[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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