REPORT ON STATUS OF AGENCY RECORDS PROGRAM DISPOSAL AND RECORDS CENTER OPERATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00211R000500200081-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 14, 2006
• Sequence Number: 81
• Publication Date: June 30, 1963
• Content Type: REPORT

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Report on Status of Agency Records Program
Disposal and Records Center Operations
I.a13.7201T013
To improve the quality of Agency records, control e ijantity and
provide adequate storage space for the inactive, permanent and vital
records of the Agency, indefinitely.
II. APPROACH
1. The bead of each agency is required. by the Federal Records Act
of 19,04 Public Lew 754? "to establish a continuing program for
the economical and efficient management of his agency's records".
2. The Agency General Counsel has rendered an opinion that this law
is applicable to our records and we are complying with it and the
regulations pursuant to it.
3.
The Agency Records Management Program is outlined in Regulation
It covers the life cycle of records.:
a, Creation - Forms; Reports; Correspondence
b. Maintenance - riling Systems; Filing Equipment and Supplies
c. i4sposition - Inventorying, Scheduling and Disposing of
Records; Records Center Operations and
Vital Records
The accomplishment of our objectives requires an active program in
all program elements because of their inter-skationship. Quality
improvement requires the management of reports, forma, correspondence
and filing systems. Related to quality are the systems and procedures
that produce the records and provide for the evaluation and selective
determination of vital and permanent documents. Quantity Control
includes the preparation, use and maintenance of Records Control
Schedules and Vital Records Deposit Schedules.
This report is concerned primarily With the Disposition and
Records Center phases of Records Management.
III. STATUS OF RECORDS DISPOSITION
I. All records in the Agency have been inventoried by volume and on
30 June 1963 there were 163,221 cubic feet on hand in Agency
Offices. See Exhibit 411 - Records In Headquarters Offices At bad
of Each Fiscal Year.
MOIR CDF Pages _1-4, 6,
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2. Records Control Schedules have been ;Tapered for 95.4% of all
headquarters records. These schedules are the principal manage-
ment tools for control of the disposition of agency records.
They show:
a. Description of records and how filed
b. Volume - number of cubic feet
c. Disposition - destroy In office; retire to records center
and destroy later or keep there permanently
3. Vital Records Deposit Schedules have been prepared for all
Agency offices; they identify essential agency records, indicate
when they should be transferred to the Center and how long they
should be kept there.
4. Control over the transfer of all records to the Center is through
Records Control and Vital Records Deposit Schedules. The Chief,
Archives and Records Center has been instructed not to accept
any records unless they are scheduled and the disposition in-
struction specify how long they will be kept. See fthibit #2.
5. Meat Agency offices are following the instructions in their
schedules by:
a. Transferring inactive records to the Center. From 190
to 30. June 1963, Agency offices transferred 136,218
cubic feet. See Exhibit f3 - Cumulative Receipt and
Disposition of Records.
b* Destroying records at Headquarters - 110,479 cubic
feet were destroyed from 1957 to 1963. See Exhibit i4 -
During the lest four fiscal years, headquarters offices
have destroyed more records than they sent to the Center.
6. The permanent records of the Agency are now approximately 5.2$
of the total as compared to 2 1952. According to the Hoover
Commission 26% of all Federal Records were permanent in 19,40
and today the National Archives and Records Service of GSA reports
this has been reduced to 24%. Recent schedules prepared in the
Agency reflect a continued downward trend in the percentage of
permanent records. Our experience in the DDS&T Area for example,
shows that only Sof their records are permanent.
7. The total Agency records holdings in office space have remained
about the same for the past three fiscal. years. See Exhibit id -
Records In Headquarters. Offices at the End of Each Fiscal Year
1957-1963. At the end of the last fiscal year the 163,221 cubic
feet on hand were about 3/10% less than for the Fiscal Year 1962.
The reduction in total volume and the continued increase in the
rate of destruction are significant; and if these trends continue
a leveling-off of records accumulation in office space may have
been reached.
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8. The Agency constructed a Records Center at in 1955 with a
capacity for the storage of I. of records at a
cost of 4245,675. An addition for the storage al
feet of records was built in 1958 costing 4448,22. meoymp
in submitting to the Project Review Committee Action Ro. DD/8
237-57 on 28 January 1957 stated/ "The proposed expansion viii
meet the foreseeable estimated. Agency needs until 1966".
9. Between 1949 and 30 Jane 1963 the Records Center has:
a. Received 136,218 cubic feet of records,- the equivalent
of 17,027 safes and file cabinets valuia at 49,143,399.
b. Destroyed 55,371 cubic feet of records - the eciuivsient
of 6922 safes and file cabinets valued at $3,364,000.
