HOW TO CUT PAPERWORK, COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00211R000500040001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 77
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 19, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 6, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

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Union Calendar No. 975
89th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - House Report No. 2197
HOW TO CUT PAPERWORK
COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND
CIVIL SERVICE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
EIGHTY-NINTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
OCTOBER 6, 1966.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-732 WASHINGTON 1966
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COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE
TOM MURRAY, Tennessee, Chairman
JA MES H. MORRISON, Louisiana
TJIADDEUS J. DULSKI, New York
DAVID N. HENDERSON, North Carolina
ARNOLD OLSEN, Montana
MORRIS K. UDALL, Arizona
DOMINICK V. DANIELS, New Jersey
LINDLEY BECKWORTH, Texas
ROBERT N. C. NIX, Pennsylvania
JOE R. POOL, Texas
WILLIAM J. GREEN, Pennsylvania
SPARK M. MATSUNAGA, Hawaii
PAUL J. KREBS, New Jersey
RAYMOND F. CLEVENGER, Michigan
JAMES M. IIANLEY, New York
JOHN V. TUNNEY, California
CHARLES II. WILSON, California
JEROME R. WALDIE, California
ROBERT S. CORBETT, Pennsylvania
H. R. GROSS, Iowa
GLENN CUNNINGHAM, Nebraska
EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Illinois
ROBERT F. ELLSWORTII, Kansas
ALBERT W. JOHNSON, Pennsylvania
JOHN H. BUCHANAN, JR.. Alabama
JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina
COARLES E. JOHNSON, Staff Director
11. IIENTON BRAY, Associate Staff Director
Jolla H. MARTINY, Ccunse1
WILLIAM A. IRVINE, Assistant Staff Director
THEODORE J. KAZY,,Senior Staff Assistant
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CENSUS AND STATISTICS
ROBERT N. C. NIX, Pennsylvania, Chairman
ARNOLD OLSEN, Montana JOTIN It. BUCHANAN, JR., Alabama
MORRIS K. UDALL, Arizona If. R. GROSS, Iowa
JOE R. POOL, Texas EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Illinois
PAUL J. KREBS, New Jersey
JOHN V. TUNNEY, California
Ex Officio Voting Members
TOM MURRAY,'Pennessee ROBERT J. CORBETT, Pennsylvania
CARLYLE F. VAN ANE:y, Subcommittee Staff Director
ThIOMAS R. KENNEDY, Subeom.mittee Counsel
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE,
IIon. JOHN W. MCCOII,MACK, Washington, D.C., October 6, 1966.
The Speaker,
House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: At the direction of the Committee on Post
Office and Civil Service, I am transmitting herewith a report prepared
by our Subcommittee on Census and Statistics and unanimously
approved by the full committee at its meeting today for printing as a
House report.
The report is called "How To Cut Paperwork." In addition to
the purpose conveyed by the title, the report describes activities of
the National Archives and Records Service (NARS) of the General
Services Administration and the work done by NARS and other
Federal agencies to cut Federal Government paperwork. It is one
of a series of reports on this subject by the Committee on Post Office
and Civil Service.
The committee members earnestly hope the report will result in
saving Federal and private funds by improving paperwork practices.
With best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Tom MURRAY, Chairman.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CENSUS AND STATISTICS,
COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE,
Hon. TOM MURRAY,
October 6, 1966.
Chairman, Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, House of Repre-
sentatives, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am attaching a report of the Subcommittee
on Census and Statistics for the approval of the Committee on Post
Office and Civil Service. The title is "How To Cut Paperwork."
The report describes activities of the National Archives and Records
Service (NARS), an agency of the General Services Administration.
The authority for the report is House Resolution No. 245, 89th Con-
gress, 1st session, passed March 29, 1965. The resolution assigns
congressional responsibility for the National Archives to our committee.
