[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62223-62225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29789]


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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 
January 3, 2000. 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

[[Page 62224]]

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 Agriculture, Economic Research Service (N1-354-99-
1, 3 items, 2 temporary items). Older records accumulated by the 
Economic Research Service, approximately 1950-1970, consisting of 
reports relating to the administration of projects and computer 
printouts pertaining to payments to individuals. Records relating to 
the training of foreign agricultural students are proposed for 
permanent retention.
    2. Department of the Army, Agency-wide (N1-AU-99-7, 3 items, 2 
temporary items). Records containing information pertaining to U.S. 
Government initiated proposals and arrangements for tours by foreign 
representatives to Army and Defense contractor facilities. Included are 
invitations, acceptances, itineraries, security clearance information, 
biographies, and reports prepared by tour directors and escort 
officers. Also included are electronic copies of records created using 
electronic mail and word processing. Recordkeeping copies of files 
accumulated by the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence 
and major command headquarters are proposed for permanent retention.
    3. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (N1-
434-99-4, 7 items, 7 temporary items). Records relating to the 
administration and management of the Laboratory's Legal Office. 
Included are attorney working files, correspondence files, records 
relating to standards of conduct and intellectual property, and 
electronic copies of documents created using electronic mail and word 
processing.
    4. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Public Health 
and Science (N1-468-99-4, 11 items, 9 temporary items). Forms, tracking 
materials, drafts, and other records of the Office of Research 
Integrity relating to misconduct in science. Included are forms 
submitted by institutions applying for or receiving assistance under 
the Public Health Service Act, an electronic database recording summary 
information on each institution and its policies regarding scientific 
misconduct, drafts and other records relating to inquiries and 
investigations, and electronic copies of documents created using 
electronic mail and word processing. Proposed for permanent retention 
are recordkeeping copies of such case records as final reports, case 
summaries, news clippings about the case, and transcripts of 
interviews.
    5. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Public Housing 
Administration (N1-196-99-1, 4 items, 1 temporary item). Background 
files and working papers, such as correspondence and memos that 
facilitated the compilation of data for statistical summaries and 
reports. Temporary records were accumulated between 1943 and 1959. 
Policy circulars, contracts for emergency military housing, and files 
relating to property disposal are proposed for permanent retention.
    6. Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Service (N1-527-99-4, 10 
items, 9 temporary items). Records of the Office of Internal Affairs 
relating primarily to investigations of misconduct by agency employees. 
Included are such records as complaints, preliminary inquiries, 
reports, forms documenting the loss of Government property, and records 
of firearms discharges. Also included are electronic copies of 
documents created using electronic mail and word processing. 
Recordkeeping copies of files on significant cases are proposed for 
permanent retention.
    7. Department of Justice, Justice Management Division (N1-60-00-1, 
1 item, 1 temporary item). Computer systems activity and access 
records. Records include such information as addresses of senders and 
recipients of electronic mail, date and time of log on and log off, and 
user passwords.
    8. Department of State, Foreign Service Institute (N1-59-99-22, 1 
item, 1 temporary item). Records relating to the management and 
tracking of credit card transactions.
    9. Department of State, U.S. Mission to the United Nations (N1-84-
99-3, 5 items, 3 temporary items). Older records, dating from 1949-
1967, that relate to loyalty reviews by the Civil Service Commission, 
arrangements for social events sponsored by the United Nations, and 
lists of members and employees of permanent missions to the United 
Nations. Files related to speeches by Ambassador Arthur J. Goldberg and 
to a United Nations financial crisis in the early 1960s are proposed 
for permanent retention.
    10. Department of State, Bureau of Finance and Management Policy 
(N1-59-99-18, 12 items, 8 temporary items). Records of the Committee 
Management Officer relating to the publication of advisory committee 
notices in the Federal Register and Government-wide committee 
management. Also included are electronic copies of documents created 
using electronic mail and word processing. Recordkeeping copies of 
files relating to advisory committee policy issues and the 
establishment and activities of advisory committees sponsored by the 
Department of State are proposed for permanent retention.
    11. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (N1-58-99-
6, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Reference lists of tax return document 
locator numbers extracted from the master file of tax returns. These 
lists are used by IRS service centers to pull tax returns with open 
balances.
    12. Farm Credit Administration, Agency-wide (N1-103-99-1, 8 items, 
7 temporary items). Reduction in the retention period for records 
previously approved for disposal, including financial data reports, 
reports of examination workpapers, and receivership case files. Also 
included are electronic copies of records created using electronic mail 
and word processing. The schedule also reduces the time period for the 
retirement and transfer to the National Archives of recordkeeping 
copies of reports of examinations, which were previously approved for 
permanent retention.

