The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the National Archives and Records Administration establish a way of ensuring that small agencies have strategies in place for improving electronic records management.
GAO said in a report released Monday that 14 of the 17 agencies it reviewed had records management programs while three are yet to establish their own. Most of the 14 agencies do not have policies in place for fully implementing electronic recordkeeping functions and establishing system controls, according to the watchdog.
The report states that while NARA provided guidance to agencies identified as high-risk for improper records management, the government component is yet to ensure that such agencies fully address requirements such as the proper preservation of emails through self-assessment programs.
NARA officials have said that they conducted follow-up efforts with the high-risk agencies but did not proactively require such entities to address records management vulnerabilities.
