U.S. Geological Survey Manual

Chapter 300. Administrative Support Records

Records relating to various aspects of bureau administrative support records common to most offices.

Chapter 300 Topics	This section provides for the disposition of the following USGS Administrative Support records:
	301.	Management Control Records.
	302.	USGS.GOV Web Site.
	303.	Mail, Messenger, and Distribution Files.
	304.	Travel and Transportation Files.
	305.	Self-Service Store Operations Files.
	306.	Internal and External Audits.
	307.	Schedules of Daily Activities.
	308.	Administrative Databases and Electronic Spreadsheets.
	309.	Records Common to Most Offices.
	310.	Electronic Mail (E-mail) and Word Processing System copies in the Administrative Support records.

301. Management Control Records include the following records:

301-01	Management Control Records.

302. USGS.GOV Web Site files include the following records:

302-01	USGS.GOV Web Content.
302-02	USGS.GOV Servers.
302-03	USGS.GOV Security.
302-04	USGS.GOV Policies and Reports.
302-05	USGS.GOV Files.

303. Mail, Messenger, and Distribution files include the following records:

303-01	Messenger Service Files.
303-02	Post Office and Private Mail Company Records.
303-03	Mail and Delivery Service Control Files.
303-04	Metered Mail Files.
303-05	Postal Irregularities Files.

304. Travel and Transportation files include the following records:

304-01	Commercial Freight and Passenger Transportation Files.
304-02	Lost or Damaged Shipments Files.
304-03	Foreign Travel Records.
304-04	Non-Commercial, Reimbursable Travel Files.
304-05	General Travel and Transportation Files.
304-06	Non-Federally Funded Travel Files.
304-07	Federal Employee Transportation Subsidy Records.
304-08	Records Relating to Official Passports.

305. Self-Service Store Operations files include the following records:

305-01	Plant, Cost, and Stores General Correspondence Files.
305-02	Stores Invoice Files.
305-03	Inventory Requisition Files.
305-04	Inventory Files.
305-05	Stores Accounting Files.
305-06	Stores Accounting Background Files.
305-07	Cost Accounting Reports.
305-08	Cost Report Data Files.
305-09	Stores Control Files.
305-10	Self-Service Store Operations General Files.

306. Internal and External Audit files include the following records:

306-01	Audit Files.
306-02	Office of the Inspector General Contact Reports Files.
306-03	General Audit Files.

307. Schedules of Daily Activities files include the following records:

307-01	Schedules of Daily Activities.

308. Administrative Databases and Electronic Spreadsheets include the following records:

308-01	Administrative Databases.
308-02	Electronic Spreadsheets.

309. Records Common to Most Offices include the following records:

309-01	Files Maintenance and Disposition Plan.
309-02	Reading or Chronological Files.
309-03	Policy and Precedent Reference Files.
309-04	Temporary Files.
309-05	Routine Tracking and Control Files.
309-06	Agency Directives and Publications - Reference and/or Circulating Copies.
309-07	Administrative Announcements.
309-08	Directives and Publications of Other Government Agencies.
309-09	Non-Government Publications.
309-10	Library Operations.
309-11	Library Materials.
309-12	Office Administrative Files.
309-13	Delegations of Authority Files.

310. E-mail and Word Processing System Copy records for Administrative Support Records include the following records:

310-01	Electronic copies of e-mail and word processing records created solely to produce the recordkeeping copy and electronic copies of e-mail and word processing records that are needed in addition to the recordkeeping copy for dissemination, revision, or updating.

What files in this section are important or considered permanent USGS records?	•   Official government passports - they must be returned to the Department of State upon expiration or upon the separation of the employee. •   Schedules of USGS officials including the Director, Deputy Director, and may include other high-level USGS officials who report to either the Director or the Deputy Director.

What files in this section are considered temporary USGS records?

