NIEM XML Standard
National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) is a Federal, State, Local and Tribal interagency initiative providing a foundation for seamless information exchange. NIEM uses XML for its foundation and applications developed using NIEM will also use XML. NIEM is a framework to:
- Bring stakeholders and Communities of Interest together to identify information sharing requirements in day-to-day operational and emergency situations;
- Develop standards, a common lexicon and an on-line repository of information exchange package documents to support information sharing;
- Provide technical tools to support development, discovery, dissemination and re-use of exchange documents; and
- Provide training, technical assistance and implementation support services for enterprise-wide information exchange.
In 2008 the AAMVA Technical Committee recommended AAMVA use NIEM as the preferred approach for XML standards. The main consideration in making this recommendation was the DHS and DOJ grant requirements of NIEM conformance.
Background on the NIEM and GJXDM Standards
In 2001 AAMVA started developing our own standard and defining the messages based on it.
In a separate project, AAMVA worked with International Justice & Public Safety Information Sharing Network (Nlets) to standardize the elements used in the Nlets driver messages. Nlets decided to implement the standardized messages in XML and use a XML standard being developed by the Global Justice Group. Rather than have two standards, AAMVA joined the Global Justice XML Standards Task Force and merged our standards and elements into the Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM).
As one of the one of the original contributors to GJXDM, AAMVA was involved in defining the model and the processes for its operation and maintenance. The resulting Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM) conforms to many XML standards (e.g. Federal XML, Legal XML, etc) and XML guidelines (e.g. OASIS UBL, ebXML, ISO 11179, etc.). The GJXDM was awarded one of the American Council for Technology's (ACT) prestigious 2004 Intergovernmental Solutions Awards, for demonstrating tremendous progress in government collaboration and innovative use of technology.
As the use of GJXDM broadened, its focus was expanded to cover domains beyond the justice communities. In 2005 this expansion resulted in the publication of the NIEM standard, which is a replacement of GJXDM. Most of the GJXDM definitions were rolled into the NIEM-Core or the NIEM-Justice domains and new domains were added for areas such as Emergency Management.
AAMVA’s Participation in NIEM
AAMVA contributed Driver and Vehicle elements that the motor vehicle community use, to NIEM. Whenever AAMVA revises these elements, the revisions are contributed to NIEM to keep the NIEM definitions current.
AAMVA continues to support the development of NIEM as a member of the Justice XML Standards Task Force, providing subject matter expertise. AAMVA also occasionally participates in development teams which focus on specific business and technical items. AAMVA:
- Proposes enhancements to improve the model.
- Participates in answering questions.
- Participates in defining solutions for issues.
- Monitors proposed changes to ensure they will not adversely impact the definitions supplied by AAMVA or the AAMVA applications using NIEM.
Contact: Mark Pritchard, (703) 908-5790.