U.S. records management directive sets lofty goals.

• Position: GOVERNMENT RECORDS

On August 24, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced the Managing Government Records Directive. The directive outlines "a robust records management framework" for achieving the goal established in President Barack Obama's November 28, 2011, memorandum on managing government records.

The directive requires all federal agencies, to the fullest extent possible, to eliminate paper and use electronic recordkeeping by the end of 2019. It applies to all agencies and all records, regardless of security classification. It also identifies the actions NARA, OMB, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will take to support the agencies' records management programs. NARA will be responsible for updating the Code of Federal Regulations accordingly.

Each agency is expected to develop and begin implementing plans for the transition by the end of 2013. Agencies are also advised to consider the benefits of digitizing permanent records created in hardcopy or other analog formats.

By the end of 2016, all federal agencies must be managing both permanent and temporary e-mail records in a system that supports records management and litigation requirements. Each agency is expected to start reporting on its progress toward this goal beginning in September 2013.

The presidential memorandum requires all agencies to name a senior agency official (SAO) to oversee a review of their records management programs. The directive requires the SAO be given "broader...