•   Management control records. •   USGS.GOV website files. •   Mail, messenger, post office, and private mail company files. •   Commercial freight and passenger transportation files. •   Foreign travel files. •   Non-commerical reimbursable and non-federally funded travel files. •   Federal Employee Transportation Subsidy files. •   Official passport files. •   Self-service store operations files. •   Internal and external audit files. •   Schedules of daily activities. •   Administrative databases and electronic spreadsheets. •   Records common to most offices such as the office files maintenance and disposition plans; reading or chronological files; temporary files; routine tracking and control files; copies of agency policies, directives, or publications; administrative announcements; copies of outside documents; library operations and materials; and delegations of authority files.

Questions?	Contact the USGS Records Manager or your discipline or regional Records Liaison Officer.

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300. Administrative Support Records.

Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
301	Management Control Records.
301-01	Management Control Records. Records created in accordance with procedures mandated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Internal Control Systems, and Public Law 97-255, the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act. Under these authorities, agencies are required to perform evaluations of their accounting and administrative controls to prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement.
301-01a	Policy, procedure, and guidance files. Copies of internal directives maintained by the agency's internal control staff (but not those copies maintained in the agency's official file of internal directives); external directives such as OMB Circular A-123; and correspondence outlining policy and procedure for performing management reviews.	Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
301-01b	Management control plans. Comprehensive plans documenting the agency's efforts to ensure compliance with OMB Circular A-123.	Destroy when superseded.
301-01c	Risk analyses. Reports and supporting materials used to document review of program areas for susceptibility to loss or unauthorized use of resources, errors in reports and information, and illegal and unethical actions.	Cut-off closed files at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy after next review cycle.
301-01d	Annual reports and assurance statements created by USGS organizational components and compiled by the USGS into a single unified report for direct submission to the President and Congress.	Cut-off closed files at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy after next reporting cycle.
301-01e	Tracking files. Files used to ensure the completion and timeliness of submission of feeder reports, including schedules of evaluations, interim reporting, lists of units required to report, and correspondence relating to the performance of the reviews.	Destroy 1 year after report is completed.
301-01f	Review files. Correspondence, reports, action copies of audit findings, and other records that identify program internal control weaknesses, and corrective actions taken to resolve such problems. Since OMB Circular A-123 provides for alternative internal control reviews under OMB Circulars A-76, A-127, or A-130, this item also applies to copies of these reviews, provided they are identified as alternative reviews in the management control plan.
301-01f(1)	Review files maintained by office with responsibility for coordinating internal control functions.	Cut-off when no further corrective action is necessary. Destroy 5 years after cut-off.
301-01f(2)	Copies maintained by other offices as internal reviews.	Cut-off when no further corrective action is necessary. Destroy 1 year after cut-off. NOTE: Alternative reviews such as computer security reviews and management and consultant studies should be cut-off when no further corrective action is necessary. They should be destroyed when no longer needed. This applies only to copies maintained as internal reviews.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
302	USGS.GOV Web Site. The USGS website is a highly complex site with many sub-sites and sub-sub-sites emerging. It contains ephemeral bulletin board postings, official agency publications, original materials not captured elsewhere in the recordkeeping systems, and other USGS business created interactively in real time.
302-01	USGS.GOV Web Content.
302-01a	Records that contain web site change requests from the USGS webmasters and USGS leadership, and all clearances.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.
302-01b	Electronic records that contain USGS.GOV web site migration documentation, i.e., date and time of migration, list of change items, and steps for conducting the migration from the proof server to the production server.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.
302-01c	Electronic records that contain all comments and feedback from web site users. There is also another set of reports that contains utilization statistics on the web site, and other reports on the Internet at USGS.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.
