NATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE REGIONAL IPM CENTERS
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Rationale

Part of the justification for the establishment of the USDA Regional IPM Centers was the need to establish a regional and national information network, capable of sharing information among stakeholders at multiple geographic and organizational levels. Given this charge, it is expected that the Centers will fund information networking activities within each region. To avoid a patchwork of independent and non-interoperable information systems, the Centers have begun the process of establishing standards for proposed web network activities.

The purpose of these standards is not to establish unreasonable and burdensome "rules", but rather to ensure that electronic networks and systems funded by the Regional IPM Centers will be consistent with other regional networks and sites, and not duplicate regional or national programs already in progress.

1. Sites should contain the PM Centers logo, at least at some entry level, with a link to the National Information System, www.ipmcenters.org. Each site should contain contact information.
2. Any new site should not duplicate a national program or another program within the region. If the effort provides a regional "piece" of a national program, the work should be integrated into the National Information System.
3. Each cooperating site must provide to the National Information System IT Steering Committee the name and contact information for a technical representative for their site(s).
4. Each cooperating site must use specific protocols for establishing connectivity to/from the National Information System. Technical information about the developing National Information System can be obtained from the Regional Center or the National Information System contractor. If information will include multi-region data, the developers must use conventions for states and regions that conform to those already in use (a tab-delimited, Access, or Excel file with the accepted state groupings is available from the National Information System contractor.)
5. If online databases or XML will be used, the PI's should contact the Regional Center or the National Information System contractor to see if data standards and/or schemata are already in use. If standards are already established, the proposed site must use those standards or provide a compelling rationale for not doing so. If not, the proposal should contain protocols for establishing such standards in consultation with the Regional Center and the National Information System contractor(s).
6. Regional Center sites should use the site format developed by the national steering committee. The National Information System contractor can provide the appropriate style sheets. Other sites are encouraged to maintain the same look and feel through the use of these style sheets.