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On August 24, 2012, OMB and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) jointly issued the Managing Government
Records Directive (M-12-18), creating a robust framework for the management of government records in the 21st century: "Records
are the foundation of open government, supporting the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration. Well-managed
records can be used to assess the impact of programs, to improve business processes, and to share knowledge across the Government.
Records protect the rights and interests of people, and hold officials accountable for their actions. Permanent records document
our nation's history." In the spirit of open government, the Administration gathered significant input from Federal agencies,
outside groups, professional organizations, and the public to develop this Directive. This feedback has greatly improved the
final product. The Directive laid out two primary goals: (1) by 2019, Federal agencies will manage all permanent electronic
records in an electronic format; and (2) by 2016, Federal agencies will manage both permanent and temporary email records
in an accessible electronic format. In furtherance of these goals, the Administration successfully completed several actions.
The Administration designated Senior Agency Officials (SAOs) and convened a meeting on November 28, 2012 with the Archivist
of the United States to outline their roles and responsibilities to support their records management programs. In addition,
the Administration conducted a review of records management reporting requirements in December 2012. The Administration continues
to work to meet the goals of the Directive. Doing so will require significant technical commitments from SAOs, and fundamental
changes by the broader records management community. Federal agencies have been supportive of the Directive. The Administration,
moreover, is working on several action items due in 2013, including updating guidance on the management of email and on how
to transfer electronic records to NARA, creating a new records management job series, and developing a Community of Interest
to solve specific records management challenges that support the goals of the Directive. The Administration looks forward
to continuing its work with civil society and the public to achieve the goals laid out in the Plan and is confident future
milestones of the Directive will be met.
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We will launch an initiative that will recommend reforms and require reporting on current policies and practices. The initiative
will consider changes to existing laws and ask how technology can be leveraged to improve records management while making
it cost-effective. The initiative will seek a reformed, digital-era, governmentwide records management framework that promotes
accountability and performance.
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