302-01d	USGS.GOV Web Site Electronic Code. Electronic code (HTML, etc.) that contains the information to produce the USGS.GOV website at any given point in time.	Current code is superseded on an ongoing basis as new information is put on the website. The code will be deleted when no longer needed for agency business.
302-02	USGS.GOV Servers.
302-02a	Correspondence, records, and related materials pertaining to information on the location of servers, technical operation, maintenance, system upgrade data, and operational procedures for USGS.GOV web servers located throughout the USGS.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
302-02b	Software. Correspondence and any related material pertaining to such things as the software programs, systems, and applications used in support of the USGS.GOV websites.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 1 year after software is no longer being used in support of the USGS.GOV websites.
302-02c	Accessibility Issues. Correspondence and any related material pertaining to compliance to rules and regulations such as the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 and the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that the USGS.GOV website is accessible by all users, including disabled and handicapped users.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
302-02d	Correspondence and related materials pertaining to the physical equipment and components in the computer system housing USGS.GOV websites or used in its daily activities.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Retain for the life of the system.
302-03	USGS.GOV Security.
302-03a	Correspondence and related materials showing requests for access, changes to access, deletion of users, and revocations of users to the USGS.GOV web sites.	Destroy 1 year after separation or transfer of employee or when superseded or obsolete.
302-03b	Correspondence, announcements, flyers, warnings, and related materials pertaining to potential or ongoing security incident reports. Examples include incidents involving hacking, virus attacks, and security violations that threaten the USGS.GOV web site.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cut-off.
302-03c	USGS.GOV Security Plans. Plans providing an overview of the security and privacy requirements of the USGS.GOV website. The plans are designed to reduce the risk and magnitude of harm that could result from the loss, misuse, or unauthorized access to or modification of information to the site. Forms and supporting documentation showing use of firewalls to protect the data and information on the USGS.GOV website.	Destroy when replaced by an updated plan.
302-03d	USGS.GOV Contingency Plans. Specific plans which document actions following a major disaster to the USGS.GOV website to ensure that resources needed for mission and business critical functions will be available.	Destroy when replaced by an updated plan.
302-03e	Firewall Actions. Also, if applicable, any forms and supporting documentation for access through the USGS firewalls to the USGS.GOV website.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 1 year after cut-off or when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
302-03f	Risk Assessments. Evaluation of the USGS.GOV assets and vulnerabilities and identification of potential threats to the web site; and proposed safeguards for the site.	Destroy when replaced by an updated assessment.
302-03g	Online Ordering of USGS products. Records relating to the security of e-commerce sites on the USGS.GOV website. Includes standards information on security, bureau guidelines, and any other pertinent information related to the site.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
302-04	USGS.GOV Policies and Reports.
302-04a	Management reports, performance reports, logs, registers, daily load reports, and related or similar reports pertaining to the USGS.GOV web sites.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 3 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.
302-04b	User Support and Liaison. Correspondence and related material pertaining to user support and liaison. Included are web site user technical assistance, help files, and technical notes.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed.
302-04c	USGS.GOV Policy and Planning Records. Records created or approved by the USGS leadership or designated officials that document efforts taken to identify strategies, plans, criteria, etc. for improvements or upgrades of the USGS.GOV web site. Examples are search engine planning and USGS.GOV design planning.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Place in inactive file when canceled, superseded, or revoked. Destroy when no longer needed for reference purposes.
302-05	USGS.GOV Files.
302-05a	Correspondence, handbooks, guidelines, and other instructional material related to the publication of USGS information on the USGS.GOV websites. Included are such things as visual identity instructions and guidelines, bureau guidelines for presenting USGS data, guidelines for serving information from web servers, web accessibility, and privacy and disclaimer statements.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or replaced by an update.
