[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 195 (Friday, October 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54922-54923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26288]


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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION


Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Records 
Services--Washington, DC.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed records schedules; request 
for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 
publishes notice at least once monthly of certain Federal agency 
requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). Once 
approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory instructions on 
what happens to records when no longer needed for current Government 
business. They authorize the preservation of records of continuing 
value in the National Archives of the United States and the 
destruction, after a specified period, of records lacking 
administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published 
for records schedules in which agencies propose to destroy records not 
previously authorized for disposal or reduce the retention period of 
records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments 
on such records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a).

DATES: Requests for copies must be received in writing on or before 
November 22, 1999. Once the appraisal of the records is completed, NARA 
will send a copy of the schedule. NARA staff usually prepare appraisal 
memorandums that contain additional information concerning the records 
covered by a proposed schedule. These, too, may be requested and will 
be provided once the appraisal is completed. Requesters will be given 
30 days to submit comments.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of any records schedule identified in this 
notice, write to the Life Cycle Management Division (NWML), National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 8601 Adelphi Road, College 
Park, MD 20740-6001. Requests also may be transmitted by FAX to 301-
713-6852 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Requesters must 
cite the control number, which appears in parentheses after the name of 
the agency which submitted the schedule, and must provide a mailing 
address. Those who desire appraisal reports should so indicate in their 
request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie Allen, Director, Life Cycle 
Management Division (NWML), National Archives and Records 
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. 
Telephone: (301) 713-7110. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year Federal agencies create billions 
of records on paper, film, magnetic tape, and other media. To control 
this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing 
retention periods for records and submit these schedules for NARA's 
approval, using the Standard Form (SF) 115, Request for Records 
Disposition Authority. These schedules provide for the timely transfer 
into the National Archives of historically valuable records and 
authorize the disposal of all other records after the agency no longer 
needs to conduct its business. Some schedules are comprehensive and 
cover all the records of an agency or one of its major subdivisions. 
Most schedules, however, cover records of only one office or program or 
a few series of records. Many of these update previously approved 
schedules, and some include records proposed as permanent.
    No Federal records are authorized for destruction without the 
approval of the Archivist of the United States. This approval is 
granted only after a thorough consideration of their administrative use 
by the agency of origin, the rights of the Government and of private 
persons directly affected by the Government's activities, and whether 
or not they have historical or other value.
    Besides identifying the Federal agencies and any subdivisions 
requesting disposition authority, this public notice lists the 
organizational unit(s) accumulating the records or indicates agency-
wide applicability in the case of schedules that cover records that may 
be accumulated throughout an agency. This notice provides the control 
number assigned to each schedule, the total number of schedule items, 
and the number of temporary items (the records proposed for 
destruction). It also includes a brief description of the temporary 
records. The records schedule itself contains a full description of the 
records at the file unit level as well as their disposition. If NARA 
staff has prepared an appraisal memorandum for the schedule, it too, 
includes information about the records. Further information about the 
disposition process is available on request.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-97-2, 1 item, 1 
temporary item). Cancelled checks issued by contractors.
    2. Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-98-22, 1 item, 1 
temporary item). Records pertaining to the development of software. 
Files relate to such matters as data processing requests, project 
descriptions, policy statements, and project constraints and 
exclusions. Files may also include such records as estimates, approval 
signatures, analyses, test results, meeting minutes, requests for

[[Page 54923]]

modifications, and related correspondence and working papers.
    3. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service 
(N1-90-99-1, 59 items, 32 temporary items). Older records accumulated 
by the Public Health Service (PHS), ca. 1945-1977, which relate to 
administrative matters. Included are records relating to budget, 
personnel, and other housekeeping activities, routine correspondence, 
raw and/or incomplete data concerning such matters as emergency care 
and dental treatment, statistical information on medical supplies, 
duplicate background materials, and computer printouts. Records 
proposed for permanent retention include subject files relating to 
international health issues, environmental health, and influenza, files 
documenting the activities of a wide variety of PHS components, budget 
documents and other files pertaining to programs for individuals 
rejected for military service during the Vietnam War, and files 
relating to organizational changes.
    4. Department of State, Office of Management, Policy and Planning 
(N1-59-99-16, 29 items, 16 temporary items). Records relating to Office 
of Inspector General Reports and forms used as input for an automated 
system that tracks Departmental personnel positions. Also included are 
electronic copies of documents created using electronic mail and word 
processing that are accumulated by the Office. Files proposed for 
permanent retention include record-keeping copies of general subject 
files and records relating to projects, bureau and mission planning, 
overseas staffing, and accountability review boards.
    5. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt (N1-53-99-
1, 92 items, 92 temporary items). System outputs from electronic 
systems previously scheduled as temporary. The schedule covers outputs 
of systems used to perform routine administrative functions or to 
facilitate accounting or accounting-related work processes (primarily 
verification and correction of financial data).
    6. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt. (N1-53-
99-2, 183 items, 164 temporary items). Public Debt Accounting and 
Reporting System (PARS) and related records. Most PARS data tables, 
used primarily to verify and correct raw financial data, are proposed 
for disposal as are electronic and hardcopy financial data inputs and 
outputs used to verify and correct financial data. Hardcopy versions of 
the Interest Expense on the Public Debt and the Monthly Statement of 
the Public Debt are proposed for permanent retention while the related 
electronic word processing and spreadsheet versions are proposed for 
disposal. Fifteen PARS data tables are proposed for permanent retention 
including raw financial data and tables needed to interpret the data.
    7. U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Office of Information Resource 
Management (N1-522-99-3, 50 items, 50 temporary items). Electronic 
tracking and administrative systems with related inputs, outputs, and 
systems documentation. Included are systems relating to calendars of 
events, document management, public financial disclosure reporting, 
certificates of divestiture, blind and diversified trusts, the status 
of pending legislation, designated agency ethics official listings, 
audits, annual agency ethics program questionnaires, registration for 
ethics conferences and workshops, the preparation of mailing labels, 
and emergency notifications.

    Dated: September 23, 1999.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 99-26288 Filed 10-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P