The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to share more of its custom-developed software by amending its acquisition regulations to inventory and catalog its custom code, according to an upcoming Federal Register post.
The post, set to be finalized on October 18, notes that the EPA is looking to better meet the requirements in Office of Budget and Management (OMB) Memo 16-21, which requires agencies to make code developed for the agency more available for other agencies and the public. The agency plans to use its acquisition regulations to clarify the different types of custom developed software and the appropriate audience.
“In meeting the requirements of Memorandum M16-21 the EPA will be providing an enterprise code inventory indicating if the new code was custom-developed for, or by, the agency; or if the code is available for Federal reuse; or if the code is available publicly as open source code; or if the code cannot be made available due to specific exceptions,” the agency stated.
The regulation will follow OMB’s guidelines, creating exceptions for code that would put privacy or confidential information at risk, disrupt the stability of EPA’s system or mission, or if withholding the code is determined by the CIO to be in the national interest.