302-05b	USGS.GOV General Files. Correspondence of a general nature pertaining to the USGS.GOV website (internal or external web sites), bureau web use and etiquette, and other related items not found anywhere else in this schedule.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
303	Mail, Messenger, and Distribution Files.
303-01	Messenger Service Files. Daily logs, assignment records and instructions, dispatch records, delivery receipts, route schedules, and related records.	Destroy when 2 months old.
303-02	Post Office and Private Mail Company Records. Post Office and private mail company forms and supporting papers, exclusive of records held by the United States Postal Service.
302-02a	Records relating to incoming or outgoing registered mail pouches, registered, certified, insured, overnight, express, and special delivery mail including receipts and return receipts.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-02b	Application for registration and certification of declared value mail.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-02c	Reports of loss, rifling, delayed, wrong delivery, or other improper treatment of mail.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-03	Mail and Delivery Service Control Files.
303-03a	Records of receipt and routing of incoming and outgoing mail and items handled by private delivery companies such as the United Parcel Service, excluding both those covered by Item 303-02 and those used as indexes to correspondence files.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-03b	Statistical reports of postage used on outgoing mail and fees paid for private deliveries (special delivery, foreign, registered, certified, and parcel post or packages over 4 pounds).	Destroy when 6 months old.
303-03c	Requisitions for stamps (exclusive of copies used as supporting documents to payment vouchers).	Destroy when 6 months old.
303-03d	Statistical reports and data relating to handling of mail and volume of work performed.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-03e	Records relating to checks, cash, stamps, money orders, or any other valuables remitted to the USGS by mail.	Destroy when 1 year old.
303-03f	Records of and receipts for mail and packages received through the official mail and messenger service.	Destroy when 6 months old.
303-03g	General files including correspondence, memoranda, directives, and guides relating to the administration of mail room operations.	Destroy when 1 year old or when superseded or obsolete, whichever is applicable.
303-03h	Locator cards, directories, indexes, and other records relating to mail delivery to individuals.	Destroy 5 months after separation or transfer of individual or when obsolete, whichever is applicable.
303-04	Metered Mail Files. Official metered mail reports and all related papers.	Destroy when 6 years old.
303-05	Postal Irregularities Files. Memoranda, correspondence, reports, and other records relating to irregularities in the handling of mail, such as loss or shortage of postage stamps or money orders, loss or destruction of mail, or evidence of tampering.	Destroy 3 years after completion of investigation.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
304	Travel and Transportation Files. Originals should be filed in the office responsible for paying the voucher. Copies of records may also be cross-filed in the bureau, discipline, division, or office budget and accounting files if expenditure or receipt of funds is involved within their area.
304-01	Commercial Freight and Passenger Transportation Files.
304-01a	Original vouchers and supporting documents covering commercial freight and passenger transportation charges of settled fiscal accounts, including registers and other control documents (except for those in 304-01b).	Destroy 6 years after the period of the account.
304-01b	Records covering payments for commercial freight and passenger transportation charges for services for which (1) notice of overcharge has been or is expected to be issued, or if a rail freight overpayment is involved, (2) deduction or collection action has been taken, (3) voucher contains inbound transit shipment(s), (4) parent voucher has print of paid supplemental bill associated, (5) the voucher has become involved in litigation, or (6) any other condition arises that prevents the settling of the account, requiring the voucher to be retained beyond the 6-year retention period, such as detection of overcharge.	Destroy when 10 years old.
304-01c	Issuing office copies of government or commercial bills of lading, commercial passenger transportation vouchers, and transportation requests, travel authorizations, and supporting documents.	Destroy 6 years after period of the account.
304-01d	Obligation copy of commercial passenger transportation vouchers.	Destroy when funds are obligated.
304-01e	Unused ticket redemption forms.	Destroy 3 years after the year in which the transaction is completed.
304-02	Lost or Damaged Shipments Files. Schedules of valuables shipped, correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other records relating to the administration of the Government Losses in Shipment Act.	Destroy when 6 years old.
304-03	Foreign Travel Records. Forms, reports, briefing statements, correspondence, and other records created for programmatic, national security, or personal reasons.
304-03a	Records related to travel to foreign countries for programmatic reasons.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 7 years after cut-off.