While the authority has existed for some time, and while the Sub-
committee on Census and Statistics works closely with the National
Archives and Records Service, this is the first 1.Q port of NARS' func-
tions to be undertaken by its. The purposes of the report at this time
are: (1) to continue efforts to reduce the billions of dollars spent
annually for Federal Government paperwork; (2) to discuss the work
of NARS and other agencies, and thereby point out methods of cutting
paperwork; and (3) to fulfill the committee's responsibility for the
activities of the National Archives.
The committee members believe that all too frequently the good work
of records preservation done by National Archives may be more com-
monly recognized and understood than the strenuous efforts of NARS
to reduce Federal Government paperwork. The members are hopeful
that this report will provide a fuller understanding of NARS work and
at the same time further stimulate Federal paperwork reductions by
department and agency heads with consequent significant financial
savings.
The subcommittee gratefully acknowledges the cooperation and
assistance of the General Services Administration, the National
Archives and Records Service and staff, and each agency that has
improved paperwork practices.
Cordially,
1IoBI,RT N. C. Nix, Chairman.
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CONTENTS
Page
Chapter I. Highlights------------------------------------------- 1
The processes------------------------------------ 1
The records------------------------------------- 2
The new influences________________________________ 2
The success stories_______________________________ 3
What needs to be done___________________________ 3
Summary of recommendations_____________________ 3
Background------------------------------------- 4
II. The Influences of Our Times___________________________ 7
The computer----------------------------------- 7
Rapid-copying equipment_________________________ 7
Size of organization______________________________ 8
Upward spiraling of paperwork costs_______________ 8
Risk a little; save a lot___________________________ 9
III. The Meaning of Paperwork Management_______________ 10
What is in a name?_______________________________ 10
Total systems concept____________________________ 10
Paperwork management field of activity ------------ 11
IV. How the General Services Administration, Through the
National Archives and Records Service, Provides Paper-
work and Records Management______________________ 13
Office of Records Management____________________ 13
Office of Federal Records Centers__________________ 15
V. Paperwork Technology_______________________________ 18
Efficiency through better forms-------------------- 18
The drive for better letters________________________ 19
Guiding the man on the job (directives)------------- 20
Better information for decisionmakers (reporting) _ _ - _ 22
Root of the records problem: Source data ----------- 23
Speeding mail to action desks______________________ 24
Protecting vital records___________________________ 25
Information retrieval_____________________________ 26
Filing: Everybody is in the act____________________ 29
Managing records dispositio.n---------------------- 30
Workshops: The educational approach that also pro-
ducesaction ----------------------------------- 30
VI. How Federal Agencies Can Organize for Paperwork Man-
agement------------------------------------------ 32
Agency responsibility under the Federal Records Act_ _ 32
Further definition of paperwork management-------- 32
Location of paperwork in agency operations --------- 33
Barriers to better paperwork management accom-
plishments------------------------------------ 33
VII. The Future ------------------------------------------ 36
A changing world-------------------------------- 36
Computers-------- ---------------------- 36
Research: Key to thefuture ----------------------- 38
VIII. Recommendations____________________________________ 43
Basis------------------------------------------- 43
Recommendations________________________________ 43
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APPENDIX A. Partial List of Paperwork Improvements Made by
Page
Federal Agencies __ _____________________
49
13. Examples of Benefits to Federal Agencies From Corre-
spondence Workshops____.._----------------------
59
C. Paperwork Services Which Can Be Used To Provide
[leads of Agencies With Continuous Oversight of
Performance --------------------------------------
65
]). National Archives and Records Service Organization
Chart------------------------------------------
(58
E. The President's September 22, 1966, memorandum
calling for reduction of Federal Government paper-
work--------------------------------------------
69
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Union Calendar No. 975
89TIl CONGRESS t HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES R>JPORT
2d Session No. 2197
HOW TO CUT PAPERWORK
OCTOBER 6, 1966.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State
of the Union and ordered to be printed
Mr. MurRAY, from the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service,
submitted the following
REPORT
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Government today is big business to a degree scarcely dreamed of
by our Founding Fathers. It is so big that little of it is conducted on
a face-to-face basis. Almost all of it is conducted by systems of paper
communications, transaction forms, reports, instructions, and other
record-making and record-using techniques. A large part of the time
of all employees of the Federal Government is spent ' he processes
of paperwork. The cost is staggering, $8 billion.
