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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
     Washington, DC  20405


                     FIRMR BULLETIN B-1

TO:  Heads of Federal agencies

SUBJECT:  Electronic records management

1.  Purpose.  This bulletin provides guidance related to the
creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of electronic records.

2.  Expiration date.  This bulletin contains information of a
continuing nature and will remain in effect until canceled.

3.  Contents.

    Topic                                              Paragraph

Related material..........................................4
Information and assistance................................5
Definitions...............................................6
Acronyms..................................................7
Agency responsibilities...................................8
Creation and use of data files............................9
Creation and use of text documents.......................10
Judicial use of electronic records.......................11
Security of electronic records...........................12
Selection and maintenance of electronic records
  storage media..........................................13
Retention of electronic records..........................14
Destruction of electronic records........................15
Comparison of Various Media For
  Information Storage and Retrieval.................Attachment A

4.  Related material.

    a.  44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, 33, and 35
    b.  FIRMR Subchapter B
    c.  36 CFR Chapter XII

5.  Information and assistance.  Guidance on electronic records
management and related issues may be obtained from:





TC 90-1                                               Attachment

    FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT REGULATION
                         APPENDIX B
FIRMR Bulletin B-1


    a.  General Services Administration
        Office of Innovative Office Systems (KO)
        18th and F Streets, NW
        Washington, DC  20405

        Telephone FTS 241-1333 or [phone]

    b.  National Archives and Records Administration
        Agency Services Division (NIA)
        7th Street and Pennsylvania Ave, NW
        Washington, DC  20408

        Telephone FTS or [phone]

6.  Definitions.

"Data base" means a set of data, consisting of at least one data
file, that is sufficient for a given purpose.

"Data base management system" means a software system used to
access and retrieve data stored in a data base.

"Data file" means related numeric, textual, or graphic
information that is organized in a strictly prescribed form and
format.

"Electronic record" means any information that is recorded in a
form that only a computer can process and that satisfies the
definition of a Federal record in 44 USC 3301.  Electronic records
include numeric, graphic and text information, which may be
recorded on any medium capable of being read by a computer and
which satisfies the definition of a record.  This includes, but is
not limited to, magnetic media, such as tapes and disks, and
optical disks.  Unless otherwise noted, these requirements apply to
all electronic records systems, whether on microcomputers,
minicomputers, or main-frame computers, regardless of storage
media, in network or stand-alone configurations.

"Electronic records system" means any information system that
produces, manipulates, or stores Federal records by using a
computer.

"Information system" has the meaning given to it by the Office of
Management and Budget in Circular No. A-130:  "...the organized
collection, processing, transmission, and dissemination of
information in accordance with defined procedures, whether
automated or manual."


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                                              FIRMR Bulletin B-1


"Text documents" means narrative or tabular documents, such as
letters, memorandums, and reports, in loosely prescribed form and
format.

7.  Acronyms.

NARA     National Archives and Records Administration
NIST     National Institute of Standards and Technology
GAO      General Accounting Office
OMB      Office of Management and Budget

8.  Agency responsibilities.  The head of each Federal agency
should:

    a.  Assign responsibility to develop and implement an
agencywide program for the management of all records created,
received, maintained, used, or stored on electronic media; and
notify the following organizations of the name and title of the
person assigned the responsibility:

        (1)  General Services Administration
             Regulations Branch (KMPR)
             Washington, DC  20405

        (2)  National Archives and Records Administration
             Office of Records Administration (NI)
             Washington, DC  20408

    b.  Integrate the management of electronic records with other
records and information resources management programs of the
agency.

    c.  Incorporate electronic records management objectives,
responsibilities, and authorities in pertinent agency directives
and disseminate them throughout the agency as appropriate.

    d.  Establish procedures for addressing records management
requirements, including recordkeeping and disposition requirements,
before approving new electronic records systems or enhancements to
existing systems.

    e.  Ensure that adequate training is provided for users of
electronic records systems in the operation, care, and handling of
the equipment, software, and media used in the system.

    f.  Develop and maintain up-to-date documentation about all
electronic records systems that is adequate to:  specify all
technical characteristics necessary for reading or processing the

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FIRMR Bulletin B-1


records; identify all defined inputs and outputs of the system;
define the contents of the files and records; determine
restrictions on access and use; understand the purposes and
functions of the system; describe update cycles or conditions and
rules for adding information to the system, changing information in
it, or deleting information; and ensure the timely, authorized
disposition of the records.

    g.  Specify the location, manner, and media in which electronic
records will be maintained to meet operational and archival
requirements, and maintain inventories of electronic records
systems to facilitate disposition.

    h.  Develop and secure NARA approval of records disposition
schedules, and ensure implementation of their provisions.

    i.  Specify the methods of implementing controls over national
security-classified, sensitive, proprietary, and Privacy Act
records stored and used electronically.

    j.  Establish procedures to ensure that the guidelines of this
bulletin are applied to those electronic records that are created
or maintained by contractors.

    k.  Ensure compliance with applicable Governmentwide policies,
procedures, and standards such as those issued by OMB, GAO, GSA,
NARA and NIST.

    l.  Review electronic records systems periodically for
conformance to established agency procedures, standards, and
policies as part of the periodic reviews required by 44 U.S.C.
3506.  The review should determine if the records have been
properly identified and described, and whether the schedule
descriptions and retention periods reflect the current
informational content and use.  If not, or if substantive changes
have been made in the structure, design, codes, purposes, or uses
of the system, submit an SF 115, Request for Records Disposition
Authority, to NARA at the address shown in 8.a. above.

