NIEM ↔ NFL Alignment (6.0)
This document summarizes how the OpenPermit Node Framework (NFL) maps to the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) 6.0. It explains the augmentation rules used to extend NIEM schemas and describes the process for keeping mappings up to date.
NIEM ↔ NFL Mappings
- Person: NIEM
nc:Person elements correspond to NFL person nodes capturing name, address and contact information.
- Organization: NIEM
nc:Organization aligns with the NFL organization node for agencies or companies.
- Document: NIEM
nc:Document structures map to NFL document nodes referencing external files or URLs.
- Permit: NIEM permit types (e.g.,
ext:Permit) become NFL permit nodes holding application metadata and status.
- Relationships mirror NIEM associations; each NFL node retains a
niemTag property for round‑tripping.
Augmentation Rules
- When NIEM lacks required properties, extensions are created in the
openpermit namespace.
- Augmentation adds new attributes or enumerations without changing base NIEM definitions.
- NFL nodes reference augmented types and preserve original NIEM tags for traceability.
- This approach ensures that updates to NIEM can be merged without losing local fields.
Update Process
- Monitor NIEM release notes for schema changes.
- Regenerate mapping tables using the importer scripts in
agent/.
- Review differences and create new augmentations as needed.
- Commit revised schemas and mappings under a new version directory (for example
niem-6.1).
- Update this document and related importer scripts to reflect the new mappings.
Following these guidelines keeps the OpenPermit data layer interoperable with NIEM while maintaining the flexibility of the Node Framework.