Our Records Management Staff, located in the Office of Systems, maintains and oversees agency policies and procedures for the disposition of records within our agency. We are committed to adhering to National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) guidance and policies. Our goals are to ensure we keep records long enough to protect rights, maintain direct lines of accountability for our records, make records available for future use, and provide transparency of government operations.

What is a Record?

§ 3301. Definition of records

(a) RECORDS DEFINED.—
 

(1) IN GENERAL.—As used in this chapter, the term “records”—
 

(A) includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them; and
 

(B) does not include —
   

(i) library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes; or
   

(ii) duplicate copies of records preserved only for convenience.
 

(2) RECORDED INFORMATION DEFINED.— For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ´recorded´ information includes all traditional forms of records, regardless of physical form or characteristics, including information created, manipulated, communicated, or stored in digital or electronic form.

(b) DETERMINATION OF DEFINITION.—The Archivist’s determination whether recorded information, regardless of whether it exists in physical, digital, or electronic form, is a record as defined in subsection (a) shall be binding on all Federal agencies.”

Managing Records

As part of our records management program, we ensure appropriate scheduling of all agency records in accordance with 36 CFR Subchapter B part 1225.

We communicate NARA approved agency specific records schedules and changes to the General Records Schedules (GRS) to all employees. We ensure NARA approved records schedules are in place for all Federal records, including new and existing electronic information systems to prevent the unauthorized access, removal, and loss of agency records. We provide effective control, appropriate security, and management over the creation, maintenance, use and disposition of all records within the agency regardless of physical form.

We created a mandatory records management training program for all employees, and recommended completion by contractors, to ensure everyone understands their records management responsibilities. Annually, we conduct an agency-wide awareness campaign to promote the use of the agency’s’ records management resources.

You can view NARA guidance, GRS, and agency specific records schedules in the links below. You can find additional information about records management by visiting NARA’s website.

Presidential Directive for Managing Records

On November 28, 2011, President Obama signed the Presidential Memorandum -Managing Government Records. This memorandum marked the beginning of an Executive Branch-wide effort to reform records management policies and practices and to develop a 21st-century framework for the management of Government records. On August 24, 2012, the Office of Management and Budget and the NARA issued M-12-18 listing the requirements of the Presidential Memorandum. We have made a concerted effort to meet the requirements in M-12-18.