Federal Records Management

AC 17.2016

March 2, 2016

Memorandum To Fedeeral Agency Contacts: Agency review of six new draft General Records Schedules

NARA’s General Records Schedule (GRS) Team is continuing its multi-year project to rewrite the GRS to reflect current government functions and practices. We invite all Federal agencies to participate in the review process. Attached for your review are the following draft schedules:

GRS 2.5 Addition: Phased Retirement Program Records
GRS 4.2 Addition: FOIA Virtual Reading Room Records
GRS 5.4: Facility, Equipment, Vehicle, Property, and Supply Records
GRS 5.5: Mail, Printing, and Telecommunication Service Management Records
GRS 5.8: Administrative Help Desk Records
GRS 6.5: Customer Service Records

These drafts are being sent to you before publication in the Federal Register. We would like to hear from agencies first so that what is eventually published in the Federal Register already has your approval as our stakeholders.

We have learned that we receive the most useful information from agency subject matter experts (SMEs)—agency staff working in functions whose records the schedules describe. Please forward these schedule drafts to your agency SMEs. Their feedback will be invaluable. Their review - and yours - should focus on these questions:

Are records correctly and completely described?
Are retention periods too long, too short, or just right?
Are items missing that should be included?
Are items present that should be deleted?

Please use the attached comment form to submit comments, sending a separate comment form for each schedule.

We appreciate your staff taking the time to review these drafts and provide comments. Our overhaul of the GRS will necessarily affect every agency throughout the Federal government. Please help us refine these schedules so that they serve your needs.

You may still dispose of records using the current GRS until the new schedules are approved and transmitted to agencies for implementation.

Please send any questions and comments to GRS_Team@nara.gov. We will accept comments through April 1, 2016.

Laurence Brewer
Acting Chief Records Officer
for the U.S. Government

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