Management Support Procedure 6570: Data and Records Management

Records Management

The district records officer shall have the responsibility for the safekeeping of all records according to the retention schedule cited below. The district records officer shall have authority to dispose of materials after the recommended retention period.

Official public records have a statutory minimum retention of 6 years. The retention period for office files and memoranda is based on operational requirements for each office. Whenever applicable, the retention period starts with the “cut-off.” “Cut-off” is a term used to indicate files or records may be terminated on a predetermined date. “Cut-off” prevents current records from attaining unmanageable size and facilitates the filing of new records. Calendar year records may be “cut-off” on December 31, and a new file established on January l; all fiscal year records can be “cut-off” only upon the completion of an action or event, such as termination of contract, final payment of a contract, termination of employment, etc. Regardless of the duration of the retention period, records series should be kept in office files after “cutoff” only as long as is necessary to satisfy (l) active reference, (2) audit, when required, and (3) other operational requirements. Once these three factors have been satisfied, the records should be transferred to a records center for the remainder of the retention period.

The retention period shall be as follows:

ADOPTED: January 25, 1999
REVISED: November 24, 2003

Back to Top