RECORDS DISPOSITION SURVEY AND SCHEDULING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP76-00883R000100090086-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 26, 2002
• Sequence Number: 86
• Content Type: STUDY

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I?I?t:01?I)5 I)I~I't)SI TIUN
S?UIVEY AND SCHEI)ULING
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RECORDS DISPOSITION SURVEY AND SCHEDULING
1. Definition - Records disposition is an organized program that provides
for the systematic removal of inactive records from office space and
their preservation or elimination in accordance with. prescribed
policies, procedures and legal authorities.
2. Objectives
a. The economical and systematic preservation and disposition of
records according to Federal statutes and regulations and Agency
policies.
b. Release office space and filing equipment no longer needed.
3. Method of Accomplishment
a. Conduct records disposition survey; obtain background information
regarding the organizational structure, functions, and missions,
and the flow of work within and between offices concerned.
b. Conduct the inventory and record on Form 138, Survey Work Sheet,
data needed to determine retention and disposal dates.
c. Evaluate records for administrative, legal, fiscal, and historical
values.
d. Develop records control schedules to provide for the disposition
of record and nonrecord material by either permanent preservation,
microfilming, destruction, or transfer to Archives and Records
Center.
e. Obtain approval of schedules from operating officials and the
Agency Records Administration Staff.
f. Maintain records control schedules up to date to reflect changes
in organization.
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g. Conduct periodic follow-up to insure that the disposition of
records is being effected in accordance with schedules.
h. Distribute records control schedules to operating offices.
4. Procedure
a. Conduct records disposition survey:
1. obtain background information regarding organizational structure,
functions, and missions.
a. Agency Regulations & Notices
b. office Regulations or Instructions and Notices.
c. Organization charts
d. Previous Studies
e. Discuss the records with the operating officials.
2. Secure procedures for information regarding the flow of work
within and between offices concerned.
b. Conduct the inventory and record on Form 138, Survey Work Sheet,
data needed to determine retention and disposal dates.
1.
Date: The date the inventory or survey is made.
2.
Directorate, Office, Division, Branch, and Section maintaining
the files.
3.
Location of Files: Room number and Building.
4.
Name of File: Use title shown On Records Control Schedule,
If not schedules, be descriptive in naming the
file being reviewed.
5.
Custodian:
Enter name of person responsible for the files.
6.
Description:
Enter Records Schedule and item number. If new or
non-scheduled series give description of type and
use of records in the file.
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7.
Arrangement of Records Series: Alphabetic by subject, numerical
case number, chronological, etc.
b
y
8.
Dates:
Enter years only of oldest and most recent documents
in the file.
9.
Size:
Check appropriate box and enter linear feet of records.
(See table to convert linear to cubic feet of various
records.) (Measurements should be as simple as possible;
figures rounded to the nearest half-foot are adequate.)
10.
Equipment:
Check appropriate box or enter under Other and
describe in Remarks.
11.
Remarks:
Use for safe numbers, details about equipment, or
other notes and explanatory information.
c. Evaluate records for Administrative, legal, fiscal, and historical
values. In evaluating records one of the first things we want to
do is to become familiar with the General Services Administration's
General schedules. There are twenty (20) of these schedules and
they cover a large segment of records. These schedules describe
the records and show the authorized disposition authority.
a. Four Bases for Evaluating Records
What is the worth of a particular file or a group of records:
How do we evaluate them.
In evaluating records you are placing them on a scale of future
use. The weights on the scale represent the four types of
conceivable values which records may have--legal value,
which may involve long or short term rights of the Government
or of private citizens, enforceable by the courts; administrative
value, which involves program use to the agency in carrying on
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the public business; historical value, which means the permanent
records that will be needed in reconstructing the story of the agency-
its inception, programs, problems, and accomplishments, or that may
contain other unique and valuable information; and finally fiscal
value, involving recording the financial transactions of an agency,
documenting its receipts, expenditures, and relationships with the
General Accounting Office, Office of Management and Budget and the
Treasury Department.
Not one of these potential values stands by itself. A record may
possess more than one of them simultaneously. A contract file, for
example, may be not only of legal value but may also have historical
value; or, a file of administrative value to the agency which created
it may also be of historical value, although this may not be evident
while it is in use by the agency.
