Links to the DOC Home Page

Policy:

The home page of every organization listed in the Scope section below shall prominently identify at the top of the page that it is part of the Department of Commerce and link to the Department's home page.

Scope:

Department of Commerce: http://www.doc.gov/
Bureau of the Census: http://www.census.gov/
National Institute of Standards and Technology: http://www.nist.gov/
Bureau of Economic Analysis: http://www.bea.gov/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: http://www.noaa.gov/
Bureau of Industry and Security: http://www.bis.doc.gov/
National Telecommunications and Information Administration: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/
Economic Development Administration: http://www.eda.gov/

National Technical Information Service: http://www.ntis.gov/
Economics and Statistics Administration: http://www.esa.doc.gov/
Office of the Inspector General: http://www.oig.doc.gov/
Office of the General Council: http://www.ogc.doc.gov/
International Trade Administration: http://www.trade.gov
Patent and Trademark Office: http://www.uspto.gov/
Minority Business Development Administration: http://www.mbda.gov/
NOAA National Weather Service home page: http://www.weather.gov
NOAA National Ocean Service: http://www.nos.noaa.gov/
NOAA Environmental Satellite and Data Information Service: http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/
NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research: http://www.oar.noaa.gov/

Purpose:

To identify these high level organizations as part of the Department of Commerce, while allowing flexibility and creativity in the development of Web pages/Web sites.

Exceptions:

None

Deadline for Implementation:

August 11, 2000

Discussion:

There is no requirement that the Department of Commerce Seal appear on the home page for these Web sites. These kinds of decisions are left up to the individual operating units.

To ensure compliance with the Secretary’s memo dated March 22, 2012 regarding the use of identifiers and policy standards for official DOC communications, the Web Advisory Council advises one of the two following options:

  1. Place the Department of Commerce seal next to the bureau seal or logo at the top of the page. This seal should link to www.Commerce.gov
  2. Have the phrase “A bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce” placed prominently* across the top of the Web page. The text “U.S. Department of Commerce” should be linked to www.Commerce.gov

The seal or text must be visible upon initial loading of the page, without scrolling, on a standard screen resolution of 1024x768. The identifier only needs to be placed on the home page of the major points of entry as defined in the policy scope.

Revision History:

April 18, 2012: Secretary’s Memo dated March 22, 2012 mandates change in policy.
February 5, 2008: Corrected formatting; Removed Technology Administration from Scope section because organization no longer exists.
June 9, 2000: Approved.

Department of Commerce Web Advisory Council (WAC)
U.S. Department of Commerce

Send questions and comments about this page to WAC@doc.gov
Page last updated April 18, 2012