AC 09.2012
February 15, 2012
MEMORANDUM TO FEDERAL AGENCY CONTACTS: Announcing a New General Records Schedules (GRS) Team
The Office of the Chief Records Officer announces the formation of a new team to focus on work related to the General Records Schedules (GRS). The GRS Team is responsible for updating and revising the GRS, developing new GRS authorities, promoting better understanding and consistent implementation of the GRS, and serving as subject matter experts on GRS issues. The team is made up of staff geographically dispersed throughout the country: Andrea Pugsley Loiselle - Kansas City (team lead); Jennie Guilbaud - College Park; Susan Means - Anchorage; Leslie Watson - College Park; and Galen Wilson - Dayton.
This fiscal year the GRS Team has three main projects:
- The first is a study to examine restructuring and revising the existing General Records Schedules. The outcome of this study will include a project plan outlining timeframes for updating each section of the General Records Schedules.
- The second project is to provide guidance to agencies creating big-bucket schedules that incorporate records covered by GRS authorities. Certain GRS authorities cannot be incorporated into big-bucket schedules. This guidance will let staff and agencies know what GRS authorities can and cannot be bucketed.
- The third project is to draft a much needed GRS to cover web and social media records.
In addition to these projects, the team also plans some smaller projects to provide guidance for interpreting or using specific General Records Schedules. If there is a particular need that you know of, please let the team know by sending an e-mail to the address provided below.
The team's long-term plans include a general overhaul of the existing GRS, new GRS chapters/authorities including an effort to identify records of permanent value common throughout the Federal government, and additional guidance, briefings, and information sharing activities.
In the next few weeks the team will request agency input on this year's projects via a survey. The survey will solicit information about where revisions are needed, priorities, missing items, and ideas for restructuring the GRS. The survey will also collect information for the new web/social media content GRS.
If you have questions or comments about any of the team's activities or have a question about the GRS please feel free to email the team at GRSTeam@nara.gov. Following the survey, if you have any additional comments related to changes or additions to the GRS, please contact the team via the above address.
PAUL M. WESTER, JR.
Chief Records Officer for the
U.S. Government