304-03b	Routine administrative records relating to foreign travel, including notices, memorandums, reports, and informational memorandums, not covered elsewhere in this schedule.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old.
304-04	Non-Commercial, Reimbursable Travel Files. Copies of records relating to reimbursing individuals, such as travel orders, per diem vouchers, and all other supporting documents relating to official travel by employees, dependents, or others authorized by law to travel.
304-04a	Travel administrative office files.	Destroy when 6 years old.
304-04b	Obligation copies.	Destroy when funds are obligated.
304-05	General Travel and Transportation Files.
304-05a	Routine administrative records including correspondence, forms, and related records pertaining to commercial and non-commercial agency travel and transportation and freight functions not covered elsewhere in this schedule.	Destroy when 2 years old.
304-05b	Accountability records including individual employee travel case files, containing copies of per diem vouchers and related receipts, maintained by other offices such as field offices, for accountability purposes.	Destroy 1 year after all entries are cleared.
304-06	Non-Federally Funded Travel Files
304-06a	Agency copies of Semiannual Expense Reports for Non-Federally Funded Travel submitted by all Executive Branch agencies to the Office of Government Ethics. Reports summarize payments made to the agency from non-Federal sources for travel, subsistence, and related expenses for an employee who attends a meeting or similar function relating to official duties.	Destroy when 4 years old .
304-06b	Statements, forms, and other records used to compile Semiannual Expense Reports for Non-Federally Funded Travel.	Destroy 1 year after submission of report to the Office of Government Ethics.
304-07	Federal Employee Transportation Subsidy Records. Documents in either paper or electronic form relating to the disbursement of transportation subsidies to employees, including applications of employees no longer in the program, superseded applications, certification logs, vouchers, spreadsheets, and other forms used to document the disbursement of subsidies.	Destroy when 3 years old.
304-08	Records Relating to Official Passports.
304-08a	Application Files. Documents relating to the issuance of official passports, including requests for passports and transmittal letters.	Destroy when 3 years old or upon separation of the bearer, whichever is sooner. NOTE: Official passports should be returned to the Department of State upon expiration or upon the separation of the employee.
304-08b	Annual reports, to the Department of State, concerning the number of official passports issued and related matters.	Destroy when 1 year old.
304-08c	Passport registers. Registers and lists of agency personnel who have official passports.	Destroy when superseded or obsolete.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
305	Self-Service Store Operations Files.
305-01	Plant, Cost, and Stores General Correspondence Files. Correspondence files of units responsible for plant, cost, and stores accounting operations.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-02	Stores Invoice Files. Invoices or equivalent papers used for stores accounting, including receiving reports.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-03	Inventory Requisition Files. Requisitions for supplies and equipment for current inventory.
305-03a	Stockroom copy.	Destroy 2 years after completion or cancellation of requisition.
305-03b	All other copies.	Destroy when 6 months old.
305-04	Inventory Files
305-04a	Inventory Lists.	Destroy 2 years from date of list.
305-04b	Inventory Cards.	Destroy 2 years after discontinuance of item, 2 years after stock balance is transferred to new card or recorded under a new classification, or 2 years after equipment is removed from agency control.
305-04c	Report of survey files and other papers used as evidence for adjustment of inventory records, not otherwise covered in this schedule.	Destroy 2 years after date of survey action or date of posting medium.
305-05	Stores Accounting Files. Stores accounting returns and reports.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-06	Stores Accounting Background Files. Working files used in accumulating stores accounting data.	Destroy when 2 years old.
305-07	Cost Accounting Reports.
305-07a	Copies in units receiving reports.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-07b	Copies in reporting units, and related work papers.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-08	Cost Report Data Files. Ledgers, forms, and electronic records used to accumulate data for use in cost reports.
305-08a	Ledgers and forms.	Destroy when 3 years old.
305-08b	Automated records.
305-08b(1)	Detail cards.	Destroy when 6 months old.
305-08b(2)	Summary cards.	Destroy when 6 months old.
305-08b(3)	Tabulations.	Destroy when 1 year old.
305-09	Stores Control Files. Forms and work papers documenting loans and returns.	Destroy when property is returned to stock.
305-10	Self-Service Store Operations General Files. Routine administrative records including any correspondence or announcements relating to bureau self-service store stock, operations, or other areas not covered elsewhere in this schedule.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
