FY 2011 Records Inventory

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
IN REPLY REFER TO: Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
1220 (957) P
October 12, 2010
EMS Transmission: October 18, 2010
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2011-002
Expires: 9/30/2012
To: District Managers and Deputy State Directors
Attn: Records Managers and Records Liaisons
From: Associate State Director
Subject: FY 2011 Records Inventory DD: 12/01/2010
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) directs all BLM Wyoming Offices to complete
their records inventories as directed by WO Instruction Memorandum No. WO-IM-2010-206,
Bureau-wide Records Inventory; and as required by the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) (36 CFR 1228.22) and BLM Manual Section 1220 (.37).
Policy/Action: All BLM Wyoming Offices, including State Office Divisions, are required to
create a current and accurate inventory of their paper, electronic and vital records. To allow time
for compilation and consolidation of a state-wide response, responses are to be submitted to the
State Records Manager by December 1, 2010.
Each Office must complete the following steps as part of the inventory process:
Designation of Custodians - Each office must, if they have not already done so, designate File
Custodians for all record groups, using Form WY1270-03 “Designation of File Custodian”.
These designations were conducted during the FY 09 Records Inventory and should be reviewed
and updated as needed. Copies of the completed forms must be submitted to the State Records
Manager. This form requires the name and contact information for each custodian, along with a
brief description of the records the custodian maintains.
File Custodians are individuals or groups responsible for maintaining records within their
physical and legal custody in accordance with the life-cycle management requirements
established in program directives and BLM Manual 1220. Custodians are responsible for
establishment and day-to-day maintenance of records and coordinating with the Records
Manager or Records Liaison for records management issues, records inventories, and disposition
of records.
Cleanout Campaign – Each office will conduct a cleanout campaign throughout their office,
keeping in mind that the BLM remains under a court-ordered freeze on destruction of records.
Non-record materials may be destroyed if no longer needed. Record materials may be prepared
for destruction; however, record materials must be retained until the freeze is officially
lifted.
The freeze on the movement of records has been lifted and records may be prepared for shipment
to the Federal Records Center. Guidance on the transfer of records to the NARA Federal Record
Center may be found in WO IM No. 2006-008, Revised Policy and Guidance for the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Regarding the Movement of Federal Records.
All the forms, schedules and information needed to conduct the FY 2011 inventory are available
on the Wyoming Records Management Homepage at http://web.wy.blm.gov/957/records.htm
under the heading “Records Inventory Tool Box”.
Inventory Reports – Each Office must submit two separate inventory reports to the Wyoming
State Records Manager:
1. An inventory of all electronic information systems maintained by the Office.
Bureauwide systems should not be included on the inventory.
2. An inventory of all non-electronic record series maintained by the Office.
Inventories for FY 2011 can be completed by referencing and updating inventories completed
during FY 2009. Note: To ensure consistency and facilitate the completion of the statewide
inventory, each Office must submit their inventories using the exact spreadsheet provided.
If necessary, Offices must transfer their information from other formats to this required
spreadsheet. Any inventories not received in this format will be returned to the respective
Office to make the necessary changes.
Inventory Fact Sheets are available on the Wyoming Records Management Homepage and are
useful in collecting information for both the general and electronic records inventories.
Although submission of the forms to the State Records Manager is not required, their use is
strongly recommended. The forms provide an organized approach to collecting information
during interviews with program staff during the inventory process, and provide sufficient space
(which the abbreviated Records Inventory tables do not provide) to record detailed information
regarding the records. It is recommended these fact sheets be kept on file as an aid for future
records inventories. Be sure to determine from the record schedules whether a record is vital or
not and reflect that on the inventory.
Timeframe: Completed inventories must be submitted to the State Records Manager no later
than December 1, 2010.
Budget Impact: Minimal. Staff time required for interviews with Records Liaison.
Background: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) require all Federal
Agencies and Offices to compile and maintain a complete inventory of records (including all
media – electronic, paper, or other) in its possession.
In addition, all Federal Offices have been mandated by the Department of Homeland Security to
create and maintain current Continuity of Operations Plans (COOPs) which includes an effective
Disaster Recovery Plan. Updated records inventories are a critical part of a Disaster Recovery
Plan.
In the recent past, poorly managed records have led to court actions against Federal Agencies
and Departments. Failure to produce records under a court order has resulted in criminal
penalties for obstruction of justice or contempt of court. It is crucial for all personnel to continue
to properly identify any records related to Indian Trust Management and/or the Cobell Lawsuit.
The increasing number and complexity of requests for agency records under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) makes it imperative we improve our recordkeeping ability. Records
must be maintained in accordance with the official CRS/BLM Combined Records Schedules,
which provides a descriptive listing of each record series and the proper retention time for each
record. Each record entered into the records inventory will need the appropriate schedule
citation referenced.
Manual/Handbook Section Affected: These requirements are promulgated in 36 CFR, and are
further explained in BLM Manual Section 1220, Records and Information Management.
Contact: If you have any questions regarding this guidance or need assistance in conducting the
inventory, please contact April Deane, Wyoming State Records Manager, at 307-775-6089, or
Sam McReynolds, CIO/Information Systems Manager, at 307-775-6065.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Ruth Welch Pamela D. Hernandez
Associate State Director Secretary, Division of Support Services
2 Attachments:
1 – BLM Records Inventory Spreadsheet 2011 Blank Master (1 p)
2 – Designation of File Custodian (1 p)
Distribution
Director (560), Room 750, LS 1 (w/o atchs)
CF 1 (w/atchs)