Yet no Federal agency can lay claim real~X to managing its paper-
work.
What of the problems and promise of paperwork? The highlights
below, discussed in the report, tell the story.
? It takes 360,000 different forms, prepared in 15 billion copies tot....-`
keep the wheels of -ov6rnm'en -'tM:h1ng. It is it rare procedure which
does not require the use of at least one form. (See p. 18.)
? Almost three-fourths of all Federal records are forms, and half of ,rte'
all Federal reports are forms. (See p. 18.)
? In fiscal year 1966, the Federal Government is believed to have
spent over $53 million to print its forms. In addition, tests indicate
that 20 times as mu` i is spent on the clerical effort of using them
(See p. 18.) -_.._? The billion letters produced annually in the Federal Government
cost approximately $1.5 billion. They vary from an average of 25
cents for a form letter to an average cost of $2.75 for an individuafTy
typed le ter. e1.9.) ~/
? $100-$200 million could be saved by applying more efficient
correspondence methods and techniques. (See p. 20.)
? President Franklin D. Roosevelt received 140,000 letters a year.
President Kennedy received 307,312. The mail to the President
has how increased so muclt that President Johnson received 825,750
letters last year. (See p. 20.)
? It was estimated, in 1963, that directives cost the Federal Gov-
ernment $400 million for 1 million pages a year. There are now over
2.6 million pages a year. (See p. 20.)
? Reporting is an area of paperwork in which th Government
presently invests a proximately $1 billion a yearf, xis cost breaks
down to $550 million annually for routine man gement reporting,
$250 million on special reports, and the balance in other reports
required. (See p. 22.)
? Paperwork costs are not irreducible; they can be cut substantially,
Agreement on this principle is the beginning of paperwork improve-
ment. (See p. 34.)
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Makin.- four copies isn't really the costly thing. It's keeping
them that increases the expense. (See p. 30.)
? Records holdings now total more than 25 million cubic feet.
Throwing away a page a second of these records it would take 2,000
years to discard them all. (See p. 16.)
? Although th.e situation is better than it was 15 years ago, there are
still (a) too many records-nearly one-fourth of the total volume-
designated by the agencies as n:fhent,- (b)-, to many petrn'anent
'records scattered and intermixed with temporary records, and (c) too
many temporary records being kept beyond. their usefulness. (See
p. 15.)
? In 1955, the average life of a Federal record was 13 years. In
1966 the average life of nonpermanent records dropped to 9 years.
(See p. 15.)
? A target of 2 to 3 percent permanent records is obtainable through
archival appraisal. (See p. 15.)
? 'T'hough annual records creation has greatly increased through the
years, disposal and housing techniques have improved, resulting in it
reduction of square feet of space used. (See p. 16.)
? Federal Records Centers are big money savers. The cost of
1;,,4t ederal Records Center space is 21. cents per cubic foot of records; the
cost of office space is $3.85 per cubic 7075 " of records. The Federal
Records Center program wrings, plus the avoidance of expenditures
which would otherwise have been incurred, may reasonably be esti-
mated at $250 million for the 1951-66 period. (See p. 17.)
? Automation brings with it new paperwork costs-the costs
required to transform data from record language to machine language.
(See p. 37.)
? It costs $550 million it year to prepare "input" to "feed" the
machines. (See p. 38.)
? Agencies find that they spend $2 and $3 per page to prepare it
for the machine (code, punch, verify, control, etc.). At that rate,
$550 million would pay for automating less than 100,000 cubic feet of
the 4.6 million cubic feet of records now being produced annually (i.e.,
million pages of 10 billion pages produced annually). (See p. 38.)
