Fiscal Year 2004

Annual Performance Plan

Revised Final
February 20, 2004

This Plan is also available in PDF and Word formats:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strategic Goal 1: Essential Evidence

Target 1.1: Records management redesign
Target 1.2: Schedules for capital asset plans
Target 1.3: Scheduling and appraisal services

Strategic Goal 2: Electronic Records Archives

Target 2.1: Servicing electronic records in NARA records centers
Target 2.2: Accessioning electronic records
Target 2.3: Managing electronic records
Target 2.4: Processing electronic records
Target 2.5: Cost of electronic records preservation

Strategic Goal 3: Access

Target 3.1: Customer Service
Target 3.2: Online services
Target 3.3: Online catalog
Target 3.4: Government-wide declassification
Target 3.5: NARA declassification
Target 3.6: Presidential Records
Target 3.7: NHPRC grants

Strategic Goal 4: Space and Preservation

Target 4.1: Archival holdings in appropriate space
Target 4.2: NARA records centers holdings in appropriate
Target 4.3: Preservation of at-risk holdings

Strategic Goal 5: Infrastructure

Target 5.1: Recruitment and development
Target 5.2: Equal employment opportunity
Target 5.3: MFederal Register production
Target 5.4: Information technology

PREFACE

The National Archives and Records Administration is a public trust on which our democracy depends. We enable people to inspect for themselves the record of what Government has done. We enable officials and agencies to review their actions and help citizens hold them accountable. We ensure continuing access to essential evidence that documents:

the rights of American citizens,

the actions of Federal officials,

the national experience.

To ensure ready access to essential evidence, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) establishes policies and procedures for managing U.S. Government records. We assist and train Federal agencies in documenting their activities, administering records management programs, scheduling records, and retiring non-current records to regional records services facilities for cost-effective storage. We appraise, accession, arrange, describe, preserve, and make available to the public the historically valuable records of the three branches of Government. We manage a nationwide system of Presidential libraries, records centers, and regional archives. We administer the Information Security Oversight Office and make grants to non-Federal institutions to support historical documentation through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. We publish the Federal Register, Statutes at Large, Government regulations, and Presidential and other public documents.

We serve a broad spectrum of American society. Genealogists and family historians; veterans and their authorized representatives; academics, scholars, historians, and business and occupational researchers; publication and broadcast journalists; the Congress, the Courts, the White House, and other public officials; Federal Government agencies and the individuals they serve; state and local government personnel; professional organizations and their members; supporters' groups, foundations, and donors of historical materials; students and teachers; and the general public all seek answers from the records we preserve.

To be effective, we must determine what evidence is essential for documentation, ensure that Government creates such evidence, and make it easy for users to access that evidence regardless of where it is, or where they are, for as long as needed. We also must find technologies, techniques, and partners worldwide that can help improve service and hold down costs, and we must help staff members continuously expand their capability to make the changes necessary to realize our goals.

Our Mission:

NARA ENSURES, FOR THE CITIZEN AND THE PUBLIC SERVANT, FOR THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS AND THE COURTS, READY ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE.

Our Strategic Goals:

One: Essential evidence is created, identified, appropriately scheduled, and managed for as long as needed.

Two: Electronic records are controlled, preserved, and made accessible as long as needed.

Three: Essential evidence is easy to access regardless of where it is or where users are for as long as needed.

Four: All records are preserved in an appropriate environment for use as long as needed.

Five: NARA strategically manages and aligns staff, technology, and processes to achieve our mission.

These goals and the strategies to achieve them are detailed in Ready Access to Essential Evidence: The Strategic Plan of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1997-2008, updated and reissued in September 2003. This annual performance plan is based on the goals, strategies, and long-range performance targets in our Strategic Plan, and builds on expected performance in FY 2003. It details the actions and outcomes that must occur in FY 2004 for us to move forward on meeting the goals and targets in our Strategic Plan. In addition to listing performance goals and measures for evaluating our performance, the plan describes the processes, skills, and technologies, and the human, capital, and informational resources needed to meet the year's performance goals. We received no aid from non-Federal parties in preparing this plan.

