February FRC/BRIDG Meeting to be Repeated February 22

February FRC/BRIDG Meeting to be Repeated February 22: "

We will repeat yesterday’s FRC Forum/NARA BRIDG meeting on February 22, 2011 at 10:00 AM -12:00 PM, because of the high interest from our customers in the topics that were discussed. This repeat session will be available as a Genesys teleconference only. If you are interested in attending the Genesys teleconference, please see the instructions below:

Web access instructions:

1. Go to http://www.genesys.com/


2. Click on the Genesys Login: ‘Participant’ button. (The button is bright blue and on the top right side of the page.)


3. Enter 7916727 as the meeting number and follow the remaining prompts.

Note: Select “Dial Me Now” (Be prepared to answer your phone) and enter your telephone number in the space provided.

Telephone-ONLY access:

1. Dial the toll free number: 1 866 233 9464


2. Enter the Meeting Number: *7916727* (Be sure to enter the * star key before and after the Meeting Number)

If you are only able to listen via phone, please remember to press *6* to mute yourself. The same code will turn off the mute if you wish to speak at some point.

If you dial-in for the teleconference on February 22nd, you are still welcome to schedule an appointment to meet your agency’s new FRC Account Manager. For more details about the new account managers, please see FRC Communications memo 02.2011 or contact Ron Mitchell (ron.mitchell@nara.gov or 301-837-3422) to schedule an appointment.

Please note that the McGowan Theater in the National Archives Building is currently under construction. It will be operational for the FRC Forum/NARA BRIDG meetings for the rest of the fiscal year, so space will not be an issue for these meetings.

Thank you very much for your interest in our FRC/BRIDG Meetings.

"

2010 Records Management Self-Assessment Report Released

2010 Records Management Self-Assessment Report Released: "

The 2010 Records Management Self-Assessment Report has been released and is now available on our website (.pdf). Recall that in May 2010, we issued the mandatory annual records management self-assessment (RMSA) to Federal agencies. This followed the pilot self-assessment that was completed in 2009. The goal of the self-assessment is to determine whether Federal agencies are compliant with statutory and regulatory records management requirements. Of the 270 agencies that received the self-assessment, 93 percent (251) responded.

The responses indicate that 95 percent of those Federal agencies that responded are at high to moderate risk of compromising the integrity, authenticity, and reliability of their records. They risk improper management and disposition of records or, in some cases, they are saving their records but not taking the necessary steps to ensure that they can be retrieved, read, or interpreted. We believe that the RMSA serves as a baseline for evaluating records management within the Federal Government and provides a roadmap for its future. Agencies can use RMSA data to chart their own programs. NARA will use survey results in agency inspections. Taken together, data gleaned from the RMSAs and inspections will allow NARA and the Federal records management community to continue to assess the effectiveness of current records management practices and develop strategies for improving the compliance of programs in Federal agencies

“Non-compliant records management undermines the ability of Federal agencies to efficiently conduct their business; undermines Government accountability and citizens’ rights and interests; and jeopardizes the historical record,” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. “This is unacceptable to the National Archives as the institution charged with safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government. It is also unacceptable to everyone interested in effective records management, from Federal Records Officers, to researchers, and to members of the public.”

NARA has the authority to inspect the records management programs and practices of Federal agencies under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906. NARA evaluates agencies for compliance with requirements stated in 44 U.S.C. Chapters 31 and 33 and the regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - specifically Subchapter B - Records Management of 36 CFR Chapter XII.

The report may be downloaded from our website as a .pdf from: http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/pdf/rm-self-assessmemt.pdf

Also keep reading this blog for information about the upcoming 2011 Self-Assessment Report. We will post updates on the timing and more information about that report later this Spring. In the meantime, what are your reactions to the 2010 report or what do you want us to ask about in the 2011 report?

"

Update on ERA Rollout

Update on ERA Rollout: "

An update from the ERA Adoption Coordinator.

As many of you know, on November 16, 2010, NARA informed the 30 Departments and Agencies that constitute the Chief Information Officers’ Council that it would begin expanding the use of ERA in their agencies starting in March 2011 and ending November 2011. The list of agencies and the months in which they will start using ERA is located here.

To date, we have met with the following agencies and gone over the rollout plans with them:

• Department of State


• Health and Human Services


• Department of Justice


• Department of Army


• Department of Commerce


• Department of Treasury


• Department of Interior


• Department of Air Force

Meetings with the other agencies will take place over the next few months.

Also in November, NARA announced a second phase of the ERA rollout. The over 200 headquarter records officers in non-CIO Council agencies received emails asking them to select a month between July 2011 and September 2012 in which to start using ERA. The emails were sent to the records officers during the week of January 31, 2011. Another email soon followed that gave them instructions for using the online sign up portal. We gave the agencies until February 18 to select a start month. So far, 92 agencies have met the deadline. We  left the sign up window open until February 25. Now, however, we will begin assigning months to the agencies that did not meet the deadline.

Agenda topics during the initial rollout meetings include:

• Rollout timetable: How will ERA be rolled out in my agency?


• Potential workload: What workload can my agency expect?


• Training: What training do I need?

We have asked agencies to begin using ERA for scheduling and/or transferring permanent records to NARA during their start month. Although the amount of work they generate in ERA is at their discretion, we ask that once they start using ERA for a particular ERA function, they continue to use ERA. We also let them know that the use of ERA will be mandatory for scheduling and transferring permanent records after September 2012.

At this time, the online training has been changed to reflect the Increment 3 update to ERA. As Increment 5 enhancements are deployed throughout FY2011, the training will updated to reflect the changes. Before the March 2011 rollout month, we also intend to post additional information in the form of “quick start” guides on how to sign up to become users of ERA and an online sign up process.

Much work still needs to be done. We have only addressed rolling out ERA within the headquarter levels of agencies. We need to incorporate the regional components of agencies into the ERA rollout plan. The planning for a regional rollout will take place over the next few months.

Many thanks to all of you who have participated in the ERA rollout to date and we look forward to everyone playing a part in the successful rollout of ERA throughout the next two fiscal years. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

"

Reliable Electronic Records Retention in the eDiscovery Process — Clearwell

A very good eDiscovery site, with some excellent tools!

Reliable Electronic Records Retention in the eDiscovery Process — Clearwell

NARA announces reorganization - FierceGovernmentIT

NARA announces reorganization - FierceGovernmentIT

Archives.gov

Archives.gov

Delaware Court Implements Guideline Regarding the Preservation of Electronic Information — The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation

Delaware Court Implements Guideline Regarding the Preservation of Electronic Information — The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation