AC 42. 2023

Date: July 31, 2023  

Memorandum to Senior Agency Officials for Records Management and Agency Records Officers: Federal Agency Records Management Annual Report, 2022

We are pleased to announce the publication of NARA’s Federal Agency Records Management Annual Report, 2022. This consolidated report provides a summary analysis of the state of federal records management programs across the federal government.

In January 2023, NARA required federal agencies to submit three reports: the annual Senior Agency Official for Records Management (SAORM) Report, the annual Records Management Self-Assessment (RMSA), and a supplemental Federal Electronic Records and Email Management Report. The agency submissions covered in this report describe the progress and maturity of federal agency records management programs, particularly for electronic records management, for calendar year 2022.

Taken together, all three submissions demonstrate the achievements and challenges faced by all federal agencies as they continue the transition to fully electronic recordkeeping, as established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and NARA memorandums Transition to Electronic Records (M-19-21) and Update to Transition to Electronic Records (M-23-07). The response to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022) required alternative means to access and capture records and intensified the need to make this transition. Many of these changes helped establish solutions to the transition and have become permanent changes to business processes.

While most agencies are following recordkeeping requirements prescribed by federal statutes and regulations, there remains room for improvement, particularly in managing historically valuable electronic records. NARA is committed to providing the guidance and oversight necessary to ensure progress continues.

Please send any questions or comments about the report to rmselfassessment@nara.gov.

LAURENCE BREWER   
Chief Records Officer 
for the U.S. Government