GAO Recommends Agencies Improve Electronic Recordkeeping Requirements
Commentary by Steven Lofchie
GAO recommended that federal "agencies improve their management of electronic records."
In a report to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, GAO found that agencies vary in the extent to which their respective policies and procedures address federal recordkeeping requirements under the "Managing Government Records Directive" and the "Federal Records Act."
Based on the study's findings, GAO made 40 recommendations to the National Archives and Records Administration ("NARA") in order to help agencies improve their management of electronic records. Among other things, GAO recommended that NARA implement several new requirements, including mandating that: (i) all high-risk smaller agencies establish improvement plans; and (ii) supervising agencies monitor progress on a regular basis. GAO noted that NARA agreed with the recommendations.
Commentary
There may be some value to firms in reviewing the recordkeeping requirements applicable to the government agencies. Firms might consider whether they would meet these standards or whether they have missed any of the issues raised in the GAO report.