Federal Records Center: Available Services and Standards
Customer agencies can expect the following levels of performance from the National Archives and Records Administration's Federal Records Center (NARA RCP) for storage and services. Additional services are available at negotiated rates. Please contact your Account Representative or the Director of Records Center Operations at your Regional Records Center for details.
- Storage
- Services
- Records Transfers (Accessions)
- Records Disposition
- Reference
- Refiles
- Interfiles
- Photocopies
- Additional Services Above Baseline Levels
- Customer Orientation Services
- Quality Assurance
- Future Expanded Services
Storage
For all types of records NARA RCP will provide storage in a safe and secure environment that meets the requirements of 36 CFR 1228. Storage is billed based on the type of storage
required and the volume of storage provided on a monthly basis.
The majority of records in the physical custody of NARA RCP are billed as Standard Storage.
Classified Storage is applied to security classified records including Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential as well as providing vault storage for other records when requested by the customer agency. A separate fee is charged for Classified Storage.
The storage of non-paper based media in climate controlled areas is billed as Non-Textual Environmentally Controlled Storage. A separate fee is applied to Non-Textual Environmentally Controlled Storage.
The storage of textual records in climate controlled areas is shown as Textual Environmentally Controlled Storage but currently uses the Standard Storage rate.
All storage rates are expressed as a monthly value per cubic foot.
Services
Services include transfers, disposition, reference, refiles, interfiles, and photocopies. Additional services, such as project work and specialized shipping and handling, are also available. Services are billed based on the type of service provided and the volume of service provided. Each type of service is detailed below.
Separate fees are assigned to services involving Classified records.
Separate fees are assigned to selected records requiring specialized services. Records requiring specialized services include tax returns, personnel related records, treasury checks, XC folders, selective service records, passport records, selected SSA records (Post-Entitlement, Title II, and active files), and USPS Money Orders. Specialized services (when applicable) are detailed in the interagency agreement between NARA and the customer agency.
Shipping (USPS First Class service, UPS Ground Service, and similar methods) to return records to the customer agency is included in the established fees. Specialized shipping and handling involving Fax, Telephone, Scanning, and Metro Courier is also available for an additional fee.
Records Transfers (formerly referred to as Accessions)
To initiate a retirement of records, customer agencies submit a Standard Form 135, Records Transmittal and Receipt. Acceptable methods of transmittal include mail through the United States Postal Service, express delivery services, fax, or as an e-mail attachment. Once NARA RCP has approved the SF 135, the customer agency may ship the records to the designated NARA RCP facility.
During the transfer processing phase, NARA RCP will review the paperwork for compliance with current records control schedules, verify disposal authorities and dates, assign space within the NARA RCP facility, assign a transfer number, and update NARS-5. NARA RCP will also correct minor deficiencies in the paperwork and notify the customer agency with approval to ship records.
Upon request, NARA RCP will provide the customer agency with extracts from NARS-5.
When necessary, NARA RCP will implement and manage freezes on customer agency records in our physical custody.
NARA RCP will monitor approved transfers and if the records are not received within 90 calendar days agencies will be contacted to determine the cause of the delay and work out a mutually agreeable solution.
When transfers are physically sent by the customer agency, NARA RCP will verify the contents of the boxes with the SF 135, shelve the records, verify all information, update NARS-5, notify the customer that the records have been shelved, and file the SF 135.
Records Disposition
Records disposition covers three types of services whereby customer agency records are removed from the physical custody of the NARA RCP: disposal of temporary records, permanent withdrawal of records back to the customer agency, and the accessioning of permanent records into the Archives of the United States.
Records become eligible for disposal in accordance with NARA approved records disposition schedules and written concurrence from the customer agency. For records scheduled for destruction, NARA RCP shall provide written notification to the customer agency prior to the records scheduled disposal date.
