Digital services dominate GPO's 5-year plan

The Government Printing Office hopes to transform itself into a digital information platform and provider of secure credentials, according to the GPO's recently released 5-year strategic plan. This means GPO is shifting to a document lifecycle process that ensures digital versions of publications are permanently available online and printed only when required or otherwise necessary, according to the plan (.pdf).

The agency plans to assist agencies with document digitization, in order to comply with the White House's records management directive. In fiscal 2013 it also plans to market Federal Digital System, or FDsys, and eBook services to federal agencies.

This year, GPO plans to fully enable XML publication by replacing MicroComp--its 30-year old locator-based system that does not support the XML data standard. It will also redesign its external website.

In fiscal 2013, the office plans to improve digital interaction with customers by optimizing FDsys content for mobile devices and providing a direct interface with FDsys through application programming interfaces, or APIs. It will also enhance library tools by redesigning the Federal Depository Library Program desktop and Ben's Guide to U.S. Government websites to offer a "more integrated, streamlined, user-centric tool for the FDLPs and the general public," says the plan.

The GPO will continue several strategic partnerships and considerably expand one with the State Department. In fiscal 2013, GPO's security and intelligent documents division will help the Next Generation Passport Committee develop a future passport. The division will also help train the department's consular affairs office of fraud prevention officers, says the plan.

Security products are a major focus for GPO in fiscal 2013, according to the strategic plan. It plans to ramp up services for smart card and credential customers to design, print and manufacture more product needs. It will establish a card personalization cooperative at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss.

For more:
- download the document "GPO Strategic Plan | FY 2013-2017" (.pdf)

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