Records Managers

NARA Bulletin 2003-03

January 15, 2003

TO: Heads of Federal agencies

SUBJECT: Endorsement of DoD Electronic Records Management Application (RMA) Design Criteria Standard, version 2

EXPIRATION DATE: January 31, 2005

1. What is the purpose of this bulletin?

This bulletin advises agencies that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) endorses version 2 of the Department of Defense Electronic Records Management Software Application Design Criteria Standard (DoD 5015.2-STD, June 2002) for use by all Federal agencies.

2. What is the background to this guidance?

    a. The Department of Defense (DoD) first issued DoD 5015.2-STD for mandatory use by the Department and its components in November 1997. NARA endorsed that standard for use by all Federal agencies in November 1998 after a careful review to ensure that the standard conforms with the requirements of the Federal Records Act and the implementing records management regulations found in 36 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 1220-1238. NARA also reviewed and endorsed the software certification testing process used by DoD's Joint Interoperability Test Command to certify records management applications (RMAs).

    b. The revised DoD 5015.2-STD, which incorporates requirements for RMAs to manage classified records and other enhancements, was released in June 2002. NARA participated in the development of this version and is supporting further enhancement of the standard to encompass transfer of permanent records to the National Archives in a future version.

3. What does this NARA endorsement mean?

We recommend that agencies use the DoD standard and the DoD-certified products as a baseline when selecting an RMA to manage the agency's electronic records. NARA has evaluated the DoD standard for recordkeeping functionality and has determined that DoD-certified products comply with the relevant provisions of the Federal Records Act and NARA regulations with respect to the creation, maintenance and use, and disposition of Federal records. Continued partnership between NARA and DoD to develop future enhancements to the DoD standard will enable DoD 5015.2-STD certified RMAs to export electronic records and directly transfer them to NARA.

4. When should I use a DoD 5015.2-STD certified records management application for electronic records management?

Following are examples where use of an RMA can facilitate electronic records management:

  • managing records from desktop applications where the electronic version of the record will be the recordkeeping copy.
  • maintaining electronic mail in an electronic format for recordkeeping purposes.
  • facilitating the transfer of permanent electronic mail records to the National Archives and Records Administration.
  • when automating a business process that necessitates the records to be collected, organized, and categorized to facilitate their retrieval, use, disposition, and preservation, including records generated in eGovernment processes, if records management capabilities have not otherwise been built into the design of the system.

5. Is further information available?

    a. Careful planning and carrying out the implementation is critical to the success of installing an RMA. As part of the eGov Electronic Records Management Initiative, NARA and its partner agencies are developing additional guidance on implementing enterprise-wide RMAs. The guidance will be posted on the NARA web site at http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/initiatives/erm-overview.html.

    b. For further records management information and assistance, Federal agencies may contact the Office of Records Services-Washington, DC, Modern Records Programs at 301-837-1738, or the Office of Regional Records Services at 301-837-2950.

    c. More information on the DoD 5015.2-STD and certification process are available at http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/recmgt/index.html.


JOHN W. CARLIN
Archivist of the United States

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