ADMINISTRATIVE VALUE
A record's administrative value is simply its value in carrying on the
activities of the agency or the Government as a whole. Those pertaining
to uncompleted actions are of administrative value to the agency,
since the loss of them would impede the carrying on of its activities.
Those of completed actions, on the other hand, may lose quickly their
administrative value to the agency.
The period of time during which a record retains this value may be
long or short, depending on the purpose it serves. Certain records,
such as directives, orders, regulations, and legal opinions, have long
term administrative value because they continue to prescribe and affect
the activities of the agency.
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The bulk of the records at the operating level have short term value
because they are (a) either duplicated or adequately summarized in
records retained by top management or other operating level records,
or (b) controls on pending actions which are maintained only for
operating convenience.
(a) Records that are duplicated or summarized. Directive files
retained among the top management records are usually duplicated
in all offices and at all levels while they are needed admini-
stratively. When the appraiser knows a record set is maintained
permanently, the other office sets should be retained only so long
as they are actually used by the individual units.
Similar duplication is frequently found in correspondence,
memoranda, and other papers where copies of the same documents
are kept at different levels.
Copies of the same reports are frequently in a number of separate
files; and when they are published or processed, there may be any
number of sets of them. This is true of many scientific reports
prepared by the Agency. Here again, after they are no longer of
current administrative use a record copy in one designated place
is usually enough for the agency.
FISCAL VALUE
Some records have a monetary value--that is, fiscal. They may be
budget records, showing how expenditures were planned. They may be
voucher of expenditure files of several kinds, documenting the purposes
for which agency funds were spent; or they may be accounting records,
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created by the agency to make sure its accounts balance, and that it
is not spending beyond its appropriated limits.
Fiscal value of a record is really a type of administrative value.
But it is so surrounded by special considerations that we will take it
up separately. For one thing, the form and content of many of these
fiscal records are prescribed by the various staff agencies involved,
Bureau of the Budget, General Accounting office, Treasury Department,
General Services Administration, and others. In most instances, only
the data on the forms differ from agency to agency.
Since the records look the same everywhere, and are largely created
in accordance with the same staff agency directives, their worth,
we have discovered, can be determined "across the., board". That is,
a voucher file in one agency normally should have the same values as
a voucher file in another agency. In view of the sameness of value
from agency to agency, GSA decided to step in and help agencies make
decisions as to the values of their fiscal records. In fact, it has
given the agencies, for their use if they wish to do so, tailor-made
evaluations of their fiscal records, as well as of other types of
administrative records. This GSA has done through the General Records
Schedules. By using these schedules, agencies have at once been able
to evaluate and properly schedule their fiscal records without a great
deal of individual effort.
LEGAL VALUE
Records may have legal values to the Federal Government or to individual
citizens, corporations, or even State and other Governments. As in
the case of administrative values, the duration of the period during
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which this legal value exists varies with the kind of right or legal
point that is involved. There are enduring legal values to the Govern-
ment in laws and regulations and interpretations of them. Similarly,
for the Government as well as others there are legal values to records
establishing title to real estate and defining recapture rights or
reservations set forth in land titles. On the other hand, the legal
values to the Government of contracts and claims records diminish
to the vanishing point very rapidly after final settlement of the
contract or claim, and cease upon expiration of pertinent statutes of
limitations.
Of legal value primarily to individuals are records of naturalization
preceedings, of service in the armed forces, and similar records that
retain their values throughout the life span of more than one generation.
On the other hand, the legal value to individuals of patent records
and many court decisions ceases to exist after the patent has expired
or the court's order has been carried out. Often, of course, the legal
values to the Federal Government and to the individual will expire
simultaneously, as in the case of records relating to contracts and to
claims by or against the Government.
In order to determine the legal value of a record, a certain amount
of pertinent research must be done in the Federal statutes, in a enc
regulations, and in other provisions which have legal force and effect.
Sometimes such research can be done by agency legal personnel, but
regardless of who does it, it must be done! Evidence of entitlement
to pension and old age and retirement, e.g., must obviously .
