What must an agency do to carry out its records management responsibilities?
36 C.F.R. § 1220.34
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01To carry out the responsibilities specified in 44 U.S.C. 3101 and 3102, agencies must:
(a) Assign records management responsibility to a person and office with appropriate authority within the agency to coordinate and oversee implementation of the agency comprehensive records management program principles in § 1220.32;
(b) Advise NARA and agency managers of the name(s) of the individual(s) assigned operational responsibility for the agency records management program. To notify NARA, send the name(s), e-mail and postal addresses, phone and fax numbers of the individual(s) to NARA (AC), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001 or to RM.Communications@nara.gov. The name, title, and phone number of the official or officials authorized by the head of the agency to sign records disposition schedules and requests for transfer of records to the custody of the National Archives must also be submitted to NARA (AC) or RM.Communications@nara.gov;
(c) Issue a directive(s) establishing program objectives, responsibilities, and authorities for the creation, maintenance, and disposition of agency records. Copies of the directive(s) (including subsequent amendments or supplements) must be disseminated throughout the agency, as appropriate, and a copy must be sent to NARA (AC);
(d) Assign records management responsibilities in each program (mission) and administrative area to ensure incorporation of recordkeeping requirements and records maintenance, storage, and disposition practices into agency programs, processes, systems, and procedures;
(e) Integrate records management and archival requirements into the design, development, and implementation of electronic information systems as specified in § 1236.12 of this subchapter;
(f) Provide guidance and training to all agency personnel on their records management responsibilities, including identification of Federal records, in all formats and media;
(g) Develop records schedules for all records created and received by the agency and obtain NARA approval of the schedules prior to implementation, in accordance with 36 CFR parts 1225 and 1226 of this subchapter;
(h) Comply with applicable policies, procedures, and standards relating to records management and recordkeeping requirements issued by the Office of Management and Budget, NARA, GSA, or other agencies, as appropriate (see § 1222.22 of this subchapter);
(i) Institute controls ensuring that all records, regardless of format or medium, are properly organized, classified or indexed, and described, and made available for use by all appropriate agency staff; and
(j) Conduct formal evaluations to measure the effectiveness of records management programs and practices, and to ensure that they comply with NARA regulations in this subchapter.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-36.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026