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Notice of Change to OFAC's delimited and fixed-width SDN files

Release Date
11/22/2004
Recent Actions Body

Advance Notice of Change to DATA Versions of OFAC's SDN files:

(This change only impacts OFAC's current delimited and fixed width data files).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has developed new automated procedures to expedite the creation of its SDN list files. OFAC will begin using these procedures to create its data files beginning with the next release of Specially Designated Nationals information occuring after Monday, November 29, 2004.

In order to minimize the impact of the changes on the public, OFAC will temporarily release its old data formats in parallel with the new formats.

These legacy formats will only be available for a period of 6 designations.

The legacy files will be available on OFAC's website and FTP servers. During this period of parallel running, the new and old SDN data will be stored in separate directories on the OFAC website and FTP servers. The legacy data will be stored in the same location as in the past until these formats are retired. This is being done to allow users with automated "pull" processes to continue to download and import legacy data without forcing them to immediately modify their processes.

The following files will be impacted by this change:

On the OFAC website:

Path - //www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn

t11sdall.exe
t11sdall.zip
sdallw32.exe

On the OFAC FTP site and GPO FTP site:

Path - /fac_sdn

sdall.zip
sdall.exe
sdallw32.exe

Path - /fac_delim (OFAC FTP) /fac_dlim (GPO FTP)

sdn.del
sdn.ff
add.del
add.ff
alt.del
alt.ff

Where possible OFAC has attempted to replicate the old data formats. However, due to the normalization of the data within OFAC's new SDN system, it is likely that users will notice some differences between the old and new delimited/fixed-width formats. Complete data specifications are available within each archive and will be posted on the OFAC website separately.

OFAC will also be publishing its SDN list in XML and CSV formats. These new formats will be released with the new delimited and fixed-width formats.