[[Page 62225]]

    13. General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector 
General (N1-269-99-1, 5 items, 5 temporary items). Audit case files and 
investigative case files relating to agency programs, operations, 
procedures, external audits of contractors and grantees, and employee 
and Hotline complaints. Included are audit reports, correspondence, 
memoranda, investigative reports, notes, attachments, working papers, 
and electronic copies of documents created using electronic mail and 
word processing. Significant investigative case files will be brought 
to the attention of the National Archives and Records Administration 
for appraisal on a case by case basis.
    14. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of 
Financial Management (N1-255-96-3, 7 items, 7 temporary items). Forms 
that authorize NASA organizational units to use a stated amount of 
resources (funds or personnel) for the execution of approved agency 
projects and activities. Also included are electronic copies of these 
records created using electronic mail and word processing.
    15. National Archives and Records Administration, Electronic and 
Special Media Records Services Division (N2-197-99-1, 1 item, 1 
temporary item). Civil Aeronautics Board surveys of airline passenger 
origins and destinations in electronic form for March 1962, September 
1962, and September 1964. Records were accessioned into the National 
Archives but cannot be copied due to technical problems.
    16. National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Agency-wide (N1-537-98-3, 
116 items, 113 temporary items). Records relating to legal matters. 
Included are Inspector General legal review files, procurement and 
contract review files, records relating to the investigation and 
processing of claims, patent applications, invention rights files, 
trademark solicitation files, litigation case files, Congressional 
correspondence, ethics training records, files relating to outside 
employment of NIMA staff, and conflict of interest review records. Also 
included are electronic copies of documents created using electronic 
mail and word processing. Recordkeeping copies of legal opinions and 
files related to the development of legislation are proposed for 
permanent retention.
    17. Office of Personnel Management (N1-146-00-1, 4 items, 2 
temporary items). Older Civil Service Commission records including 
retirement annuity cards and rosters of scientists and engineers. 
Records date from the period 1920-1963. A minority group study 
conducted in 1962 and Commission policy files, 1938-1962, are proposed 
for permanent retention.
    18. Office of Thrift Supervision, Office of Chief Counsel (N1-483-
98-1, 55 items, 41 temporary items). Records of the Office of Chief 
Counsel relating to such matters as litigation and investigation cases 
lacking in significance, requests for documents, the activities of 
thrift institutions, the management of institutions that are in 
receivership, and ethics programs. These files also include records 
from the General Counsel of the OTS predecessor agency Federal Home 
Loan Bank Board. Also included is a management information system used 
to track assignments within the Chief Counsel's Office as well as 
electronic copies of documents created using electronic mail and word 
processing. Proposed for permanent retention are record-keeping copies 
of such files as the Chief Counsel's correspondence, Chief Counsel 
policies and procedures, legislative history and legislative reference 
files, significant litigation and enforcement investigation cases, and 
enforcement actions.
    19. Commission on the Advancement of Federal Law Enforcement, 
Agency-wide (N1-220-00-1, 4 items, 2 temporary items). Surveys and 
questionnaire responses completed by Federal law enforcement agencies 
selected by the Commission and electronic copies of records created 
using electronic mail and word processing. Files relating to Commission 
meetings, speeches, and Commission publications, including its final 
report, are proposed for permanent retention.
    20. Panama Canal Commission, Agency-wide (N1-185-97-21, 15 items, 
15 temporary items). Electronic and paper records used in the 
preparation, production, modification, tracking, and control of 
architectural and engineering drawings. Drawings of significant 
structures were previously approved for permanent retention.
    21. United States Agency for International Development, Office of 
the Inspector General (N1-286-99-3, 4 items, 4 temporary items). 
Records relating to Office of Inspector General audits, audit 
recommendation followup activities, and subject files of the Office. 
Also included are electronic copies of documents created using 
electronic mail and word processing.

    Dated: November 2, 1999.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 99-29789 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P