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be considered to have long time legal value, although here the legal
value is important for the fiscal value subordinate to it. Other
records with long time legal value are military service records,
Selective Service registration and classification records, naturali-
zation papers, copies of population census schedules, merchant
marine service records, birth and death certificates (in the relatively
few cases in which they are created by the Federal Government),
homestead entry papers, and records pertaining to Indian rights. On
the other hand, the average contract file ceases to have much legal
value after the payments under it have been completed and audited by
the General Accounting Office.
Many of the records needed to protect the rights of the Government,
the agency, or the public fall within the housekeeping class and have
a definite life span. Many program records likewise are needed only
temporarily to protect Government or public rights. Statutes of
limitations on claims, completion of audit, possibility of reopening
of cases, and usefulness of the records for investigative or other
purposes must be taken into account in establishing the time such
records need to be retained. Where research values are present sampling
or selective retention is frequently considered by the National Archives
to be more desirable than retention of the mass.
HISTORICAL VALUE
Historical values result from the fact that the records tell a story
or present a picture and can be used to reconstruct the activities of
the agency, to obtain information accumulated by the agency in order to
make studies of the past, or to furnish data on which to base new
findings or conclusions.
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To reconstruct the activities of the agency: The National
Archives, which makes the final determination as to records having
continuing research value, has consistently earmarked for retention
those files which will enable a scholar or future administrator
to reconstruct the history of the activities of the agency.
Although agencies normally describe their accomplishments in
published annual or other periodic reports, these are often so
brief that they fail to give the complete story. Or they may
consciously or unconsciously distort the picture by emphasis
on some activities and omission of others. Records showing how
th,e work of the agency was planned, directed, and carried out are
usually needed to supplement or correct the bare outlines given
in publications. These records, which give the history of the
activities and functions of an agency, are needed by the agency
itself to understand its own background, often by other agencies
or the Congress, and finally by scholars and students of the future.
They form a part of the archives of the nation which are essential
to an understanding of our national development.
b. To obtain information for studies of the past: All agencies
accumulate information necessary to carry on their functions.
Much of this may be of long time research value for purposes
completely different from those for which it was collected.
Pension records created in administering early pension laws
are kept for their research values.
c. To furnish data on which to base new findings: Records may be used
to provide data for new findings and conclusions. Especially true
of technical data which was assembled in the course of research of
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d. Develop records control schedules to provide for the disposition
of record and non-record material by either permanent preservation,
destruction within office area, transfer to other component,
transfer to the Agency Records Center, or transfer to the Agency
Archives.
Instructions For Preparing Form No. 139 "Records Control Schedule"
(1) Schedule No. A number will be assigned by the Records
Administrative Branch upon approval of the Schedule.
(2) Office, Division, Branch. Enter the specific organizational
element to which the schedule pertains, such as, Office of
Public Service, Special Services Division, Personnel Branch.
(3) Concurrence. The signature and title of the Chief of the
organizational element will be obtained after the schedule
has been prepared and reviewed. The signature will be entered
in the first page of that portion of the schedule covering
the records for which he is responsible. When all signatures
have been obtained the schedule should then be submitted to the
Head of the Office or his designate for review and concurrence.
His signature will be entered on the first page of the schedule
which will indicate not only his approval for his immediate
office or staff but for the entire schedule.
(4) Item Number. Beginning with item number one, list and number
each series, starting with the records of the Office Chief and
continue consecutively through each organizational unit of
the Office. The use of sub-item numbers is permissible when
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subordinate file series are component parts of an overall
file.
(5) File Identification. The precise description of each series
of records will be entered in this column. This descriptive
data requires the utmost care in its preparation. In general,
this data must be sufficient to accurately identify the records
and enable a determination of propriety of the disposition
prescribed for them. Specifically, each file identification
will consist of five elements, namely: The title or name of
the file; description of documents of which the file consists;
a brief statement of the specific function or operation incident
to which the files are maintained; a statement concerning the
filing arrangement; and -inclusive dates to the file.
(6) Volume. Enter the volume in.terms of cubic feet for each
file series. Fractions of cubic feet will be expressed in
tenths by use of the decimal point, e.g., 1.5, 20.3, etc. The
volume for a file series measuring less than one-tenth foot
will be entered as .1.