Records shall be destroyed within 90 calendar days of eligibility, as determined by the applicable records disposition schedule and NARA RCP receipt of written concurrence from the customer agency, whichever comes later.
NARA RCP will dispose of records in accordance with Federal regulations, including the witnessing of disposal where required. The disposal process includes verifying disposal authorities and dates, preparing and transporting records to a disposal site, certifying the disposal, updating NARS-5 and updating the SF 135.
The destruction of non-textual material may result in additional charges (see Additional Services).
NARA RCP will also maintain statistical data including a history report documenting all disposal activity at the transfer level.
When a customer agency requests the permanent transfer of 25 boxes or less from the physical custody of the NARA RCP back to the customer agency, NARA will prepare and ship the records, update NARS-5, and update the SF 135.
When a customer agency requests the permanent withdrawal of more than 25 boxes, the request will be handled as project work (see Additional Services).
For permanent records that reach the scheduled date for accessioning into the Archives of the United States, NARA RCP will notify the customer agency by forwarding to the customer agency an SF 258 (Agreement to Transfer Records to the National Archives of the United States).
Records will be transferred to the Archives of the United States during the quarter after the signed SF 258 has been received.
The NARA RCP will prepare the records for transport, update NARS-5, and update the SF 135.
Reference
Reference services for records in the physical custody of NARA RCP include returning requested material to the customer agency. Requests may be for specific folders or entire box(es). NARA will accept reference requests via CIPS, fax, telephone, mail, UPS, express delivery, agency courier, or e-mail.
Routine requests will be completed within one business day (24-hour service) of receipt.
NARA will provide expedited reference service (same day or less than 24 hour turnaround service) on emergency requests for an additional fee (see Additional Services).
Completed requests will be returned to the customer via USPS First Class service, UPS Ground Service, or any other means that may be more cost-effective within the same time frames.
Arrangements can also be made to transmit requested information to the customer agency via fax, telephone, scanning, or Metro Courier for an additional fee (see Additional Services).
In instances where customers are willing to pay for overnight delivery, NARA will accommodate such requests by making the arrangements with Fedex and charging the delivery to the customer agency's FedEx account.
NARA RCP will also permit customer agencies to pick up completed requests at the NARA RCP facility.
NARA RCP will provide on-site space at each NARA RCP facility for customer agency personnel or other authorized individuals to review the agency's records in that facility's holdings and related SFs 135. Appointments may be required.
For requests that cannot be completed due to erroneous information on the request form, NARA RCP will contact the customer to resolve the problem.
All problem requests will be reviewed within one business day in order to determine if a second search is required.
If NARA RCP errs in sending the incorrect folder/box to an agency, the correct folder/box will be sent via Fedex to the customer agency at NARA RCP's expense.
Refiles
Refiles are records that are being returned to the NARA RCP facility to be replaced in their original location. Refiles may be specific folders or entire box(es).
Refiles will be returned to their file location within five business days of receipt.
Interfiles
Interfiles are folders or documents that the customer agency wishes to have added to records previously transferred.
Interfiles will be processed within 10 business days of receipt.
If the intended interfile is too large to fit into the proper container, NARA RCP will work with the agency to try to solve the problem. Options that NARA RCP will pursue include re-boxing the interfiles as part of the existing accession, having agency representatives visit the records center to work with NARA RCP staff to create a new transfer that includes the interfiles, and returning the interfiles for inclusion in a new transfer. If the agency and NARA RCP determine that the most practical approach is for NARA RCP to return the interfile to the agency, it will be done at NARA RCP expense.
Photocopies
When directed by the customer agency, NARA RCP will make photocopies of customer agency records in the physical custody of the NARA RCP, customer agency SF-135's, and other documents.
Additional Services Above Baseline Levels
NARA RCP offers the following services for an additional fee. Generally the scope of work and estimated costs are negotiated with the customer agency in advance.
