RETENTION PERIOD FOR FINANCIAL VOUCHERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89G00643R001100010007-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: May 12, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010007-7
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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional) LUDDU
Retention Period for Financial Vouchers
FROM: Allen R. Elkins
Director of Finance-
EXTENSION
NO.
OF-0116-87
1212 Key Bldg.
DATE
14 May 1987
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
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FORM 6 i n USE PREVIOUS * U.S. aowrnment Panani ontw: 1f5-49"34Nm54
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89G00643R001100010007-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643ROO1100010007-7
OF-0116-87
12 May 1987
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Operations
VIA: Deputy Director for Administration
FROM: Allen R. Elkins
Director of Finance
REFERENCE: A. Memo for DDS from DDP dtd 19 Nov 1971
B. Memo for DDO from D/OF dtd 28 Dec 1978
C. Memo for H. Lacy, OF, from DDO dtd 11 Jan 1979
1. The retention and storage of Agency documents has been a
continual problem for years, requiring periodic reviews and new
alternatives to cope with the ever increasing paper accumulation
and the consequent need for storage space both at Headquarters and
the Agency Record Center. In 1971 (Attachement A) the DDP
concurred in the destruction of financial vouchers and records
older than 12 years if space limitations so dictated.
2. In 1978 (Attachment B) the Office of Finance began a
program of microfilming financial vouchers as a means to reduce
the space needed to store financial documentation. At that time
the DDO was queried as to whether or not a retention period of
longer than 12 years was needed to satisfy their requirements.
The response (Attachment C) stated that a retention period of not
less than 20 years was deemed necessary to satisfy DO interests.
3. Currently, the Office of Finance retains original (paper)
vouchers at Key Building for 15 months and then ships them to the
Agency Record Center for an additional three years. In addition,
the vouchers are microfilmed and the film retained for 20 years to
satisfy the DDO requirement in spite of the fact that the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requires either
original financial vouchers or microfilm copies thereof to be
retained for a period of six years and three months.
 4. In anticipation of moving to the new building the Office
of Finance has been reviewing space requirements for our Records
Administration Branch which includes the microfilming and temporary
storage operations. We will be acquiring less space in the new
building than we presently have and this, along with the personnel
resources needed to maintain the microfilming process, compels us
to reconsider both "paper" holdings and the microfilming process.
As an alternative to the current practice, this office is consid-
ering keeping the original (paper) vouchers for a period of six
years and three months without any microfilming.
5. A recent study of reference activity to vouchers has shown
that use by the auditors is usually for 24-32 months and that use
by budget and finance officers is usually only for the prior
year. Reference to the vouchers retired to the Agency Record
Center is negligible (see memo from Chief, Agency Record Center,
Attachment D). Additionally, the reference to vouchers held at
Office of Finance Headquarters is also negligible after three
years.
6. Should any member of your staff have a question regarding
this matter, please contact on
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89G00643R001100010007-7
25X1
ILLEGIB
Retention of Finance Records in Archives
1. This has been a long and difficult problem to deal with.
As you know, the CI Staff has very properly, considering its general
responsibilities, highlighted the fact that the types of finance
records under discussion here (particularly travel' vouchers) have
at sometimes in the past been useful in contributing to counter-
intelligence analyses of difficult cases. I therefore had to take
into most serious account the position of the CI Staff.
2. After the most careful consideration, and noting your
statement that the Office of Security does not consider that such
records need be retained beyond twelve years, and noting further
the ruling of the Office of General Counsel that twelve year reten-
tion satisfies all legal requirements, I have decided to concur
in your proposal. I am doing this because of the severe space
limitations which I understand are operative in this matter and
also because I do not believe that the expenditures which would
be incurred year after year in a continuing sizable accumulation
of finance records would justify the occasional help such records
might provide in a given case. I know that this position has the
concurrence of the Director.
3. I would ask that, in going about the elimination of the
older records, an effort be made to take advantage of whatever
space flexibility there may be to keep such records beyond the
twelve year limit. In any event, I concur in the destruction of
such records older than twelve years. if space limitations so
'71
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 MEMORANDUM FOR: Acting Chief, Information Systems and Analysis Staff
FROM: Thomas B. Yale
Director of Finance
1. It is requested that the Office of Finance Records Control
Schedule be amended for certain items, as listed on the attached
pages, to change the retention time from 10 years and 3 months and
from 6 years and 3 months to 12 years.
2. The basic request is for the extension of retention time
for financial posting vouchers (Item 47) to 12 years, which was the
retention requirement before the last change. In accordance with
the authority granted in Section 8(b) of the Central Intelligence
Act of 1949, as amended, the Agency engages in transactions of a
confidential nature, some of which involves certain cover arrangements,
compartmentation, and the use of devices such as cryptonyms and
pseudonyms for protection of projects and individuals. Research is
sometimes needed to provide a full and clear review of a transaction,
and we feel that retention periods of 10 years and 3 months and
6 years and nths are insufficient to satisfy anticipated require-
ments.
3. There have been many investigations during recent years,
and there are still requirements for historical information in
connection with Congressional Oversight Committee reviews and Freedom
of Information Act/Privacy Act requests. Because of the unique
authorities and responsibilities of the Agency, we believe it is
prudent to establish retention periods for certain basic financial
records somewhat longer than tha mini um established for observance
by federal agencies generally.
4. Other items requested for 12-year retention are those which
support the posting vouchers by providing authorities, additional
documentation, and records required to identify voucher numbers to
1 C'
Thomas B. Yale
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010007-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010007-7
- -S =-E " C R E T .I
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
REFERENCES:
')c,X1
25X1
John H. Stein
Acting Deputy Director for Operations
B. Memorandum for DDS fr. Thomas H.
Karamessines, dtd 19 Nov 71,
As I indicated in our telephone conversation of
this date, I very much appreciate your having brought
to my attention the question of the retention period
for financial vouchers because such vouchers can con-
ceivably be of enormous value to this Directorate.
While we would hope we would never have to use them,
we do think it in the interests of the Agency to retain
them for at least 20 years if possible. Accordingly,
since space would appear to be no problem, I would
request that these vouchers be retained for this period.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010007-7 _9-OO~3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89G00643R001100010007-7
CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM FOR: DDA/IMO
FROM: Chief, Archives and Records Center Branch
SUBJECT: Reference Activity
Following is the reference activity on eight finance jobs (item 49c).
It is readily apparent that there is a drastic decline in reference activity
after two years storage in the Archives and Records Center.
82-258 1982
(20 cu ft) 1 request
82-498 No requests
(25 cu ft)
1982 thru present
4 requests
1983 thru present
1 request
1983 thru present
1 request
1983 thru present
2 requests
1985 thru present
2 requests
83-600 No requests
(3 cu ft)