fed to FRS for systematic refreshes. Since SRG's review, the logic has been adjusted to only overlay records that have not been updated manually for 90 days or longer. SRG also recommended that the application logic be adjusted to include a data quality check between the FRS record and the refresh information.
SRG's proactive handling of this contract has led to a dramatic increase in the validity of records, not just at Region 7, but for all regions in EPA, because of the high quality of research and the outstanding quantity of updates performed above and beyond the contract requirements.