NAO 205-10: Forms Management Program

Issued 04/07/95; Effective 03/28/95; Reviewed Last: In Process

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Order is to provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with specific instructions for implementing NOAA Forms Management Program.

SECTION 2. AUTHORITY.

Forms management is a component of the total paperwork management function within NOAA. Basic authority for the forms management program throughout NOAA is derived from the Federal Records Act of 1950 (44 USC 396(b)). Forms management programs legisl ation is implemented by Section 101-11.208 (Title 41) of the General Services Administration's (GSA) Federal Property Management Regulations (FPMR) and Department Administrative Order (DAO) 205-10, Forms Management.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.

.01 For the purpose of this Order, a form is any document, including form letters and letterhead paper, printed or reproduced with space for insertion of specified information.

.02 Limited-use forms are one-time issuances designed for use within a single NOAA element.

.03 Electronic forms are computer-generated forms that precisely duplicate the officially approved forms.

SECTION 4. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES.

The Forms Management Program encompasses all printed forms (including computer-generated forms) used in NOAA for administrative, scientific, and technical application. Limited-use forms, whether computer generated or not, are exempt from the NOAA Form s Management Program.

SECTION 5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL NOAA OFFICES.

.01 The heads of NOAA offices are responsible for the following:

a. requesting new or revised forms when necessary for new or revised programs and procedures;

b. reviewing and taking appropriate action to replenish existing forms stocks which they control;

c. notifying the NOAA Forms Officer when forms are no longer required;

d. initiating requests for forms requiring Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance and approval; and

e. notifying the NOAA Forms Officer, Administrative Services Division, Office of Administration (OA), of any changes in the status of the forms in their area of program responsibility.

SECTION 6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NOAA FORMS OFFICER.

.01 The NOAA Forms Officer, Document Services Branch (OA331), OA, is responsible for the following:

a. operating the NOAA Forms Management Program;

b. preparing and maintaining a case history file consisting of all official forms documentation;

c. providing technical advice and assistance to all NOAA elements on matters related to forms;

d. assigning appropriate identification and numbers to all forms, except for the National Weather Service;

e. conducting a continuing review of all forms requirements (including related systems and procedures) to eliminate obsolete forms, to consolidate duplicate forms, and to standardize and simplify forms;

f. reviewing directives regarding forms to ensure inclusion of adequate instructions for preparation, routing, use, final disposition, and recommended records retention periods;

g. providing a central control point for the approval and printing of all new and revised NOAA forms, including electronic forms, and approval of all new and revised letterhead;

h. developing and publishing a forms catalog, including periodic supplements to keep it current;

i. preparing required reports related to the NOAA Forms Management Program;

j. providing information to NOAA offices on forms used throughout NOAA; and

k. approving the conversion of NOAA paper forms to electronic forms and the development of new NOAA electronic forms.

SECTION 7. FORMS REQUIRING OMB CLEARANCE.

Forms requiring OMB clearance should be submitted to the NOAA Information Clearance Officer, Information Resources Management Staff (OA1x1), Information Systems and Finance Office, OA, in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-8, Informati on Collections and Requirements Needing OMB Clearance. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-511), as amended, all U.S. Government forms (questionnaires, letters, plans, etc.) designed to seek information or data upon iden tical items from 10 or more persons, or which will be used by any number of persons to respond to a regulatory requirement of general applicability, are subject to the requirement for OMB clearance. Forms used by contractors and other intermediaries to c ollect information for the U.S. Government or at the Government's directions may also require OMB clearance. DAO 216-8, Approval of Collections of Information and Recordkeeping Requirements, outlines DOC procedures under this requirement.

SECTION 8. LETTERHEADS.

.01 Only letterhead paper identified by Section 4 of DAO 214-2, Stationery Specifications and Standards, is authorized. Letterhead paper is restricted to Secretarial Officers, one basic letterhead for the NOAA headquarters, one basic letterhead for e ach of the Line Offices (LOs) and Staff Offices, and a common-use letterhead. However, exceptions to this policy may be granted by the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

.02 If justified by factors such as permanency, address, and volume of correspondence, the Under Secretary or a designee may authorize a basic letterhead for a field office.

.03 Elements not authorized for individual letterheads will use NOAA's generic letterhead. Further identification may be added by template in laser printer, typewriter, or rubber stamp.

.04 Requests for new or revised letterhead, or exceptions to the Department's policy, shall be submitted through the NOAA Forms Officer for review. The NOAA approval authority is the Deputy Under Secretary. See DAO 214-2 for more details.

SECTION 9. REQUESTS FOR FORMS MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

.01 All requests for forms management services, unless otherwise stated, must be submitted to the NOAA Forms Officer. Sufficient lead time should be allowed for printing. See Section 10 of this Order.