Based on these records destroyed, the Records Center operations
Shove saving of 42,670,096 over construction cost.
10. At the end of the fiscal year 1963, there were 800,847 cubic feet
of records in the Center and 22,533 cubic feet of space were
available for future use. The average annual net growth of
records from 1949-1963 was 5,389 cubic feet i this included the
period when the Agency records. program was in a formative stage
and relatively small volume' of records were being transferred
to the Center. Consequently, in my report to the DD/8 on
8 October 1963 I selected the period 1959-1963 as more repre-
sentative of actual conditions over the fifteen year Records
Center experience,
Net Annual Growth of Conte 1959-1963
1959 - 10,473 cubic feet
1960 - 11,953 cubic feet
1961 - 10,575 cubic feet
1962 - 7,980 cubic feet
1963 - 2,801 cubic feet
Based on an assumption that the average annual net growth of
8,760 cubic feet for the above years would continue, I predicted
in my October report that the Center would be full in January
1966.
11. From 1 July to 31 December 1963, the net growth amounted to only
391 cubic feet as compared to 3,293 cubic feet for the same
period in 1962 - a reduction of 80. This substantial change
has been due almost entirely to the 5 procedural steps included
in my 8 October 1963 report. Based on this six months experience,
I estimate that net growth for Fiscal Year 1964 will be 1,564
cubic feet.
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IV. CQNCIIMICV
Based on ouremaperience for the six rises' Years 1959 - 1964,
conclude that the Records Center will be full by April 1967. v
This means that we have a maximum of 15 months, until April 1965,
before we once again have to consider the need to expand the present
Records Center. I will submit to you early in 1965 my recommendations
concerning the need for additional spelee to store agency records.
In the meantime, we eill fallow through on the following ricomm.
mendatione for modifying our records program to prolong indefinitely
the life of the present Records Center with special emphasis being
made to the agreement, outlined in Recommendation #5 to guard
against the unexmected.
RBCOMMENDATIONS /OR MODNYING OUR MOMS PROGRAM TO PROLOG
mieteriNTTRLY THE un Or mix mmumr imam clansR.
Recommendation No. 1 - Replace Paper Copy Records With Microfilm
Wherever It Is Nconorniealiy Sound.
On 15 NoveMber1961, I asked the Chief, CIA Automatic Leta Processing
Staff, about the poseibility of microfilming 29,437 cubic feet of
records in the Center for *which we had no fixed. disposition agree-
ment. His estimate was 4675,000 for microfilming alone; so we did
not pursue the matter. We did, however, concentrate our efforts on
developing specific retention periods for this group of records and
the volume has been reduced from 29,437 cubic feet in 1961 to approxi-
mately 8,000 cubic feet today.
The coot of microfilming one cubic feot of records is approximately
430.00; the same paper can be kept in our Records Center for about
69 years for this amount. A large amount of records are being micro-
filmed. for operating purposes as well as for Vital Records. We,
therefore, propose to identify these records and, by working with the
Records Officers in each office, to provide for the destruction of the
paper copy and the retention of the microfilm copy for as long as it
is needed. We plan to recommend to all component Records Officers that
any temporary records that must be retained for longer than 69 years
be microfilmed, for storage.
Over 80,000 reels of microfilm are stored at the Center. A survey is
being made to determine if the paper copies from Which this microfilm
vae made have been or can be destroyed. Preliminary identification
has been made of approximately 800 cubic feet of these paper copies
that can possibly be destroyed. Many of the 80,000 reels of microfilm
are of poor quality and in some instances do not meet the established
standards as a substitute for official records; therefore it may be
necessary to eliminate the microfilm and retain the hard copy.
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Recommendation No. 2 - Conduct !motional Surveys of Agency Records.
These surveys will be made in cooperation with the Component Records
Officers and will be for the purpose of preparing an official Niles
Plan to show where the record copy is to be filed. This files Plan
will enable us to recommend the elimination of overlapping and
duplication of records.
Some functional areas that ve propose to survey are: project, require-
ments, contracts, reporting, purchase orders, personnel and
training records. An example of how a functional survey can nay
off is in the Office of Logistics 'where their Records. Management
Officer is conducting a survey of purchase order files. She has
fOund that copies of the same records are being maintained in the
Procurement, &Way and Transportation Divisions. When her survey
is completed and agreement reached as to 'which Division will retain
the official record copy, the Records Center will be able to destroy
approximately 1400 cubic fest of records that are now being held
front 4 to 11 are. In addition, valuable office space will be
saved in the two Divisions that will not need to retain their files
after the action has been completed.
