AC 26.2012

August 28, 2012

MEMORANDUM TO FEDERAL AGENCY RECORDS OFFICERS: NARA Bulletin 2012-03

I am pleased to notify you that NARA has issued NARA Bulletin 2012-03, Instructions Concerning the Use of the Electronic Records Archives (ERA) for Scheduling Records and Transferring Permanent Records to the National Archives.

ERA includes an information management system designed to allow federal agencies to perform critical records management transactions with NARA online. Agency records management staff will use ERA to draft new records retention schedules for records in any format, officially submit those schedules for approval by NARA, request the transfer of permanent records in any format to the National Archives for accessioning or pre-accessioning, and submit electronic records for storage in the ERA electronic records repository. This Bulletin informs Federal agencies that, beginning October 1, 2012, NARA will use the Electronic Records Archives (ERA) for scheduling records and transferring permanent records to the National Archives.

The bulletin has been posted to our website at http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2012/2012-03.html.

If you would like additional information regarding this bulletin, please contact your appraiser who can provide any additional information you might need. If you do not know who your assigned appraiser is, you will find a list of the appraisal and scheduling work group and regional contacts on the NARA website at http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/appraisal/.

PAUL M. WESTER, JR.
Chief Records Officer for the
U.S. Government