CFR

102-193.20—What are the specific agency responsibilities for records management?

You must follow both GSA regulations in this part and NARA regulations in 36 CFR chapter XII to carry out your records management responsibilities. To meet the requirements of this part, you must take the following actions to establish and maintain the agency's records management program:

(a) Assign specific responsibility to develop and implement agencywide records management programs to an office of the agency and to a qualified records manager.

(b) Follow the guidance contained in GSA handbooks and bulletins and comply with NARA regulations in 36 CFR chapter XII when establishing and implementing agency records management programs.

(c) Issue a directive establishing program objectives, responsibilities, authorities, standards, guidelines, and instructions for a records management program.

(d) Apply appropriate records management practices to all records, irrespective of the medium (e.g., paper, electronic, or other).

(e) Control the creation, maintenance, and use of agency records and the collection and dissemination of information to ensure that the agency:

(1) Does not accumulate unnecessary records while ensuring compliance with NARA regulations for adequate and proper documentation and records disposition in 36 CFR parts 1220 and 1228.

(2) Does not create forms and reports that collect information inefficiently or unnecessarily.

(3) Reviews all existing forms and reports (both those originated by the agency and those responded to by the agency but originated by another agency or branch of Government) periodically to determine if they can be improved or canceled.

(4) Maintains records economically and in a way that allows them to be retrieved quickly and reliably.

(5) Keeps mailing and copying costs to a minimum.

(f) Establish standard stationery formats and styles.

(g) Establish standards for correspondence to use in official agency communications, and necessary copies required, and their distribution and purpose.

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