The destruction of non-textual material may result in additional charges to the customer agency if NARA RCP has to use a contractor to physically destroy the non-textual material. If an additional charge is warranted, it will be listed under miscellaneous costs.
The permanent withdrawal of more than twenty-five (25) cubic feet of customer agency records will be handled as project work. The customer agency will reimburse NARA RCP for time and materials. Charges for time spent performing a permanent withdrawal of more than 25 cubic feet will be listed as labor. Material costs will be listed under miscellaneous costs. In addition, NARA RCP will arrange for a Government Bill of Lading (GBL) to transport the records to the customer agency. GBL costs will be listed under miscellaneous costs.
NARA will provide expedited reference service (same day or less than 24-hour turnaround service) on emergency requests for an additional fee. Customer agencies will be charged for the type and volume of service provided as well as an additional fee listed under rush.
Customer agencies may elect to have requested information transmitted to them via fax, telephone, or scanning for an additional fee. Customer agencies will be charged for the type and volume of service provided as well as an additional fee listed under fax, telephone, or scanning.
Customer agencies have the option of using a NARA RCP Metro Courier for pick-up of new transfers and the pick up and delivery of requests, refiles, and interfiles for an additional fee. The type and frequency of the Metro Courier service will be negotiated at the regional or facility level based on what level of service each region can offer.
Customer agencies in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area may elect to have new transfers of more than 25 cubic feet transported to the Washington National Records Center via the WNRC truck fleet. Customer agencies using the WNRC Pick Up Service for new transfers are charged a per visit fee based on their location. Agencies in Washington, DC, the immediate Maryland suburbs and the immediate Virginia suburbs are charged the Zone 1 rate. Customers outside of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area are charged the Zone 2 rate. Pick Up of Classified records by the WNRC truck fleet are charged the Classified rate. Special requirements imposed by the customer agency when utilizing the WNRC Pick Up service are charged a Special Handling rate in addition to either the Zone 1, Zone 2, or Classified rate.
Selected customers may elect to be billed below the Record Group level. This billing process is termed Stratified Billing. Customers that elect to use Stratified Billing agree to provide a Charge Code whenever a service, such as reference, refiles, interfiles, etc. is requested. If the customer fails to provide the Charge Code, then NARA RCP staff must perform a "look up" to determine the correct Charge Code. A separate fee is charged whenever the "look up" service is provided. This fee only applies when a customer requires Stratified Billing.
Project Work is identified as a separate and significant volume of holdings-related work which necessitates NARA dedicating special staff or additional time and resources to ensure its timely completion. Project work will be completed under a separate, negotiated agreement that will identify NARA costs and customer delivery expectations. These agreements will be handled either at the regional level, if they are site specific, or at the national level if they involve more than one region. Examples of project work are screening and compacting existing holdings, creating box inventories, and performing data entry for a customer agency's records tracking system.
Fast Pack services are a type of project whereby NARA RCP staff visit customer agency locations and prepare records for transfer and complete the transfer process.
NARA RCP offers a variety of micrographic services on a reimbursable basis. If the records center in the customer agency's region does not offer micrographic services, the request will be forwarded to a region with a micrographics operation.
Customer Orientation Services
NARA RCP will offer free workshops on services provided by the NARA RCP and will distribute field bulletins and other technical reference materials free of charge.
Quality Assurance
In addition to the above listed services, NARA RCP has in place, a Quality Assurance Program that will strive to ensure that each of the functions is performed accurately and timely. Random audits are performed to verify that:
a. Correct documents/information are sent to requestors;
b. Refiles are returned to the correct location;
c. Interfiles are interfiled within the correct folder/box; and
d. Disposals and permanent records transfers are accomplished in accordance with agency schedules and NARA policies.
Future Expanded Services
It is the RCP's goal to provide Federal agencies with outstanding records service assistance at the most economical cost possible. To that end, NARA staff will maintain a continuing dialogue with agencies to determine the level and type of services they desire, at a competitive price.
