5 FAH-4 H-500
RECORDS EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING AND OBTAINING RECORDS EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
(CT:RMH-21; 10-24-2018)
(Office of Origin: A/GIS/IPS)
5 FAH-4 H-511 GENERAL
(CT:RMH-1; 10-30-1995)
Offices are to use the proper supplies and equipment for their records program. Management must see that existing stocks are fully exhausted before purchasing new equipment. Additionally, floor load factors must be taken into consideration when acquiring large filing equipment or safes.
5 FAH-4 H-512 DEFINITION
(CT:RMH-1; 10-30-1995)
Records equipment for the purposes of this handbook relates to equipment used for filing paper or microfilmed records; it does not include computers. Equipment included is filing cabinets, safes, shelves, mechanized files, lateral file cabinets, and all other types of desk top supplies, folders, jackets; etc., used to hold files.
5 FAH-4 H-513 STANDARDIZATION
(CT:RMH-21; 10-24-2018)
Standard items listed in the GSA schedules and/or supply catalogs, must be used to the maximum extent possible. Nonstandard items must be justified in writing to the Office of Information Programs and Services A/GIS/IPS.
5 FAH-4 H-514 NEW FILING EQUIPMENT
(CT:RMH-21; 10-24-2018)
a. New filing equipment is to be acquired only when it has been determined that there is a definite need and filing equipment from surplus cannot be obtained. All efforts to obtain surplus, even from other bureaus, are to be exhausted prior to acquiring new equipment. New equipment must not be considered purely for esthetic improvements.
b. Offices and posts use the following as guidelines prior to approval of new purchases:
(1) Retire inactive records to the Records and Archives Management Division in A/GIS/IPS;
(2) Dispose of records authorized by the appropriate disposition schedule for the Department or post. Utilize all of the filing equipment, including top and bottom drawers;
(3) Remove from filing equipment all extraneous items, such as supplies, decorations, personal items;
(4) Survey filing equipment within each office to determine whether existing equipment can be redistributed;
(5) Use safes for classified and administratively controlled material (i.e. Top Secret, special-captioned, and Secret);
(6) Install bar locks on file cabinets to meet other security classifications (i.e., sensitive but unclassified materials.) Note: if there is space available in safes, then lower classification material is to be stored within the safes so as not to underutilize the safes and acquire additional filing equipment unnecessarily;
(7) While bar lock cabinets are perhaps not as attractive esthetically as safes, safes may not be purchased for storing other than Top Secret, captioned documents and Secret, because of the significant cost and weight difference between bar lock files and safes; and
(8) End of year buying is to be closely monitored.
5 FAH-4 H-515 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
(CT:RMH-21; 10-24-2018)
A/GIS/IPS will provide technical assistance to posts and offices to review their records management program and equipment utilization. Prior to approving large purchases of equipment, a review might be appropriate to determine whether an alternative, such as microfilming or retirement of records, might not be a more effective means of records management.
5 FAH-4 H-516 APPROVALS
5 FAH-4 H-516.1 Department
(CT:RMH-1; 10-30-1995)
All requisitions for new equipment must be approved by the bureaus' Executive Director or Administrative Officer.
5 FAH-4 H-516.2 Posts
(CT:RMH-1; 10-30-1995)
The Post Records Officer and Administrative Officer are responsible for approving acquisitions of new equipment
5 FAH-4 H-517 THROUGH H-519 UNASSIGNED
(CT:RMH-1; 10-30-1995)