2.2 Authority.

A. Federal forms management regulations are contained in 41 CFR 201, FIRMR 201.45.104, and FIRMR Bulletin B-3.

B. Departmental forms management guidance is contained in 380 DM 7.

2.3 Operational Terms.

A. Department of Interior Form. A form prescribed for use by two or more organizations within the Department, and approved and assigned a DI-number.

B. Edition Date. The date included on each form which indicates the month and year of latest revision by the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR).

C. Form. Any document, including letters, postal cards and memoranda, printed or otherwise reproduced in advance of its use, with space for filling in information, descriptive material, or addresses. Examples include applications, data sheets, permits, and vouchers.

D. Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR). The office originating a Service form (or requiring the use of a non-Service form) and having responsibility for its maintenance, distribution and revision.

E. Optional Form. A form recommended for use by Government agencies, and approved and assigned an OF-number by the General Services Administration (GSA).

F. Other Agency Form. Any form that is not Standard, Optional, Department of the Interior, Service or Regional form. Examples of such forms include U.S. Postal Service forms and Department of Commerce forms.

G. Public Use Form. A form used for collecting information from ten or more private citizens, or from non-Federal organizations which must be submitted to the Department and OMB through the Service forms control office for clearance and approval. See 281 FW 4 and 5.

H. Regional Forms. A form prescribed for use within a single region.

I. Report Control Symbol. The alphanumeric identifier assigned to reports approved in accordance with Service policy and procedures as found in Reports Management (281 FW 1).

J. Report Form. Any form that constitutes a reporting requirement. (A reporting requirement is met by completion and submission of the specified form.) All Service report forms for National Reports (281 FW 1)are assigned report control symbols, rather than form numbers.

K. Service Form. A form originated in the Service and prescribed for Servicewide use. Such forms can be used exclusively within the Service or may be used by other agencies or the public. Each Service form is assigned a number pursuant to paragraph 2.6 below.

L. Standard Form (SF). A form prescribed by a Federal agency and approved by the GSA for mandatory Governmentwide use.

2.4 Responsibilities.

A. Director. Provides for the effective management of the Servicewide forms management program.

B. Assistant and Regional Directors ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter within their areas of responsibility.

C. Deputy Director - Staff. Directs the Servicewide forms management program, provides for needed improvement and changes in the program, and assures that the required triennial review and analysis is conducted. The Deputy Director is assisted by the Policy and Directives Management Staff.

D. Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR). Any office originating a Service or Regional form is considered the OPR for the specific form. Establishment of a form requires that an office be identified as the OPR and that it perform the following duties:

(1) Identifies the need for, determines the content of, and revises and cancels official forms using the following criteria:

(a) Repetitive official transactions or activities are required to support the organization and its mission.

(b) A fixed arrangement of needed information improves the understanding and use of the data.

(c) Use of a form improves the speed and flow of information.

(d) A form does not duplicate other existing official forms.

(e) The need for a form extends beyond a single office. (Forms recommended for exclusive use within a single office are not cost effective and will not be managed as official forms.)

(2) Ensures that forms are designed in accordance with GSA guidance contained in:

(a) Forms Analysis & Design, Federal Stock Number (FSN) 7610-00-753-4771

(b) Electronic Forms Systems Analysis and Design, Reference Number KMP-92-6-R.

(3) Ensures that forms are referenced in an appropriate directive. OPRs for Service forms are encouraged to include their forms as exhibits to the relevant FWM chapters.

(4) Perform a periodic review of each form for the purpose of determining continuing need, information collection burden reductions, automation or additional automation, or any other improvement or modification which would benefit users.

(5) Maintain adequate supplies of approved forms.

2.5 Form Creation. A new Service form is created only when existing Government forms will not suit the purpose for which the new form is intended. Any office creating a Service form becomes the OPR and is required to carry out the responsibilities identified in 2.4D.

2.6 Form Numbers.

A. Each Service form will be assigned a unique number based on the subject matter citations in the Service manual. The first character is the letter "F", the next three characters are the numerals of the Service manual part that identifies the subject matter followed by a hyphen, and the next character(s) is the number of the specific chapter that covers the subject. The last character(s) is either a letter assigned to each form falling within the purview of that chapter or, if the form is an exhibit to the chapter, is the letter "X" followed by the number of the exhibit.

B. Examples:

(1) F262-2X2 A Service form portrayed as Exhibit 2 in chapter 2 of part 262 of the Service manual.

(2) F262-1A A Service form either referenced in or covered by chapter 1 of part 262 of the Service manual.

(3) F262-0A A Service form outside the scope of any individual chapter, but falling within the subject matter of part 262.

2.7 Requisitioning, Reprinting, and Stocking.

A. Requisitioning.

(1) A listing of Departmental forms is contained in the Department of the Interior DI Forms/Supply Listing. The listing is available from the Policy and Directives Management Staff and the forms can be obtained from the BLM Printed Materials Distribution Center in Denver. Standard forms and Optional forms are obtained from GSA stores.

(2) Service and Regional forms are obtained from the OPR.

B. Reprinting. The OPR is responsible for replenishing forms. Service forms are to be reprinted and distributed to the users in the most economical manner. However, forms printed on bond or similar type paper stock with one color of ink can be reproduced by using offices as economically as by the OPR. Other forms, such as multi-part carbon or carbonless forms, multi-color forms, forms that are bound, or specialized computer forms, should be reprinted and distributed by the OPR.

C. Forms Stocking. The number of forms maintained by individual users will depend on the frequency of use, potential for revision by the OPR, and space available for stocking. To minimize obsolescence of stocks of forms, users should not maintain more than one year's supply of any form.

2.8 Electronic Forms. Electronic forms are paperless, machine-readable forms created with the aid of forms design software or other appropriate software and are indexed, searched, or retrieved by electronic means. The following standards must be met when automating official forms:

A. Automation of Standard and Optional Forms meets the criteria established in FIRMR Bulletin B-3.

B. Automation of DI forms be coordinated with the Department's Office of Information Resources Management.

C. Automation results in increased efficiency and reduced cost associated with storing, revising, cancelling, processing, and distributing forms.

D. Electronic forms design and authentication features meet GSA system design considerations, where appropriate.