Recommendation No. 3 - Negotiate With GSA and the Agencies of the
MID to Reach An Agreement For the Centralised Secure Storage of
Certain Reference Records.
We considered the use of the Federal Records Center for storing our
records in 1533 and again in 1955, but 08A had no provision for
storing classified records. This condition has been corrected and
an agreement has been made with GOA for the use of a ndnimum of
5,000 cubic feet of secure storage Apace on five days notice.
GSA is planning a new Records Center at Suitland? Maryland, to house
4 million cubic feet of records. Funds have been appropriated, con-
struction is scheduled to start in December 1964, and occupancy is
expected in Jay 1967. The Center will have ten vault areas of
100,000 cubic feet each for classified and, sensitive records storage.
GSA has tentatively earmarked approximately 100,000 cubic feet of
thin secure space for the MID Agencies.
We plan to do a staff study proposing centralised storage of finished
intelligence reference publications in this GSA facility. We will
then attempt to get all USIB Agencies to agree to this centralised
effort and to take advantage of the economies that can be realised
by eliminating the overlapping and duplication of intelligence
reference records now stored throughout the Coremnity. Mr. P. A.
Borel, Chairman of copra, a committee of 11823,will propose to the
Committee that they approve the GSA facility for this purpose. When
approved, we can move approximately 25,000 cubic feet of Agency
produced finished intelligence and related records from the Records
Center. This action alone vould prolong the life of the CIA Records
Center almost indefinitely.
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Recommendation No. 4 - Develop a Comprehensive Correspondence
Management Program To Control Quantity and Improve Qeallty of
Paperwork.
Correspondence management in a continuing program to streamline
and improve our correspondence by:
a. Developing style standards and procedures,
b. Previa/rig form letters and pattern correspondence as
substitutes for costly dictated or drafted correspondence.
The results expected from correspondence management are:
a. Better correspondence prepared by speedier, simpler and
more economical means.
b. Less payer to store in offices and in the Center.
We have installed a correspondence management program on a
basis, for instance:
a. Prepared and issued a Correspondence HA k in 1955.
It was revised atl oUbmitted to
Regulations Control in August 1963. It &cad be published.
b. Promoted the use of forms letters in soma offices. This
should be extended throughout the Agency.
c. Introduced the use of Letterex (tissue stationery with one-
tine carbon attached). It speeds typing.
d. Installed a Speed Letter a three-part memorandum used for
informal communication between offices and/or field instal-
lation on 'which messages and replies can be typed or hand-
written.
It is estimated that at least 8 million pieces of paper are created
each year by cables, 4109sta:heel inter office memorandums and lettere.
A significant portion of this paper occupies valuable office equipment
and scarce office space. While a large percentage of that stored in
offices is destroyed. there, a considerable volume goes to the Records
Center.
Recommendation, No. 5 - Develop A Comprehensive Reports Management
Program to Control The Quantity of Paper Created and Improve the
Quality of Documentation.
Reports management is a continuing program designed to improve the
qgality of reports, eliminate those not needed and assure that reports
are prepared by the simplest and most economicalmeane.
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We installed reports management programs on a limited basis in
several offices in 1955. These projects were confined to the
conventional, periodic progress reports prepared within them
areas. Sven on this limited basis approximately 7,000 man hours
were saved annoally
Since 1955, the extensive use of Computers and other automatic
data processing equipment has made it easy to produce more reports
and create more paper. Biased on a total of 4,064,185 sets of
tabulating payer used in 1963, we estimate that at least 12 million
pieces of paper are being created annually by various automatic
data processing methods. A significant portion of this is for
production of reports.
A spot check of our Records Control SeheduleaLiallicates that only
a small portion of the paper produced by automatic data processing
thode is kept a long time;? Waver, largo amounts of these records
stored in valuable office equipment and scarce office space
some of it going to the Center.
An active Reports Management Program carried out by Component Records
Officers with staff guidance from us will produce savings in office
and Records Center apace.
Recommendation No. 6 - Conduct a Spring Clean-Up Campaign
The critical space situation at Headquarters, field installations
and the Record* Center makes it imperative that the most efficient
use be rade of available space. One way of ensuring this is to rid
our offices of excess materials. It is recommended therefore that
DD/8 get the endorsement of the Director for this idea and that the
month of April 1964 be designated as Spring Clean-up month. The
adoption of this recommendation will ensure top management support
and pave the way for elimination of a Urge volume of non-current
records, non-essential publications, unneeded supplies, equipment
and furniture.
This campaign vill require participation by all employees anti, based.
on reeulte obtained by several Federal Agencies and some large
business concerns we can expect significant results.
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