Title 44, Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-110
§3511 Data Inventory and Federal Data Catalogue
Title 44 › CHAPTER 35 — COORDINATION OF FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY › SUBCHAPTER I — FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY › § 3511
Summary
Agencies must make and keep a full inventory of all the data they create, collect, control, or store. The head of each agency must follow guidance from the Director about what to include. That guidance will say agencies should add basic facts about each dataset—like its name, a short description, how to access it, when it was last updated, who owns it, where it’s stored, and any limits on using it. The guidance will also say whether a dataset is open to the public, subject to disclosure rules (including under section 552 of title 5), or excluded because of national security systems (as defined in section 11103 of title 40). Agencies must update the inventory within 90 days after they create or identify a dataset. The guidance will list reasons a dataset might not be made public, such as privacy, security, cost, legal limits, or intellectual property. Public datasets or links to them must be sent to a single public online point of entry called the Federal data catalogue, which the General Services Administration runs with the Director. The Director will also work with other offices to keep an online repository of tools, standards, and best practices, and must tell people how to ask for access to datasets not yet posted (including the process under section 3583). The Director can delegate the guidance work to OIRA and the Office of Electronic Government.
Full Legal Text
Title 44, §3511
Public Printing and Documents, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Comprehensive Data Inventory.—
(1)In general.—
In consultation with the Director and in accordance with the guidance established under paragraph (2), the head of each agency shall, to the maximum extent practicable, develop and maintain a comprehensive data inventory that accounts for all data assets created by, collected by, under the control or direction of, or maintained by the agency. The head of each agency shall ensure that such inventory provides a clear and comprehensive understanding of the data assets in the possession of the agency.
(2)Guidance.—
The Director shall establish guidance for agencies to develop and maintain comprehensive data inventories under paragraph (1). Such guidance shall include the following:
(A)A requirement for the head of an agency to include in the comprehensive data inventory metadata on each data asset of the agency, including, to the maximum extent practicable, the following:
(i)A description of the data asset, including all variable names and definitions.
(ii)The name or title of the data asset.
(iii)An indication of whether or not the agency—
(I)has determined or can determine if the data asset is—
(aa)an open Government data asset;
(bb)subject to disclosure or partial disclosure or exempt from disclosure under section 552 of title 5;
(cc)a public data asset eligible for disclosure under subsection (b); or
(dd)a data asset not subject to open format or open license requirements due to existing limitations or restrictions on government distribution of the asset; or
(II)as of the date of such indication, has not made such determination.
(iv)Any determination made under section 3582, if available.
(v)A description of the method by which the public may access or request access to the data asset.
(vi)The date on which the data asset was most recently updated.
(vii)Each agency responsible for maintaining the data asset.
(viii)The owner of the data asset.
(ix)To the extent practicable, any restriction on the use of the data asset.
(x)The location of the data asset.
(xi)Any other metadata necessary to make the comprehensive data inventory useful to the agency and the public, or otherwise determined useful by the Director.
(B)A requirement for the head of an agency to exclude from the comprehensive data inventory any data asset contained on a national security system, as defined in section 11103 of title 40.
(C)Criteria for the head of an agency to use in determining which metadata required by subparagraph (A), if any, in the comprehensive data inventory may not be made publicly available, which shall include, at a minimum, a requirement to ensure all information that could not otherwise be withheld from disclosure under section 552 of title 5 is made public in the comprehensive data inventory.
(D)A requirement for the head of each agency, in accordance with a procedure established by the Director, to submit for inclusion in the Federal data catalogue maintained under subsection (c) the comprehensive data inventory developed pursuant to subparagraph (C), including any real-time updates to such inventory, and data assets made available in accordance with subparagraph (E) or any electronic hyperlink providing access to such data assets.
(E)Criteria for the head of an agency to use in determining whether a particular data asset should not be made publicly available in a manner that takes into account—
(i)risks and restrictions related to the disclosure of personally identifiable information, including the risk that an individual data asset in isolation does not pose a privacy or confidentiality risk but when combined with other available information may pose such a risk;
(ii)security considerations, including the risk that information in an individual data asset in isolation does not pose a security risk but when combined with other available information may pose such a risk;
(iii)the cost and benefits to the public of converting the data into a format that could be understood and used by the public;
(iv)whether the public dissemination of the data asset could result in legal liability;
(v)whether the data asset—
(I)is subject to intellectual property rights, including rights under titles 17 and 35;
(II)contains confidential business information, that could be withheld under section 552(b)(4) of title 5; or
(III)is restricted by contract or other binding, written agreement;
(vi)whether the holder of a right to such data asset has been consulted;
(vii)the expectation that all data assets that would otherwise be made available under section 552 of title 5 be disclosed; and
(viii)any other considerations that the Director determines to be relevant.
(F)Criteria for the head of an agency to use in assessing the indication of a determination under subparagraph (A)(iii) and how to prioritize any such subsequent determinations in the strategic information management plan under section 3506, in consideration of the existing resources available to the agency.
(3)Regular updates required.—
With respect to each data asset created or identified by an agency, the head of the agency shall update the comprehensive data inventory of the agency not later than 90 days after the date of such creation or identification.
(b)Public Data Assets.—
The head of each agency shall submit public data assets, or links to public data assets available online, as open Government data assets for inclusion in the Federal data catalogue maintained under subsection (c), in accordance with the guidance established under subsection (a)(2).
(c)Federal Data Catalogue.—
(1)In general.—
The Administrator of General Services shall maintain a single public interface online as a point of entry dedicated to sharing agency data assets with the public, which shall be known as the “Federal data catalogue”. The Administrator and the Director shall ensure that agencies can submit public data assets, or links to public data assets, for publication and public availability on the interface.
(2)Repository.—
The Director shall collaborate with the Office of Government Information Services and the Administrator of General Services to develop and maintain an online repository of tools, best practices, and schema standards to facilitate the adoption of open data practices across the Federal Government, which shall—
(A)include any definitions, regulations, policies, checklists, and case studies related to open data policy;
(B)facilitate collaboration and the adoption of best practices across the Federal Government relating to the adoption of open data practices; and
(C)be made available on the Federal data catalogue maintained under paragraph (1).
(3)Access to other data assets.—
The Director shall ensure the Federal data catalogue maintained under paragraph (1) provides information on how the public can access a data asset included in a comprehensive data inventory under subsection (a) that is not yet available on the Federal data catalogue, including information regarding the application process established under section 3583 of title 44.
(d)Delegation.—
The Director shall delegate to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government the authority to jointly issue guidance required under this section.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 3511, added Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2822; amended Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(m) [title VIII, § 818], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–308, 1783–339, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(m) [title VIII, § 818], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–308, 3341–339, related to establishment and operation of a Federal Information Locator System prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 104–13. Another prior section 3511, Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1305, provided for penalty for failure to furnish information, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 96–511.
Amendments
2019—Pub. L. 115–435 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to establishment and operation of Government Information Locator Service. 2014—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 113–235 substituted “Director of the Government Publishing Office” for “Public Printer”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2019 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–435 effective 180 days after Jan. 14, 2019, see section 403 of Pub. L. 115–435, set out as a note under section 306 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1995, except as otherwise provided, see section 4(a) of Pub. L. 104–13, set out as a note under section 3501 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
44 U.S.C. § 3511
Title 44, Public Printing and Documents
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110