Following is a summary of the resources, by budget authority, we are requesting to meet our FY 2004 objectives. Our budget is linked to the performance goals in this plan.

Operating Expenses	$247,376,000
Electronic Records Archives	$35,702,000
Repairs/Restorations	$13,627,000
Grants	$9,941,000
Total Budget Authority	$306,646,000

Redemption of Debt	$7,810,000
Total Appropriation	$314,456,000

Total FTE	2,855

This is a high-level summary of our resource requirements. The numbers are linked to strategic goals in the pages that follow.

We continue using four mechanisms to measure actual performance: (1) periodic management reviews, (2) formal audits of operations, (3) expansion and refinement of our performance measurement system, and (4) systematic sampling of measurement system effectiveness. In FY 1999 we deployed our agency-wide Performance Measurement and Reporting System (PMRS). This system allows us to define and consistently measure data critical to the analysis of our performance objectives. Every year we integrate and expand the system further so that our strategic performance is measured using more of a balanced scorecard approach for tracking cycle times, quality, productivity, cost, and customer satisfaction for our products and services.

In our continuous effort to improve our performance measurement program, we are completing a two-year project to upgrade PMRS. We want to take advantage of web infrastructure to collect our performance data from the more than 70 organizational units that send data to PMRS from all over the country. We also want to use newer, more robust, and enterprise-level databases to store the data and extract reports, thereby minimizing the maintenance burden on desktop databases now used for data collection. This upgrade will enable us to collect our performance data more consistently and more efficiently, and will allow us to store much more data for use in analyzing trends.

We must succeed in reaching our goals because the National Archives and Records Administration is not an ordinary Federal agency. The records we preserve document the rights of American citizens, the actions of Federal officials, and the national experience. We serve not just today's citizens, but all who are yet to come. We must not only preserve past documents already in our care, but also prepare to manage tomorrow's records in new and challenging forms. This plan is our 2004 road map for making that a reality.

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STRATEGIC GOAL 1

ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE IS CREATED, IDENTIFIED, APPROPRIATELY SCHEDULED, AND MANAGED FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED.

Long Range
Performance Targets

1.1. By 2008, 95 percent of agencies view their records management program as a positive tool for asset and risk management.

1.2. By 2008, 95 percent of approved capital asset plans have approved records schedules by the time those systems begin creating records.

1.3. By 2008, 95 percent of customers are satisfied with NARA scheduling and appraisal services.

FY 1999 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $12,075,000; 127 FTE *
FY 2000 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $14,690,000; 136 FTE *
FY 2001 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $18,050,000; 144 FTE *
FY 2002 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $19,921,000; 150 FTE *
FY 2003 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $16,368,000; 141 FTE
FY 2004 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $17,918,000; 142 FTE

*Resources include a portion of the dollars and FTE for Goal 5.

FY 2004 Budget Linkage: Pages 16-17

Long Range Performance Target 1.1. By 2008, 95 percent of agencies view their records management program as a positive tool for asset and risk management.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Deliver the results promised on 95 percent of targeted assistance partnership projects.

Redesign NARA's records management training program and establish a distance-learning component.

Establish certification program for records management professionals.

Outcome Federal agencies can economically and effectively create and manage records necessary to meet business needs. Records are kept long enough to protect rights and assure accountability. Records of archival value are preserved.

Significance We must protect records from the time of their creation to ensure their accessibility for as long as they are needed to meet the needs of Government agencies and the public. Moreover, better front-end records management will help agencies fulfill their legal responsibilities for recordkeeping and will result in more efficient and responsive records and information services, which will improve performance and save money for the agencies themselves and the Federal Government as a whole.