(7) Disposition Instructions. Entries in this column will be made
only after careful appraisal and evaluation of the records
series. The column will consist of four elements and will
be entered in the order given.
(a) Preface each instruction with the word "Permanent" or
"Temporary" whichever is applicable.
(b) The second element consists of the phrase "Disposal not
authorized" if the records are of permanent value.
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Records of temporary value will cite a disposal standard,
e.g., "Destroy after 3 years," Destroy 2 years after
audit," "Destroy upon separation of employee," etc.
(c) By application of cut-off procedures give complete
instructions for the.cut-off and retirement and/or
destruction of the files. These instructions may be
indicated as "Cut-off_atend_of_._eachcalendar year;
hold for one year then transfer to the Records Center,"
"Place in noncurrent file upon liquidation of obligation;
hold for one fiscal year then transfer to the Records
Center."
(d) To comply with the provisions of E.O. 11652 all documents
must be reviewed for declassification before 30 years
when they will be automatically declassified in
accordance with that Executive Order. The following may
be added to the disposition instructions for all items
that are to be retained beyond 30 years:
"To be reviewed for declassification 29 years from date
of document except those documents not exempt under
E.O. 11652 will be reviewed earlier under the provisions
of that Order."
(e) To provide for the flow of records from the Records
Center to the Agency Archives include the following
statement in the dispositions instructions tor those
records having permanent value:
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"Permanent. Disposal not authorized. Cut off files
at the end of each year (fears); retain for
years then transfer to the Records Center to be held for
____years then transferred to the Agency Archives."
(f) Whenever possible, cite the disposal authority after the
disposition instruction. This may be obtained from the
General Records Schedules or from special authorities
previously obtained from National Archives and Records
Service.
(8) Obtain concurrences of the person responsible for the branch,
division, or office whose records are covered. See
attachment B(1) for sample of a Records Control Schedule.
e. After all concurrences have been received within the office
the Records Management Officer must develop a Records Disposition
authority concurrence cover sheet showing preparation by:
(component) Records Management Officer; concurrence by: (Directorate)
Records Management Officer; Reviewed by: Records Administration
Branch; Approved by: (Agency) Records Administration Officer;
and then the date of approval. See attachment B for sample.
At any time during the coordinating it is possible any part of
the schedule may have to be justified or changed.
Send original and 1 copy forward to RAB through D/RMO.
f. Distribution of the Records Control Schedule after.approval.
Original - RAB 1 copy - RMO
1 copy - D/RMO 1 copy - Operating offices
1 copy - Records Center
1 copy - Archives
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Maintain records control schedules up to date to reflect changes
in organization. In addition to the overall revision of a whole
schedule, one item may be added, deleted or changed by memo or
by typing or retyping a page of the schedule. If in doubt call the
Directorate Records Management-Officer.
h. Conduct periodic follow-up.to ensure that the disposition of
records is being effected in accordance with schedules.
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Ix
RECORDS SURVEY WORK SHEET (1)
OFFICE.
DIVISION. BRANCH. SECTION LOCATION
(2)
NAME OF FILE
CUSTODIAN ((``
es
(
l
, and other descriptive date.)
es, value, frequency of use, form numbers and titl
(Function of
f
DESCRIPTION
(6)
I-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-1-0-N-S
1.
Date:. The date the inventory or survey is made.
2.
Directorate, Office, Division, Branch, and Section maintaining the files.
3.
Location of Files: Room number and Building.
4.
Name of File: Use title shown or Records Control Schedule. If not scheduled,
be descriptive in naming the file being reviewed.
-5.
Custodian: Enter name of person responsible for the files.
6.
uescription: Enter Records Schedule and item number. If new or non-scheduled
series give description of type and use of records in the file.
7.
Arrangement of Records Series: Alphabetic by subject, numerical by case number,
chronological, etc.
8.
Dates: Enter years only of oldest and most recent documents in the file.
Size: Check appropriate box and enter linear feet of records. (See table to
convert linear to cubic feet of various records.) (Measurements should be
as simple as possible; figures rounded to the nearest half-foot are
adequate.)
10.
Equipment: Check appropriate box or enter under Other and describe in Remarks.
11.
