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Effective Date: 2/28/02

Series: Information Resources Management

Part 382: Records Operations

Chapter 3: Correspondence Management

Originating Office: Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs

3.1 Purpose. This chapter establishes policies and standards for managing correspondence throughout the Department.

3.2 Objectives. The objectives of the Department=s correspondence management policy are to ensure that Departmental correspondence meets required standards and is prepared in an effective, economical, and efficient manner.

3.3 Definitions.

A. Correspondence. Any communication by letter, form letter, electronic mail, telegram, memorandum, endorsement, summary sheet, postcard, routing slip, and other written communication.

B. Surname. A procedure which indicates concurrence with the content of a written document by a designated official.

3.4 Responsibilities.

A. The Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs (OES) is responsible for developing Departmental correspondence policies and standards, providing supplemental guidance on preparing correspondence for signature of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, and reviewing all correspondence prepared by bureaus and offices for signature by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary.

B. Bureaus and offices are responsible for implementing Departmental correspondence management policies and standards, establishing internal procedures consistent with Departmental policies, conducting correspondence training and evaluation, ensuring that all documents surnamed are consistent with Departmental and internal policies, and revising documents as required by OES.

3.5 Policy. The following generally support simple, economical, standardized, correspondence management procedures.

A. Correspondence must meet deadlines that OES establishes, and be brief, to the point, simple, courteous and consistent in style and format; neat and attractive in appearance; and editorially correct.

B. Preparers must expedite correspondence by using labor-saving devices such as personal computers, electronic mail, computer-generated acknowledgment letters, or form letters where appropriate.

C. All correspondence must comply with the standards in the current U.S. Government Correspondence Manual and Government Printing Office Style Manual.

3.6 Standards. The following standards apply to all Departmental correspondence.

A. When information is requested, it must be provided in a timely manner, meet Executive Secretariat deadlines, and it must be responsive to the issues or questions asked.

B. All Departmental correspondence must be prepared on appropriate letterhead stationery.

C. Memoranda are to be used for internal correspondence and selected interagency correspondence.

D. The text must be brief and succinct, contain correct grammar, and reflect a courteous tone.

E. Appropriate Departmental reviews and surnames must be obtained to ensure consistency with congressional, legal, budgetary or policy issues.

3.7 Departmental Correspondence Handbook. Specific guidance on preparing and coordinating Departmental correspondence is published in the Departmental Correspondence Handbook (382 DM 3). The Handbook supplements this chapter and the correspondence standards prescribed by the General Services Administration and the Government Printing Office. Copies of the Handbook are available from the OES. Bureaus and offices may issue internal instructions to supplement the Handbook consistent with the policy in this chapter.

2/28/02 #3393

Replaces 8/3/87 #2756