Means and Strategies The records management program that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) currently administers was designed primarily for people who created, maintained, and used paper records. It has served us well for several decades. But, while agencies continue to generate paper, most records are created electronically and remain in an electronic format for at least a portion of their lives. To meet the challenges posed by these developments, we are redesigning Federal records management, as described in our 2003 Strategic Directions for Federal Records Management. This document presents a strategic framework for the redesign effort and outlines how NARA will move forward to implement the redesign.

We are creating mutually supporting relationships with agencies that advance agency missions and effective records management. We will demonstrate that effective records management adds value to agency business processes. Our guidance, training, and assistance to agencies will focus on using records management as an important tool for supporting agency business processes.

In FY 2004, we will develop criteria and internal procedures for records management studies with the objective of finding and validating best practices. We will follow-up with a records management study in FY 2005. We will use records management studies to focus on cross-Government issues and to identify and analyze best practices and develop Government-wide recommendations and guidance. Studies will usually involve multiple agencies within a related line of business or function. In exceptional cases, there might be one agency whose records management practices could be replicated elsewhere for Government-wide benefit. The goal of records management studies is to identify, analyze, and act on records management best practices.

Another way we help agencies is through targeted assistance. Targeted assistance means that we work together with agencies to solve specific records management problems. Since 1999, we have initiated 344 projects, completed 238 projects, and assisted 88 unique agencies. Through these partnerships, we have inventoried and scheduled at-risk records, trained agency personnel in records management, and assisted in the development of records management systems.

With Federal agency input and contractor support, we are revamping our records management training program. By making training and a variety of tools available over the Internet, we will be able to reach far more Federal agencies, at more locations nationwide, and reach a wider variety of people within the agencies than is possible with live classroom instruction. We also are developing a certification program for anyone giving technical assistance to agencies in records management. We do not have sufficient resources to respond to all agency requests for records management assistance. This program will leverage contractor and agency resources to provide that assistance while giving agencies assurance that the individuals they turn to for help have demonstrated their knowledge of Federal records management requirements.

Key external factors Federal agencies must implement their part of the targeted partnerships. Records management professionals must be self-motivated to attend training and complete the certification program.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target for annual percent of targeted assistance partnership projects delivering the results promised.	--	N/A	75	85	90	95
Annual percent of targeted assistance partnership projects delivering the results promised.	100	100	100	100	100
Annual number of targeted assistance partnership projects initiated.	33	123	66	83	39
Annual number of targeted assistance partnership projects completed.	2	37	58	76	65
Annual number of successful targeted assistance partnership projects completed.	2	37	58	76	65
Cumulative number of targeted assistance partnership projects established with Federal agencies.	33	156	222	305	344
Number of Federal agency staff receiving NARA training in records management and electronic records management.	2,997	3,506	2,506	3,746	3,392
Performance target for percent increase in the number of records management training participants who are taking a NARA records management course for the first time.	--	--	--	--	--	Establish Baseline
Number of records management training participants who are taking a NARA records management course for the first time.	--	--	--	--	--
Number of distance-learning participants who are taking a NARA records management course for the first time.	--	--	--	--	--