Remarks: Use for safe numbers, details about equipment, or other notes and
explanatory information.
FILING ARRANGEMENT
INCLUSIVE DATES
(8)
(7)
SIZE OF
LEGAL
LETTER
OTHER (Specify)
LINEAR FEET
(9 ~ECORDS
S" X 5"
5" X 8n
EQUIPMENT OCCUPIED
RAPE
CABINET
J
OTHER (Specify)
NO. OF DRAWERS
(10)
BY RECORDS
LEGAL
LETTER
g CONVERSION TABLE ONE CUBIC FOOT EQUA
10L IN ft
6 LiN FT
4 LIN FT
I LiN FT
If2 DRAWER
SECRET
n Filled In
1 7 REELS Conputsr) I!AGl.'ET IO TAPES
20 REELS (Audio) I.!AG?c!T1D TAPES
Approveu ror rcelease LUULIUJILo : t o-uuq2#rAL:W
72 REELS ^.-^. _...`NTST5 LAPEL
3 x 5 CARDS
4 x AND TAB CARDS
5 x 8 CARDS
LETTER OR LEGAL FILES
 SAMPLE
RECORDS DISPOSITION AUTHORITY
In accordance with Federal Statutes and
Records Disposition Authorizations granted by
the U. S. Congress the attached Records Control
Schedule l 00-00 for the Office of
is approved and implementation of the disposition
instructions contained therein is authorized.
Preparation: Review:
(Component) Records, Officer Records Administration Branch
CONCURRENCE: APPROVED:
(Directorate) Records Management Officer (Agency) Records Administration Officer
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 '
11111or
III
SCHEDULE NO.
34-73
RECORDS CONTROL SCHEDULE
CONCURRENCE
OFFICE. DIVISION. BRANCH
SIGNATURE
Office of XXX, Services Division
TITLE DATE
Chief, SD/XXX 10 October 1973
ITEM
NO.
FILES IDENTIFICATION
(TITLE, DESCRIPTION, ARRANGEMENT. AND INCLUSIVE DATES)
VOLUME
(CUBIC FT.)
DISPOSITION INSTRUCTIONS
1
DIVISION SUBJECT FILES
These are the correspondence and report files
2.5
Temporary. Destroy after 2 years.
of the division responsible for reproduction,
Cut off at end of each calendar year; transfer
printing, and distribution matters. The files
to the Records Center 1 year thereafter.
accumulate in the general administration of daily
(GRS 13-2)
activities. Included are documents relating to
personnel, training, workloads, production, secu-
rity, and other related subjects. The official
files are maintained in the Administration Branch.
Filed according to Agency Subject Filing System.
1972-to date
2.
REPRODUCTION REQUISITION FILE
a. Reproduction requisition (pink copy),
5.0
Temporary. Destroy after 1 year.
Work Ticket, work order, delivery ticket, control
Cut off at end of each fiscal year, retain for
card, and related documents accumulated in the
one year then destroy. (GRS 13-3a)
course of processing and controlling a job until
completed. Filed by job number.
(Current)
b. Suspense copies of requisitions.
.1
Temporary. Destroy when jobs completed.
(non record)
3.
REFERENCE PUBLICATIONS
Copies of Agency publications, commercial bro.!-
7.2
Temporary. Screen periodically and destroy
chures, catalogues, and publications of other
when superseded or no longer needed for
Government agencies collected and maintained for
reference purposes, (non record)
reference purposes. Included are Agency Regula-
tions, Agency Handbooks, Army Regulations, trade
journals, magazines, etc. Filed categorically by
source
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FORM NO. 139 USE PREVIOUS
1 JAN 56 ?7 EDITIONS.
 ITEM NO.
FILES IDENTIFICATION
VOLUME
DISPOSITION INSTRUCTIONS
4
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They reflect the receipt, internal routing
and disposition of communications handled by the
Office.
a. Signed Document Receipts returned by
.2
emporary. Destroy after 2 years.
recipients for complete material.
Cut off at end of each calendar year, hold for
(Current)
two years then destroy. (GRS-18-3)
b. Courier Receipts
.3
emporary. Destroy after 3 months
Office copy of courier receipts..
