Forking to personal repository for NOAA work

[samtrahan]

I am working on a collaborative project between NOAA NCEP and NOAA GFDL and I've been asked to do something that may violate the DOC GitHub guidance. I want to make sure I'm not breaking any rules before I take further action.

GFDL has a github repository for a library called "FMS" here:

https://github.com/NOAA-GFDL/FMS

I am tasked, under my contract with NOAA, to make certain changes to that FMS library. As the repository is owned by GFDL, I asked them to add me as a collaborator so I could make a branch in that repository. They told me their policy is for all collaborators, including NOAA employees and contractors, to:

1. Fork the GFDL FMS repository into our own personal github repository, outside the NOAA accounts. For example, it may show up as github.com/samtrahan/FMS

2. Apply changes in our personal repository. In other words, I would make changes in github.com/samtrahan/FMS.

3. Send a "pull request" to GFDL.

I realize this is how development is normally done in github. However, I am uneasy about the request to do development for NOAA in my own personal github repository instead of using NOAA repositories. Typically, under NOAA IT Security policies, using our own personal equipment for work-related purposes is not allowed. I don't know how that carries over to social-media-based code repositories.