The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has called for U.S. government agencies to designate a senior agency official who has agency-wide responsibility, accountability and authority for geospatial information issues.

The senior agency official will oversee, coordinate and facilitate the agency’s implementation of … geospatial-related requirements, policies, and activities, Clay Johnson, OMB’s deputy director for management, said in the March 3 memo. “While these activities may be undertaken by various components of an agency, OMB will look to the senior agency official for information regarding the agency’s coordination of these activities.”

Geospatial information, which can include maps and satellite imagery, is used to support missions such as national security, law enforcement, healthcare, the environment and natural resources conservation.

The memo was sent to 27 U.S. federal agencies.