? A computer can make a stack of records 20., high each day.
Working on full weekly 7-day shifts (less five holidays)' this ' `S'tun k
~~ 'could be 1.3 miles high in -a year. This is one computer. The
Federal Government has 2,6170 computers. (See p. 7.)
? Next to the computer as alorce'of paperwork change has been the
rapid-copying machine. One copy in. J-0- ..is .z w_ rapid copy. (See
"P; In. it growing organization, a records program must run very fast
to stand still. (See p. 8.)
? File stations have increased in number over four times since 1951.
There are 255,000 employees in the Federal Government who spend a
niajority of their time filing records. This is a greater number than
the troops we have in Germany. Even so, time from primary tasks
is Ialcen for filing. (See pp. 7 and 29.)
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? Many persons feel that insistence on accounting for every penny
at several different levels in several different ways has driven organiza-
tions down a long paperwork road.. This situation is changing. (See
P, 9.)
THE SUCCESS STORIES
.''Moratorium on purchase of new filing cabinets saved over $3
lli.on. (See p. 17.)
? 'hechnical assistance by the National Archives , and Records
Forty outstanding Federal employees have been honored for
vans in paperwork in their agencies totaling over. $200 million.
(See p. 49.)
? Specific projects in agencies have shown the possibilities--a
selection:
Navy and Marine Corps eliminated 1.8,402 directives.
U.S. Maritime Administration helped industry to eliminate
400 types of bills of lading ($8 million savings to shippers).
Agriculture eliminated 318 reports saving $630,296.
Federal Aviation Agency reduced directives files by 5.5 million
pages (held by 45,000 employees).
Veterans' Administration streamlined mail handling, saving
$460,000.
Additional specific projects are cited in subsequent pages.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
Obviously there is real promise in utilizing the techniques of paper-
work management. This is true especially if the techniques are
applied from a total systems point of view. Some things have been
done but much more is needed.
The importance of paperwork and records in our day is best under-
stood when viewed in perspective. Dr. Wayne C. Grover recently
retired as Archivist of the United States passed along a perceptive
observation.
He stated that public records have a unique importance for govern-
ments. In earlier centuries they were used mainly to document the
obligations of citizens to their governments. With the rise of demo-
cratic governments, however, it became even more important to record
the obligations of it government to its people.
To do an adequate job, in the depth that paperwork management
deserves, there follows a summary of the chapter devoted to the
committee's recommendations.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS i
? A professional staff fully trained and experienced in paperwork
mangem..ent should be available to the head of each Federal agency.
? Paperwork management should be used as a method of providing
continuous oversight of agency performance.
? Heads of agencies should require a regular recurring review, on a
systems basis, of all of their major paperwork pipelines with a view to
I See p. 43 for recommendations.
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(a) eliminating delays, (b) substantially reducing effort and (c) pro-
viding better service to the public.
? beads of agencies should aggressively maintain it proper climate
of teamwork and cooperation between paperwork analysts, on the one
hand, and activities they serve, on the other.
? All agencies should improve the paperwork processes used to pro-
vide key data to management.
? Fewer but better records should be produced by Federal agencies.
1 he burden of paperwork imposed oil citizens by the Federal
Government should be greatly reduced.
? Better int:er110ency paperwork processes should be developed as it
Government-wide project, beginning irnmediritely.
? Prrperivork implicit ions of legislation should be revieww ed by all
agencies, so that appropriate reriiedies (,,in be made by the ('ongress.
? Special eiirphasls should be given to spplying source data automa-
tion methods aimed at reducingz the cost of using computers.
? Gloater support 2 should be given to the National Archives and
ilecords Service management program.
? Pr otessiona,l lrr,unr r and refresher courses should be established.,
as part of the civil service trrriniis and career development prog?rarrrs,
to assure ii, lush level of conrpenerrce arson