.02 New or Revised Forms. To request a new or revised form, including letterheads, originators must:

a. complete NOAA Form 59-14, Request for Forms Management Services;

b. attach a rough draft of the proposed new or revised form and, where applicable, a copy of the prescribing directive; and

c. submit entire package to the NOAA Forms Officer.

.03 Reprinting of Forms.

a. Forms stocked by originating offices in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area are printed through the Logistics Services Branch (LSB), OA332.

(1) NOAA Duplicating Plant. The NOAA Duplicating Plant has the capability for simple cut sheet forms only. It limits its printing to 25,000 copies (number of pages x number of copies) per job. However, for a single page only, the l imit is 5,000 copies. A NOAA Form 50-5A, Requisition for Duplicating Service, shall be used if the form is to be printed in the NOAA Duplicating Plant (if using the electronic format, you must use NCR paper). Submit the completed NOAA Form 50-5A and one sample of the form to be printed (as last printed) to the LSB.

(2) LSB. A Standard Form (SF)-1, Printing and Binding Requisition, must be used if the form cannot be printed in the NOAA Duplicating Plant. Submit the completed SF-1 and one sample of the form to be printed (as last printed) to the LSB.

b. Forms stocked by the National Logistics Support Center (NLSC) at Kansas City are printed through the LSB.

(1) LSB Initiates Action. Originating offices with forms stocked at NLSC will periodically receive a NOAA Form 59-2 from LSB for action. This form is to be completed as appropriate, and returned to LSB for action. If a revision is required, include two copies of the proposed revision, and LSB will coordinate with the NOAA Forms Officer. If the subject form required reprinting and restocking without changes to the existing format, submit one copy of the form and a completed SF-1 to LSB.

(2) Originating Office Initiates Action. The originating office may initiate revision or reprinting by submitting completed NOAA Form 59-14, including two copies of the proposed revision, if applicable, and/or one copy of the form (as last printed) to the NOAA Forms Officer.

c. Letterheads and envelopes. Reprints of letterheads for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area require a SF-1 which must be submitted to the LSB, OA. Field offices should contact their particular ASC printing coordinator for proced ures to follow regarding reprints only.

.03 Cancellation of Forms. The responsible NOAA element must notify the NOAA Forms Officer when a form becomes obsolete. This may be accomplished by e-mail, memorandum, or by submitting a NOAA Form 59-14, Request for Forms Managemen t Services.

SECTION 10. PROCESSING AND PRINTING TIME.

.01 The processing time for review, analysis, approval of copy, required clearance, and printing of stock depends on the complexity of the individual form and where it is to be printed.

.02 Forms printed by the NOAA Duplicating Plant usually require about 1 week.

.03 New, revised, and complex forms (those which cannot be reproduced in the NOAA Duplicating Plant) are forwarded to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for printing and require approximately 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the complexity and size of the job. Specialty type forms (carbon interleaved sets, carbonless paper sets, pre-printed offset masters, tabulating paper and cards, etc.) may require up to 3 months.

.04 Clearing new or revised forms which do not require OMB clearance takes 2 to 4 weeks. An additional 9 weeks should be allowed if OMB clearance is necessary.

SECTION 11. COST OF PRINTING FORMS.

Printing and related costs (such as artwork and negatives) of non-administrative forms will be charged to the responsible NOAA office. LOs are responsible for the cost of their letterheads and envelopes. Accounting data and funding approval must app ear on the request form.

SECTION 12. STOCK AND ISSUE.

.01 Forms prescribed for NOAA-wide use will be forwarded to NLSC for stock and issue.

a. To requisition forms from NLSC, NOAA offices should submit a NOAA Form 37-4, Stores Requisition, to:

National Logistics Support Center

1510 East Bannister Road, Bldg. 1

Kansas City, Missouri 64131

b. Forms used only in one office shall be stocked by that office unless the required quantity is too large, in which case NLSC will handle the stock.

.02 Letterheads for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area are stocked at NLSC. They may be ordered by submitting NOAA Form 37-4. Field office supplies may be obtained from either NLSC by submitting a NOAA Form 37-4, or from the ori ginating office.

.03 Other agency forms, such as Standard and Optional Forms may be obtained from GSA's Customer Supply Service. To requisition Commerce Department (CD) Forms, submit CD-Form 520 to the DOC, Executive Services Division, Room 2858, Washington, D.C. 20230.

SECTION 13. EFFECT ON OTHER ISSUANCES.

This Order supersedes NAO 205-10, dated September 17, 1990.

SIGNED,

Acting Director, Office of Administration

Office of Primary Interest:
Office of Administration
Administrative Services Division
Document Services Branch (OA331)