Records Management Council (RMC) Charter

August 21, 2007

HHS-OCIO-2007-0002.001C

Table of Contents

• I.     Purpose
• II.    Vision and Mission
• III.   Scope
• IV.   Responsibilities
• V.    Membership
• VI.   Meetings
• VII.  Meeting Minutes
• VIII. Agenda Items
• IX.   Voting Council Members
• X.    Reports
• XI.   Approval
• Attachment 1
• 
  

  I. Purpose

  The purpose of this Charter is to establish the Department of Health and Human Services Records Management Council (RMC).  The RMC addresses cross organizational Records Management (RM) issues by providing leadership, direction, and support that fosters the integration of records management.  The RMC takes a collaborative approach enabling the collective expertise, capabilities and professionalism of the members to advise the HHS leadership regarding the management of records and records management activities.  This process is within the responsibilities and requirements of Agency Heads as outlined in Section 3101 of title 44 U.S.C. 

  This is a first issuance.

  II. Vision and Mission

  The vision of the RMC for the HHS Records Management Program is to:

  Provide leadership and direction to promote effective records management in support of the Department of Health and Human Services.

  The RMC has established the following mission for Records Management:

  Establish standards, policies, and guidelines in compliance with Federal laws and regulations to foster consistency, integrity, and availability of information throughout the records management lifecycle.

  III. Scope

  The principles, guidelines and processes described in the RMC Charter are applicable to all Department of Health and Human Services organizational Components (Operating Divisions) to achieve an effective and efficient Records Management Program.  The RMC provides a formal, cross-component mechanism for an ongoing support system to share experiences and work together to identify strategies, best practices, and solutions to HHS records management issues.

  IV. Responsibilities

  The HHS RM Council shall:

  • Identify and establish standards/guidelines for documenting HHS transactions.
  • Create a trustworthy, reliable and usable Department-wide record keeping system.
  • Evaluate and measure compliance with Federal Records Management mandates.
  • Provide Records Management training for all HHS skill levels.
  • Establish continuous program improvement by ensuring that RM issues are addressed in:
  • Strategic Planning
  • Business Process Design
  • Capital Planning and Investment Control
  • Solutions Development Lifecycle
  • Enterprise Architecture
  • Information Security
  • E-Gov

  V. Membership

  Chair - The Department of Health and Human Services Records Officer

  Membership - Shall be Federal employees who are the component Records Officers and an alternate for each Operating Division.  The Records Officer and the Alternate must be identified using the format incorporated in the forthcoming Records Management Policy.

  VI. Meetings

  Meetings shall be scheduled by the Chair and held as needed.  Meeting agenda, time and place will be distributed to the Records Officers by email one week prior to the meeting.

  VII. Meeting Minutes

  Meeting minutes shall be taken by an RMC appointee determined by the RMC and distributed to the attendees for comment within one week after the meeting. A comment period of one week shall be used prior to the minutes posting to the web.  The opening agenda item for each meeting shall be to vote on the previous meeting minutes, as revised by comments. Minutes shall be posted on the Records Management intranet web site (URL: http://intranet.hhs.gov/records) and the record copy maintained by the Chair.

  VIII. Agenda Items

  Agenda items shall be issues submitted to the Chair by the Operating Divisions as well as the Department.  Agenda item dispositions shall be determined by consensus or majority rule with the RMC Chair retaining the tie breaking decision.

  IX. Voting Council Members

  Voting Council Members are the component Records Officers or their designated alternates, and the Chair.  The names of those present and voting shall be reflected in the minutes. Members or their designated alternates need to be present in order to vote.

  X. Reports

  A.  Status reports, prepared by the Chair, are prepared as necessary as determined by the Council membership to keep the Secretary informed of the status of the HHS Records Management Program. 

  B.  An annual evaluation reporting the strengths and weaknesses of the HHS Records Management Program compared to the standards established by the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) (See Reference List-Attachment 1) is also prepared by the Chair, with review and comment by the Council.  This annual report is due on January 31^st of each year and will report the status of the program as of December 31^st of the previous year.

  XI. Approval

  _________________/s/__________________________________	_August 21, 2007_
  Michael W. Carleton Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Technology and HHS Chief Information Officer	Date

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• Attachment 1

  List of References

  Records Management Federal Guidelines

  United States Code

  • 5 U.S.C. Chapter 5, Subchapter II - Administrative Procedure
    • § 552. Public information; agency rules, opinions, orders, records, and proceedings
      (Freedom of Information Act, as amended)
    • § 552a. Records maintained on individuals
      (Privacy Act of 1974, as amended)
    • § 553. Rule making
      (Administrative Procedure Act)
  • 18 U.S.C. Chapter 101 - Records and Reports
    • § 2071. Concealment, removal, or mutilation generally
  • 18 U.S.C. Chapter 121 - Stored Wire and Electronic Communications and Transactional Records Access
    (Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986)
  • 31 U.S.C. Chapter 11 - The Budget and Fiscal, Budget, and Program Information
    (Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950)
  • 40 U.S.C. Subtitle III - Information Technology Management
    (Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, also known as the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996)
  • 44 U.S.C. Chapter 21 - National Archives and Records Administration
  • 44 U.S.C. Chapter 29 - Records Management by the Archivist of the United States and by the Administrator of General Services
  • 44 U.S.C. Chapter 31 - Records Management by Federal Agencies
    (Federal Records Act)
  • 44 U.S.C. Chapter 33 - Disposal of Records
    (Federal Records Disposal Act)
  • 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35 - Coordination of Federal Information Policy
    (Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended; Paperwork Reduction Reauthorization Act of 1995; and Government Paperwork Elimination Act)

  Code of Federal Regulations

  • 5 CFR Chapter III, Subchapter B - OMB Directives
    • Part 1320. Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public
  • 36 CFR Chapter XII, Subchapter B - Records Management
    • Part 1220. Federal Records; General
    • Part 1222. Creation and Maintenance of Federal Records
    • Part 1228. Disposition of Federal Records
    • Part 1230. Micrographic Records Management
    • Part 1232. Audiovisual Records Management
    • Part 1234. Electronic Records Management
    • Part 1236. Management of Vital Records
    • Part 1238. Program Assistance

  Office of Management and Budget Circulars

  • OMB Circular No. A-123 - Management's Responsibility for Internal Control
  • OMB Circular No. A-130 - Management of Federal Information Resources