9.  Creation and use of data files.

    a.  For electronic records systems, disposition instructions
for the data should be incorporated into the system's design.

    b.  Agencies should maintain adequate and up-to-date technical
documentation for each electronic records system.  The minimum
documentation required is a narrative description of the system;
physical and technical characteristics of the records, including a
record layout that describes each field including its
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                                              FIRMR Bulletin B-1


name, size, starting or relative position, and a description of the
form of the data (such as alphabetic, zoned decimal, packed
decimal, or numeric), or a data dictionary or the equivalent
information associated with a data base management system including
a description of the relationship between data elements in data
bases; and any other technical information needed to read or
process the records.

10.  Creation and use of text documents.

     a.  Electronic records systems that maintain the official file
copy of text documents on electronic media should meet the
following minimum requirements:

         (1)  Provide a method, such as an indexing or text search
system, for all authorized users of the system to retrieve desired
documents;

         (2)  Provide an appropriate level of security to ensure
integrity of the documents;

         (3)  Provide a standard interchange format when necessary
to permit the exchange of documents on electronic media between
agency computers using different software/operating systems and the
conversion or migration of documents on electronic media from one
system to another; and

         (4)  Provide for the disposition of the documents
including the requirements for transferring permanent records to
NARA (see 36 CFR 1228.188).

     b.  Before a document is created electronically on electronic
records systems that will maintain the official file copy on
electronic media, each document should be identified sufficiently
to enable authorized personnel to retrieve, protect and carry out
the disposition of documents in the system.  Appropriate
identifying information for each document maintained on the
electronic media may include: office of origin, file code, key
words for retrieval, addressee (if any), signator, author, date,
authorized disposition (coded or otherwise), and security
classification (if applicable).  Agencies should ensure that
records maintained on such systems can be correlated with related
records on paper, microform, or other media.

11.  Judicial use of electronic records.  Electronic records may be
admitted in evidence to Federal courts for use in court proceedings
(Federal Rules of Evidence 803(8)) if trustworthiness is
established by thoroughly documenting the recordkeeping system's
operation and the controls imposed upon it.  Agencies
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FIRMR Bulletin B-1


should implement the following procedures to enhance the legal
admissibility of electronic records:

     a.  Document that similar kinds of records generated and
stored electronically are created by the same processes each time
and have a standardized retrieval approach.

     b.  Substantiate that security procedures prevent unauthorized
addition, modification, or deletion of a record and ensure system
protection against such problems as power interruptions.

     c.  Identify the electronic media on which records are stored
throughout their life cycle, the maximum time span that records
remain on each storage media, and the NARA-approved disposition of
all records.

     d.  Coordinate all of the above with legal counsel and senior
IRM and records management staff.

12.  Security of electronic records.  Agencies should implement and
maintain an effective records security program that incorporates
the following:

     a.  Ensures that only authorized personnel have access to
electronic records.

     b.  Provides for back up and recovery of records to protect
against information loss.

     c.  Ensures that appropriate agency personnel are trained to
safeguard sensitive or classified electronic records.

     d.  Minimizes the risk of unauthorized alteration or erasure
of electronic records.

     e.  Ensures that electronic records security is included in
computer systems security plans prepared pursuant to the Computer
Security Act of 1987 (40 USC 759).

13.  Selection and maintenance of electronic records storage media.

     a.  Agencies should select appropriate media and systems for
storing agency records throughout their life cycle, which meet the
following requirements:

         (1)  Permit easy retrieval in a timely fashion;


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                                              FIRMR Bulletin B-1


         (2)  Facilitate distinction between record and nonrecord
material;

         (3)  Retain the records in a usable format until their
authorized disposition date; and

         (4)  When appropriate, meet requirements for transferring
permanent records to NARA (see 36 CFR 1228.188).

     b.  The following factors should be considered before
selecting a storage medium or converting from one medium to
another:

         (1)  The authorized life of the records, as determined
during the scheduling process;

         (2)  The maintenance necessary to retain the records;

         (3)  The cost of storing and retrieving the records;

         (4)  The records density;

         (5)  The access time to retrieve stored records;

         (6)  The portability of the medium (that is, selecting a
medium that will run on equipment offered by multiple
manufacturers) and the ability to transfer the information from one
medium to another (such as from optical disk to magnetic tape); and

         (7)  Whether the medium meets the current applicable
Federal Information Processing Standards.

     c.  Agencies should avoid the use of floppy disks for the
exclusive long-term storage of permanent or unscheduled electronic
records.

     d.  Agencies should ensure that all authorized users can
identify and retrieve the information stored on diskettes,
removable disks, or tapes by establishing or adopting procedures
for external labeling.

     e.  Agencies should ensure that information is not lost
because of changing technology or deterioration by converting
storage media to provide compatibility with the agency's current
hardware and software.  Before conversion to a different medium,
agencies must determine that the authorized disposition of the
electronic records can be implemented after conversion.