306	Internal and External Audits.
306-01	Audit Files.
306-01a	Audit Case Files. Case files of internal audits of agency programs, operations, administrative and technical procedures reviews, and other reviews of USGS programs and of external audits of contractors and grantees. Consists of the official audit reports, correspondence, memoranda, and supporting working papers maintained by the office conducting the audit, review, or evaluation. Also, includes records created by streamlining and other teams established to evaluate processes and procedures.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year in which case is closed. Destroy 8 years after cut-off.
306-01b	All other copies.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when no longer needed for reference value.
306-02	Office of the Inspector General Contact Reports Files. Employee reports of contacts or meetings with Inspector General personnel, including contact report forms or memorandums, and related correspondence.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cut-off.
306-03	General Audit Files. Routine administrative records including correspondence and related records pertaining to bureau internal or external audits or inspector general information, not covered elsewhere in this schedule.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or when no longer needed, whichever is later.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
307	Schedules of Daily Activities.
307-01	Schedules of Daily Activities. Paper and/or electronic copies of calendars, appointment books, schedules, logs, diaries, and other records documenting meetings, appointments, telephone calls, trips, visits, and other activities by Federal employees while serving in the positions of bureau Director, Deputy Director, Regional Directors, Associate Directors, and may include other high-level bureau personnel who report to the Director or Deputy Director. Files should not include materials determined to be personal or non-record.
307-01a	Records containing substantive information relating to official activities, the substance of which has not been incorporated into official files, excluding records relating to the official activities of high government officials (see 307-01c below).	Destroy or delete when 2 years old.
307-01b	Records documenting routine activities containing no substantive information and records containing substantive information, the substance of which has been incorporated into organized files.	Destroy or delete when no longer needed.
307-01c	Records containing substantive information relating to the official activities of high-level officials, the substance of which has not been incorporated in the official files. High-level bureau officials include the Director, Deputy Director, and other high-level USGS officials who report to the Director or Deputy Director.	Permanent. Cut-off at the end of the calendar year. Offer to NARA 4 years after cut-off or immediately upon leaving position.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
308	Administrative Databases and Electronic Spreadsheets.
308-01	Administrative Databases. Databases that support administrative or housekeeping functions, containing information derived from hard-copy records authorized for destruction herein.
308-01a	When hard-copy records are retained in order to meet recordkeeping requirements.	Delete information from the database when no longer needed.
308-01b	When the database takes the place of hard-copy records.	Delete after the expiration of the retention period authorized for the hard-copy file, or when no longer needed, whichever is later.
308-01c	Hard-copy printouts created for short-term administrative purposes.	Destroy when no longer needed.
308-02	308-02. Electronic Spreadsheets. Electronic spreadsheets generated to support administrative functions or generated by an individual as background materials or feeder reports.
308-02a	When used to produce hard-copy that is maintained in organized files.	Delete when no longer needed to update or produce hard-copy.
308-02b	When maintained only in electronic form.	Delete after the expiration of the retention period authorized for the hard-copy. If the electronic version replaces hard-copy records with differing retention periods and agency software does not readily permit selective deletion, delete after the longest retention period has expired.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
309	Records Common to Most Offices.
309-01	Files Maintenance and Disposition Plans. Documents that reflect file categories, disposal instructions, and other information about the files accumulated at an individual file station.	Destroy upon receipt of a revised plan or discontinuance of the plan.
309-02	Reading or Chronological Files. Extra copies of correspondence prepared and maintained by the originating office used solely as a reading or reference file for the convenience of personnel.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 1 year after cut-off or after reference value has been exhausted, whichever is sooner.
