Information Quality Guidelines

Introduction

USAID has published its Information Quality Guidelines which outline USAID’s policies and procedures to ensure the quality of information prepared by USAID and disseminated to the public.

The USAID Guidelines adopt OMB Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies. They implement Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 1065-554) which requires that each Federal agency “issue guidelines ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical information) disseminated by the agency.” Section 515 also requires agencies to establish administrative mechanisms allowing affected persons to see and obtain correction of information maintained and disseminated by the agency that does not comply with OMB guidelines.

See the USAID Guidelines (PDF) for more information.

Peer Review of Influential Scientific Disseminations and Highly Influential Scientific Assessments

On December 16, 2004, the Office of Management and Budget issued its Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review (PDF, 263K). The Bulletin requires federal agencies to conduct peer reviews of "influential scientific information" before it is disseminated to the public and to post Peer Review Agendas on their Web sites.

A scientific assessment is an evaluation of a body of scientific or technical knowledge that typically synthesizes multiple factual inputs, data, models, assumptions, and/or applies best professional judgment to bridge uncertainties in the available information. The Bulletin considers a "scientific assessment" to be "highly influential" if the agency or the OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator determines that the dissemination could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any one year on either the public or private sector or that the dissemination is novel, controversial, or precedent-setting, or has significant interagency interest. As a result, listed below are USAID's influential scientific dissemination.

Feed the Future

• Ecology and Genomics of an Important Crop Wild Relative as a Prelude to Agricultural Innovation

• Assessing potential land suitable for surface irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia

• Advances in water resources research in the Upper Blue Nile basin and the way forward: A review

• Impact of Climate Change on Streamflow Hydrology in Headwater Catchments of the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

• Multi-Dimensional Evaluation of Simulated Small-Scale Irrigation Intervention: A Case Study in Dimbasinia Watershed, Ghana

• Performance of bias corrected MPEG rainfall estimate for rainfall-runoff simulation in the upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

• Assessment of Suitable Areas for Home Gardens for Irrigation Potential, Water Availability, and Water-Lifting Technologies

Bureau for Food Security

• Towards Robust Models of Food Flows and their Role in Invasive Species Spread

Information Quality Correspondence

At this time, USAID has received no information quality correction requests; however, USAID will update this page if it receives any requests.

How do I file a request for correction of USAID information disseminated to the public?

If you are an affected person and believe that information covered by the USAID guidelines is not accurate clear, complete, or unbiased, you may submit an email OR written request for correction to:

Mailing Address:
Chief Information Officer
Re: Information Correction Request
U.S. Agency for International Development
Room 2.12-10, Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20523

Email:
CIO-USAID@usaid.gov

Your request must include the following information:

• Explain how you are affected by the information
• Contain contact information, including mailing address, fax, e-mail, telephone number, and any organizational affiliation;
• Clearly indicate the specific information believed to be in error, including the name of the document containing the information, the source, the date of issuance, and a detailed description of the information to be corrected;
• State specific reasons why the information does not comply with the OMB Guidelines and any suggestions on how it should be corrected; and
• Include any supporting documentation that you want considered as part of the correction process.

How do I file an administrative appeal?

If you have filed a request for correction and do not agree with USAID's decision (including the corrective action, if any) you may appeal to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) or designee in writing or by email.

Mailing Address:
Chief Information Officer
Re: CIO Information Correction Appeal
U.S. Agency for International Development
Room 2.12-10, Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20523

Email:
CIO-USAID@usaid.gov

You must submit the appeal to the CIO within 60 calendar days of the date of the letter stating USAID's decision.

Description of Significant Corrections made to USAID information under the USAID Information Quality Guidelines:

None