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FIRMR Bulletin B-1


     f.  Agencies should back up electronic records on a regular
basis to safeguard against the loss of information due to equipment
malfunctions or human error.  Duplicate copies of permanent or
unscheduled records should be maintained in storage areas separate
from the location of the records that have been copied.

     g.  Maintenance of magnetic computer tape.

         (1)  Agencies should test magnetic computer tapes no more
than 6 months prior to using them to store electronic records that
are unscheduled or scheduled for permanent retention.  This test
should verify that the tape is free of permanent errors and in
compliance with NIST or industry standards.

         (2)  Agencies should maintain the storage and test areas
for computer magnetic tapes containing permanent and unscheduled
records at the following temperatures and relative humidities:
Constant temperature - 62 to 68 degrees F.
Constant relative humidity - 35% to 45%.

         (3)  Agencies should rewind under controlled tension all
tapes containing unscheduled and permanent records every 42 months.

         (4)  Agencies should annually read a statistical sample of
all reels of magnetic computer tape containing permanent and
unscheduled records to identify any loss of data and to discover
and correct the causes of data loss.  In tape libraries with 1800
or fewer reels, a 20% sample or a sample size of 50 reels,
whichever is larger, should be read. In tape libraries with more
than 1800 reels, a sample of 384 reels should be read.  Tapes with
10 or more errors should be replaced and, when possible, lost data
should be restored.  All other tapes which might have been affected
by the same cause (i.e., poor quality tape, high usage, poor
environment, improper handling) should be read and corrected as
appropriate.

         (5)  Agencies should copy permanent or unscheduled data on
magnetic tapes before the tapes are 10 years old onto tested and
verified new tapes.

         (6)  External labels (or the equivalent automated tape
management system) for magnetic tapes used to store permanent or
unscheduled electronic records should provide unique identification
for each reel, including the name of the organizational unit
responsible for the data, system title, and security
classification, if applicable.  Additionally, the

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                                              FIRMR Bulletin B-1


following information should be maintained for (but not necessarily
attached to) each reel used to store permanent or unscheduled
electronic records:  file title(s); dates of creation; dates of
coverage; the recording density; type of internal labels; volume
serial number, if applicable; number of tracks; character
code/software dependency; information about block size; and reel
sequence number, if the file is part of a multi-reel set.  For
numeric data files, include record format and logical record
length, if applicable; data set name(s) and sequence, if
applicable; and number of records for each data set.

         (7)  Agencies should prohibit smoking and eating in
magnetic computer tape storage libraries and test or evaluation
areas that contain permanent or unscheduled records.

     h.  Maintenance of direct access storage devices.

         (1)  Agencies should issue written procedures for the care
and handling of direct access storage devices which draw upon the
recommendations of the manufacturers.

         (2)  External labels for diskettes or removable disks used
when processing or temporarily storing permanent or unscheduled
records should include the following information: name of the
organizational unit responsible for the records; descriptive title
of the contents; dates of creation; security classification, if
applicable; and identification of the software and hardware used.

14.  Retention of electronic records.  Agencies should establish
policies and procedures to ensure that electronic records and their
documentation are retained as long as needed by the Government.
These retention procedures should include provisions for:

     a.  Scheduling the disposition of all electronic records, as
well as related documentation and indexes, by applying General
Records Schedules (particularly GRS 20 or 23) as appropriate or
submitting an SF 115, Request for Records Disposition Authority, to
NARA (see 36 CFR 1228).  The information in electronic records
systems, including those operated for the Government by a
contractor, should be scheduled as soon as possible but no later
than one year after implementation of the system.

     b.  Transferring a copy of the electronic records and any
related documentation and indexes to the National Archives at the
time specified in the records disposition schedule in accordance
with instructions found in 36 CFR 1228.188.  Transfer may take


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FIRMR Bulletin B-1


place at an earlier date if convenient for both the agency and the
NARA.

     c.  Establishing procedures for regular recopying,
reformatting, and other necessary maintenance to ensure the
retention and usability of electronic records throughout their
authorized life cycle.

15.  Destruction of electronic records.  Electronic records may be
destroyed only in accordance with a records disposition schedule
approved by the Archivist of the United States, including General
Records Schedules.  At a minimum, each agency should ensure that:

     a.  Electronic records scheduled for destruction are disposed
of in a manner that ensures protection of any sensitive,
proprietary, or national security information.

     b.  Magnetic recording media previously used for electronic
records containing sensitive, proprietary, or national security
information are not reused if the previously recorded information
can be compromised by reuse in any way.






Thomas J. Buckholtz
Commissioner
Information Resources
Management Service

















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                                                      FIRMR Bulletin B-1
                                                      Attachment A

  COMPARISON OF VARIOUS MEDIA FOR INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL

















































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