309-03	Policy and Precedent Reference Files. Copies of documents, establishing policy or precedents pertinent to future and continuing actions, are filed here. Normally, policy and precedent files are maintained at operating levels and consist of extra copies of operating procedures, statements of policy or procedure, examples of typical cases, and other documents duplicated in official files. Original or official record copies will not be placed in this file. This file consists of non-official copies maintained only for convenience of reference such as USGS policy memorandums or a copy of the USGS Strategic Plan.	Destroy when organizational unit is discontinued or when documents become obsolete or are no longer needed for operating or reference purposes.
309-04	Temporary Files. Papers, transmittal letters, and quasi-official notices of short-term interest that have no documentary or evidential value and normally need not be kept more than 90 days.	Cut-off monthly. Destroy 3 months after cut-off.
309-05	Routine Tracking and Control Files. Hard copy or electronic copy of records and/or papers used to facilitate or control work in progress, such as job control records, status cards, routing slips, work processing sheets, and records that control work flow and record action taken or serve as receipts for records charged out.	Destroy or delete when 2 years old, or 2 years after the date of the latest entry, whichever is applicable.
309-06	Agency Directives and Publications - Reference and/or Circulating Copies. Extra copies, either received electronically or on paper, of local internal and external regulations, directives, and publications; bureau and Department of the Interior manual releases, bulletins, circulars, pamphlets, and public relations material, are filed here. Examples to include, but not limited to, USGS Survey Manual Chapters, the USGS Yearbook, or a copy of the USGS Customer Service Plan.	Keep copies at minimum necessary for official reference use. Destroy when 2 years old, or when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed for reference.
309-07	Administrative Announcements. Includes bureau, regional, and discipline all employee memorandums and similar announcements. These are issuances used for short-term guidance and information on policy or changes concerning operating procedures.
309-07a	Office of origin.	Destroy in agency when superseded or obsolete.
309-07b	All other offices.	Destroy in agency when no longer needed for reference.
309-08	Directives and Publications of Other Government Agencies. Copies of such things as Congressional documents, Office of Management and Budget Circulars, Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register notices, General Services and Administration publications.	Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or, when in the case of bound volumes, when not needed for library purposes.
309-09	Non-Government Publications. Publications of commercial firms, private institutions, and vendors, including catalogs, brochures, price lists, and similar publications. Arrangement as appropriate. This material should not be kept in the office files.	Destroy when superseded or obsolete.
309-10	Library Operations. Correspondence and material related to the collection, indexing, cataloging, filing, retrieving, and disseminating of library reference material.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cut-off.
309-11	Library Materials. Reference circulating copies of books, pamphlets, journals, catalogues, and similar materials. Arrangement as appropriate. This material should not be kept in the office files.	Destroy when superseded, obsolete, or no longer needed for reference. Refer items of potential value to librarian for disposition.
309-12	Office Administrative Files. Only for records not covered elsewhere in this schedule. Consists of correspondence, reports, forms, and other materials of a general nature on a wide variety of subjects.	Cut-off at the end of the fiscal year. Destroy when 2 years old or earlier if purpose has been served.
309-13	Delegations of Authority Files.
309-13a	Approving office.	Destroy 6 years after expiration of delegation.
309-13b	All other offices.	Destroy upon expiration.

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Item No.	Description of Records	Disposition Instructions
310	Electronic Mail and Word Processing System Copies.
310-01	Electronic Copies of Records. Electronic copies of records that are created on electronic mail and word processing systems and used solely to generate a recordkeeping copy of the records covered by the other items in this chapter. Also includes electronic copies of records created on electronic mail and word processing systems that are maintained for updating, revision, or dissemination.
310-01a	Copies that have no further administrative value after the recordkeeping copy is made. Includes copies maintained by individuals in personal files, personal electronic mail directories, or other personal directories on hard disk or network drives and copies on shared network drives that are used only to produce the recordkeeping copy.	Destroy/delete within 180 days after the recordkeeping copy has been produced.
310-01b	Copies used for dissemination, revision, or updating that are maintained in addition to the recordkeeping copy.	Destroy/delete when dissemination, revision, or updating is completed.

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