(non record)
c. Secret and Below Logs
.5
emporary. Destroy after 1 year.
Used to record communications received
ut off at end of each calendar year, retain
and dispatched by.the office..
for one year then destroy. (GRS-12-6a)
d. Top Secret Logs
.1
Temporary. Destroy 10 years after documents
Logs maintained to indicate accountability
have been transferred, destroyed or downgraded.
for Top Secret documents within the off-
(GRS-18-6)
ice
5.
COMMITTEE FILES
These files contain material relating to
various Agency or Inter-Agency committees such
as the XYZ committee for which this office
provides the chairman and the secretariat.
a. The correspondence, memoranda, minutes,
11.0
Permanent. Disposal not authorized. Cut off
agenda, reports, and project matieral
at end of each calendar year; retain in curr-
reflecting activities of the committee.
ent files area for one year then transfer to
Files are maintained by the secretariat
the Records Center. (GRS 19-2a)
and filed by subject and chronologically.
b. Committee members files used as working
5.0
Temporary. Destroy when obsolete or no longer
copies and for general reference. Files
needed for reference purposes. (GRS 19-2b)
maintained by individual members.
IFORM
JAN NO U5E 139a EDI,IONS. IOUS
RECORDS CONTROL SCHEDULE - CONTINUATION SHEET t411
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GLOSSARY OF RECORDS DISPOSITION TERMS
Administrative Value A value of records to the agency that created
them in carrying on its business.
Archives The permanently valuable records created or
received by,a governmental body for its
official purposes and made a part of its
official documentation.
Disposal Removal of records by destruction or transfer.
Disposal List A document authorizing the disposal of a
group of records no longer needed. This is
a one-time authorization and permits disposal
only of the precise records described.
File Break A cut-off point in a file, usually based on a
calendar or fiscal year date. Such breaks
are often made to coincide with scheduled
periods for destruction or transfer to a
records center.
File Copy A copy of a document in an official agency
file.
Fiscal Value A value of records for fiscal purposes, such
as for financial collection, disbursement,
budgeting, accounting, and related activities.
General Records Schedules Schedules issued by the General Services
Administration covering records common to
several or all agencies. Included in such
records are the so-called "housekeeping"
records.
Historical Value A value of records for.historical and similar
research purposes.
Housekeeping or Administra- Records pertaining to the running of an
tive Records agency such as those relating to personnel,
fiscal, and supply functions.
Legal Value A value of records for legal purposes and
pertaining to the rignts and obligations of
the Government and of individuals.
Non-record Material Papers or published materials which are not
recognized by the agency as records as de-
fined by the Records Disposal Act of 1943.
Approved For Release 2002/09/26 : CIA-RDP76-00883R000100090086-5
 PermarglerwffMosr Release 2002 fec~6ds IcoRDPde6re88toPbOo ?so ?va91 ari~ a or unique
in documenting the history of an agency or for
other reasons that they are to be preserved as
part of the Agency Archives for possible later
transfer to the National Archives.
Program Records Records pertaining to activities or functions
peculiar to an individual office or agency.
Reading File An extra copy file of outgoing correspondence,
usually arranged chronologically. Also called
"day file."
Record Copy That copy of a document which is regarded by
the agency as the most important or the key
official copy.
Records Control Schedule A document listing all files of an agency,
office, or function; showing the records to
be retained and those to be destroyed; and
providing when the various files should be
transferred from office to center-type space.
The schedule provides for periodic transfer
and disposal and may be used repeatedly.
Records Disposition That area of records management concerned with
planning the future of the records. Decisions
are made as to whether the records should be
retained permanently or for limited periods of
time and when they should be moved from office
to center-type space. These decisions are
recorded in the Records Control Schedule.
Retention Period The stated period a record should be kept.
Schedule A listing of records that have accumulated in
an agency or that may in future accumulate,
together with instructions as to their retention
or eventual destruction. A schedule provides
for periodic disposal and may be used repeatedly.
Screening A procedure by which selected disposable papers
are physically separated from papers which are
to be retained for a longer period or perma-
nently.
Temporary Records Records which are disposable as valueless after
stated periods of time.
Approved For Release 2002/09/26 : CIA-RDP76-00883R000100090086-5 "