Government
Since 1984, DSCS has specialized in converting government documents and metadata to XML. We also have extensive experience in formulating data structures and systems that support the requirements of government offices and departments for storing, managing, printing and searching documents and information.
We've continually expanded our capabilities in legacy data conversion and information management, becoming the established industry leader in legislative and regulatory data. Our solutions for government clients include building customized programs and systems, producing data compilations, updating statutes and regulations, converting documents for print, consultation on work system development and many more. DSCS works with federal and state government agencies and offices to meet the growing need for reliable and cost-effective solutions.
Case Studies
Federal Trade Commission: Federal Register Share in Savings Program
Challenge:
- Convert standard word processing documents into GPO print-ready SGML/XML for printing in the Federal Register.
- Must comply with established federal agency workflow process and create substantial savings.
Solution:
- Convert documents quickly and efficiently thanks to experience with federal regulatory data.
- Deliver the data in the less expensive format to the GPO.
Results:
- FTC and other federal agencies save thousands of dollars — sometimes thousands of dollars per document — without changing processes.
- Share In Savings (SIS) program ensures that DSCS is compensated only if the agency saves money.
House Office of Legislative Counsel (HOLC): Ramseyer (Legislative Impact®) Report Automation
Challenge:
- Expedite generation of reports detailing the impact of increasingly complex legislation on existing law.
- Solution must work within current IT environment and legal workflow of US House of Representatives.
Solution:
- Develop automated system to replace manual processes, using highly granular XML mark-up of legislative documents.
- Extend existing COTS system to automate generation of impact reports and provide new editorial capabilities.
Results:
- Ramseyer Reports generated much more quickly and accurately – time saved both in creation of reports and minimization of drafting errors.
- Quick acceptance by House legal staff of new software tool and processes due to incorporation into familiar workflow and desktop environment.
Library of Congress – Congressional Research Service (CRS): Transition the Legislative Information System (LIS) to XML
Challenge:
- LIS files contain critical data on all aspects of Congress – including members, voting records, legislative histories, international treaties, research reports, etc – spanning the entire history of the United States.
- Files are in disparate formats and stored in an out-of-date relational system, obstructing the Library’s need for advanced searching and access.
Solution:
- Develop XML schemas capable of describing the full range of data elements and attributes in more than 200 years of congressional data.
- Extract data from the legacy systems, convert and validate it into the new XML formats, then design and load a new XML capable database.
Results:
- Everyone from congressional staff to academic researchers and the public have easier and more comprehensive access to critical legislative information, from the current session of Congress back to the first Congress in 1789.
House Office of Legislative Counsel (HOLC): Development of Compilations in XML
Challenge:
- Compile foundational law and all subsequent changes enacted through later laws and amendments to enable a complete understanding of the scope of laws covering critical areas of federal legislation, such as Social Security.
- Traditional manual processes within the US Congress make it impossible to accurately update and maintain these compilations.
Solution:
- Develop and apply a highly granular XML mark-up to legislative data built around congressional XML structures.
- Use extensive knowledge of legislative data and processes to convert and validate the legacy data to the new XML format.
Results:
- Compilations data in XML supports all phases of the legislative drafting, review and analysis processes.
- Free from supporting simple data updates and maintenance, critical House and Senate staff are more focused and productive.
Information Management Experience
Extensive experience in providing comprehensive, accurate data conversion at a lower cost to numerous federal and state government entities, including:
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House of Representatives
- House Office of Legislative Counsel
- Government Printing Office
- Library of Congress
Current DSCS Products and Services
