National Archives Progress And Risks In Implementing Its Electronic Records Archive Initiative

National Archives: Progress and Risks in Implementing its Electronic Records Archive Initiative

Since 2001, the Nat. Archives and Records Admin. (NARA) has been working to develop a modern Electronic Records Archive (ERA) system, a major info. system that is intended to preserve and provide access to massive volumes of all types and formats of electronic records. Software and contracting problems led the agency and its contractor to revise the development approach. The revised plan called for parallel development of two different increments: a "base" ERA system with limited functionality and an Exec. Office of the Pres. (EOP) system to support the ingestion and search of records from the outgoing Bush Admin. This report summarizes NARA's progress in developing the ERA system and the ongoing risks the agency faces in completing it.

The mission of NARA is to safeguard and preserve gov¿t. records, ensuring continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of Amer. citizens and the actions of their gov¿t. However, in today's environment of fast-evolving info. tech., fed. agencies are creating vast volumes of electronic records while continuing to create physical records in large numbers. This report assesses NARA's effectiveness in overseeing the governmentwide mgmt. of records, incl. commenting on its capacity to identify risk of unlawful destruction of fed. records; describes its ability to preserve permanent records; and assesses its policies, procedures, and plans supporting key mgmt. and oversight capabilities. A print on demand publication.

Since 2001, NARA has been working to develop an Electronic Records Archive (ERA) to preserve and provide access to massive volumes of all types of electronic records. NARA originally planned to complete the system in 2012, but has repeatedly revised the program schedule and estimated cost, and is now planning to deploy an ERA system with reduced functionality by the end of FY 2011. NARA was required to submit an expenditure plan to Congress to support its request for FY 2011 ERA funding. This review of the FY 2011 plan: (1) determines whether the plan satisfies legislative conditions; and (2) determines the extent to which NARA has implemented prior recommendations. Illus. This is a print on demand report.