DHS/DM looking for input on OPEN

The EIC has sent out a request for input from the vendor community about
the use of OPEN as shown below in blue.  I wanted to extend this
offer to those in the EM-TC as well.  If you have any inputs, you
can send them to the EIC secretary Tracy Ryan <>
Thanks, Elysa

"OPEN is intended to make it easier for the
vendor community to implement standards so that emergency responders can
easily exchange information when they need to, without regard to the
specific products being used.  DHS is supportive of a robust vendor
community that will work to best meet the needs of their customers and
intends for OPEN to help in that process by:

·        Making it easier and cheaper
to implement standards in your products

·        Providing an environment to
test and develop message exchange standards, and a means to demonstrate
these to the public

·        Providing a service where
customers can connect easily and exchange information via standards with
anyone else who is using standards compliant software

·        Helping to level the playing
field so that vendors can compete on the way in which they meet the needs
without sacrificing the ability to exchange information

Of course underlying this is the real goal of achieving the ability for
any emergency organization to seamlessly share information with any
other.  So, what kinds of changes could we make in OPEN that would
help with these goals?  What have we been doing right, and what
mistakes have we made?  How important is OPEN to EIC in helping to
move towards standard implementation?  Does the documentation and
support meet the need? "