The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Albers equal area conic projection--A map projection developed by Albers in 1805 and commonly used in mapping of the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey. While some distortion is inherent in all map projections, a characteristic of the albers equal area conic projection is that scale distortion is minimized.
2. (2) Application--A separately identifiable and interrelated set of information resources technologies that allows a state agency to manipulate information resources to support specifically defined objectives.
3. (3) Board--The governing board of the Department of Information Resources.

4. (4) Data processing--Information technology equipment and related services designed for the automated storage, manipulation, and retrieval of data by electronic or mechanical means, or both. The term includes:

   1. (A) central processing units, front-end processing units, miniprocessors, microprocessors, and related peripheral equipment such as data storage devices, document scanners, data entry equipment, terminal controllers, data terminal equipment, computer-based word processing systems other than memory typewriters, and equipment and systems for computer networks;
   2. (B) all related services, including feasibility studies, systems design, software development, and time-sharing services, whether provided by state employees or by others; and
   3. (C) the programs and routines used to employ and control the capabilities of data processing hardware, including operating systems, compilers, assemblers, utilities, library routines, maintenance routines, applications, and computer networking programs.
5. (5) Datum--A smooth mathematical surface that closely defines the mean sea-level surface of the earth throughout a certain geographic region of interest (such as North America). Accurate ground positional measurements must be made with reference to a specific datum appropriate to the region.
6. (6) Department--The Department of Information Resources.
7. (7) Geographic information system (GIS)--A system of computer hardware, software and procedures used to store, analyze and display geospatial data and related tabular data in a geographic context to solve complex planning and management problems in a wide variety of applications.
8. (8) Geospatial data(set)--Data which describes some aspect of the earth's surface (or near-surface regions), or which can be identified with a specific location on or near the earth's surface. A geospatial dataset employs a defined, earth-based coordinate system which allows its use in a geographic information system.
9. (9) Geospatial dataset enhancement--Substantial alteration of a geospatial dataset which increases its usefulness through the addition of attribute (tabular) data fields, improvements in spatial accuracy, or extension of geographic coverage.
10. (10) Geospatial dataset maintenance--Addition to, or alteration of, a geospatial dataset as part of a routine business process.
11. (11) Geospatial metadata--A description of the characteristics of a geospatial dataset, recorded in a standard format. Characteristics include data content, quality, purpose, condition, format, spatial coordinate system, availability, etc. The Federal Geographic Data Committee has defined a formal content standard for digital geospatial metadata for use by federal agencies.
12. (12) GeoTIFF--A TIFF-based image format for geo-referenced raster imagery.
13. (13) GIS map product--A geographic representation, in paper or electronic format, displaying features from one or more digital geospatial datasets. Small scale images that are clearly intended only for graphic illustration within a larger publication are not considered to be GIS map products.
14. (14) JPEG--A standardized image compression mechanism. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee that wrote the standard.
15. (15) Imaging systems--Information resources technologies with video, scanning, and computer graphics capabilities (including raster formats) which are used to capture, process, create, output, store, and/or archive images, excluding process-control systems for medical diagnostic applications.
16. (16) Information resources--The procedures, equipment, and software that are designed, built, operated, and maintained to collect, record, process, store, retrieve, display, and transmit information, and associated personnel including consultants and contractors.
17. (17) Information resources services--Services provided under contract to a state agency by an individual or firm, or by a consultant or professional engineer under Texas Government Code, Chapter 2254, the Professional Services Procurement Act, and Texas Government Code, Chapter 2254, Consulting Services, which includes: studying agency's existing information resources; advising on necessary changes or additions to the information resources environment; performing information resources feasibility studies; information resources training; or recommending, managing, converting, designing, procuring, developing, documenting, programming, testing, implementing, or installing new information resources, including systems development methodologies and disaster recovery capabilities.
18. (18) Information resources technologies--Data processing and telecommunications hardware, software, services, supplies, personnel, facility resources, maintenance, and training.
19. (19) Interagency application--An information resources project implemented or used by multiple agencies.
20. (20) Lambert conformal conic projection-A map projection developed by Lambert in 1772 and commonly used in mapping of the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey. While some distortion is inherent in all map projections, a characteristic of the lambert conformal conic projection is that shape distortion is minimized.
21. (21) Map projection-A systematic representation of all or part of a surface of a round body, especially Earth, on a plane.
22. (22) Raster--A data structure for representing spatial data. The raster data structure divides a region of space into a regular, two-dimensional grid. Each cell in the grid has an associated data value. A common use of the raster data structure is to represent imagery in a digital format. In this case, the data value for each cell represents the color exhibited by that part of the image.
23. (23) Risk--The possibility of an act or event occurring that would have an adverse effect on the state, an organization or an information system. Risk involves both the probability of failure and the possible consequences of a failure.
24. (24) Risk analysis--Risk analysis is the evaluation of planned project events and deliverables in regards to various factors to consider the possibility or probability of failure and the consequences of such a failure. Risk analysis will yield an identification of the areas of greater and lower risk.
25. (25) State agency--A department, commission, board, office, council, or other agency in the executive or judicial branch of government that is created by the constitution or a statute of this state, including a university system or institution of higher education as defined by the Texas Education Code, §61.003.
26. (26) Statewide application--An information resources project implemented or used throughout state government.
27. (27) Survey product--A map, report, letter or other document produced by a registered professional land surveyor while engaged in the practice of land surveying.
28. (28) Telecommunications--Any transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writings, images, and sounds of intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems and includes all facilities and equipment performing those functions that are owned, leased, or used by state agencies and branches of state government.
29. (29) Telecommunications services--Intercity communications facilities or services. "Telecommunications services" does not include single agency point-to-point radio systems or facilities or services of criminal justice information systems.
30. (30) TIFF--Tagged Image File Format. A public domain raster image file format.
31. (31) Wide area network--A network that interconnects geographical boundaries (such as buildings, campuses, cities, regions, and/or states) which has a total distance (first node to last node) of two or more miles and might be connected using common carrier services.
32. (32) World file--A file that accompanies a specific raster image file and that contains georeferencing information that can be used by certain GIS software to correctly display the raster image in an earth-based coordinate system.

Source Note:The provisions of this §201.1 adopted to be effective December 31, 1990, 15 TexReg 7429; amended to be effective July 12, 1991, 16 TexReg 3581; amended to be effective August 8, 1994, 19 TexReg 5837; amended to be effective February 17, 1995, 20 TexReg 639; amended to be effective October 29, 2001, 26 TexReg 8507; amended to be effective March 6, 2008, 33 TexReg 1764.