diff --git a/app/models/answer.rb b/app/models/answer.rb
index c9e3d6c..bec8f3c 100644
--- a/app/models/answer.rb
+++ b/app/models/answer.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
     answer_copy.save!
     return answer_copy
   end
-  
+
   # This method helps to decide if an answer option (:radiobuttons, :checkbox, etc ) in form views should be checked or not
   # Returns true if the given option_id is present in question_options, otherwise returns false
   def has_question_option(option_id)
@@ -86,4 +86,37 @@
   def non_archived_notes
     return notes.select{ |n| n.archived.blank? }.sort!{ |x,y| y.updated_at <=> x.updated_at }
   end
+
+
+  ##
+  # Returns the parsed JSON hash for the current answer object
+  # Generates a new hash if none exists for rda_questions
+  #
+  # @return [Hash] the parsed hash of the answer.
+  #                Should have keys 'standards', 'text'
+  #                'standards' is a list of <std_id>: <title> pairs
+  #                'text' is the text from the comments box
+  def answer_hash
+    default = {'standards' => {}, text => ''}
+    begin
+      h = self.text.nil? ? default : JSON.parse(answer.text)
+    rescue JSON::ParserError => e
+      h = default
+    end
+    return h
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Given a hash of standards and a comment value, this updates answer
+  # text for rda_questions
+  #
+  # @param [standards] a hash of standards
+  # @param [text]  option comment text
+  # nothing returned, but the status of the text field of the answer is changed
+  def update_answer_hash(standards={},text="")
+    h = {}
+    h[:standards] = standards
+    h[:text] = text
+    self.text = h.to_json
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/question_format.rb b/app/models/question_format.rb
index b7d6afc..b6d1e36 100644
--- a/app/models/question_format.rb
+++ b/app/models/question_format.rb
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
   # Associations
   has_many :questions
 
-  enum formattype: [ :textarea, :textfield, :radiobuttons, :checkbox, :dropdown, :multiselectbox, :date ]
+  enum formattype: [ :textarea, :textfield, :radiobuttons, :checkbox, :dropdown, :multiselectbox, :date, :rda_metadata ]
   attr_accessible :formattype
-  
+
   validates :title, presence: {message: _("can't be blank")}, uniqueness: {message: _("must be unique")}
-  
+
   ##
   # Possibly needed for active_admin
   #   -relies on protected_attributes gem as syntax depricated in rails 4.2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
   # Retrieves the id for a given formattype passed
   scope :id_for, -> (formattype) { where(formattype: formattype).pluck(:id).first }
-  
+
   ##
   # Define Bit Field Values so we can test a format without doing string comps
   # Column type
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index ee376eb..4de6205 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@
       post 'create_or_update', on: :collection
     end
 
+    # Question Formats controller, currently just the one action
+    get 'question_formats/rda_api_address' => 'question_formats#rda_api_address'
+
     resources :notes, only: [:create, :update, :archive] do
       member do
         patch 'archive'
@@ -302,7 +305,7 @@
           get 'unpublish', action: :unpublish, constraints: {format: [:json]}
         end
       end
-      
+
       get 'template_options' => 'templates#template_options', constraints: {format: [:json]}
       get 'download_plans' => 'plans#download_plans'
     end