Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

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 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.

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