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*Milestones*
FY 2000	Contract to gather and analyze information about the views and perceptions of Federal agencies concerning the creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of their records awarded. Prototype methodology for the analysis of Federal agency business processes and the records they generate developed. Process and activity models of the records lifecycle and scheduling and appraisal process completed.
FY 2001	Draft report for study of the creation, maintenance, use and disposition of records in Federal agencies completed and optional task for additional analysis exercised. Analysis of Federal agency business processes and the records they generate completed for 11 agencies.
FY 2002	Hiring of senior records analysts positions for targeted assistance completed. Final report for study of the creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of records in Federal agencies completed. Analysis of 3 Federal agency business processes and the records they generate completed. Records scheduling, appraisal, and accessioning policies reviewed and revised, and a Proposal for a Redesign of Federal Records Management issued.
FY 2003	Policy review of NARA's records management police and guidance completed. NARA's Strategic Directions for Federal Records Management released.
FY 2004 Projected	NARA's records management training program redesigned and distance-learning component established. Certification program for records management professionals established. Criteria and internal procedures for records management studies developed.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Targeted assistance partnership: A targeted assistance partnership is established with an underlying written agreement between NARA and a Federal agency to identify and agree upon a specific project or projects to improve the agency's records management practices. The agreement must take the form of a project plan, memorandum of understanding (MOU), or similar written documentation that performs the same function as a project plan. The agreement has mutually agreed upon criteria for successful completion of the targeted assistance project or projects. An agreement can include several projects, each with its own success criteria. For this performance target, we count TA projects. Asset and risk management: Determining the value of information as a business asset in terms of its primary and secondary uses in the business process; identifying potential risks to the availability and usefulness of the information; estimating the likelihood of such risks occurring; evaluating the consequences if the risk occurs; and managing the information based on that analysis.

Long Range Performance Target 1.2. By 2008, 95 percent of approved capital asset plans have approved records schedules by the time those systems begin creating records.

FY 04
Projected Performance

In coordination with Office of Management and Budget (OMB), develop a requirement for agencies to report on records management requirements in their FY 2006 capital asset plans.

Develop transfer guidance for 3 additional electronic records formats.

Significance Our nation's records are needed to document citizens' rights, actions for which Federal officials are responsible, and the historical experience of our nation. With more of these records being created electronically, we must address realistically a future in which most government recordkeeping will be electronic and develop practical solutions for dealing with electronic records. If we do not address this issue, our nation's records will be at risk of loss, deterioration, or destruction. In particular, we must protect records from the time of their very creation to ensure their accessibility for as long as they are needed to meet the needs of Government agencies and the public. Having approved records schedules by the time records systems begin to create records is an important early step in electronic records management.

Means and Strategies We will partner with Federal agencies and others to develop, adapt, or adopt products and practices that support good records management. Our experience shows that we are more effective in partnerships than working alone. Potential partners and sources will include standards organizations, other governments, and the private sector. We will provide leadership, in partnership with other key stakeholders, to focus agency attention on electronic records needs and to guide and support solutions to electronic records issues and problems. We will also support the development of automated tools that will help agencies manage Federal records.

Electronic records management is a critical component of e-Government. As the managing partner for one of the Administration's e-Government initiatives, NARA is collaborating with the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies to develop practical recordkeeping guidance and solutions for managing electronic records. In FY 2003, NARA's Electronic Records Management (ERM) Initiative developed guidance for agencies implementing records management applications and began expanding the formats of permanent electronic records that agencies can transfer to NARA. In FY 2004, the ERM Initiative will continue to promote the transition to Government-wide electronic records management. NARA will work with the Department of Defense (DoD) to extend the DoD 5015.2-STD to include transfer to NARA and interoperability specifications. We will champion an effort to develop records management service components that can be built into agency enterprise architectures.

In conjunction with other NARA electronic records initiatives, we will develop policy and technical guidance to enable responsible electronic records creation and management, and will expand our electronic records management training. Federal agencies are looking to NARA to issue practical guidance specifically in electronic records management. We are developing guidance for the management of agency web site content and web operations (administrative) records. NARA is also working actively on standards relating to electronic records management and preservation as a member of voluntary consensus standards bodies.

We will work with OMB to ensure that agencies consider records management requirements when planning IT systems. We will add transfer standards for three more electronic records formats in FY 2004.

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Key external factors The Office of Management and Budget must support using the capital planning process to promote records management.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2003	FY 2004
Percent of approved capital asset plans that have approved records schedules by the time those systems begin creating records.	--
Number of Federal Enterprise Architecture Business Reference Model functions.	137
Number of Federal Enterprise Architecture Business Reference Model functions covered by model schedules.	0

*Milestones*
FY 1999	Department of Defense standard for the management of electronic records endorsed.
FY 2000	Three documents on electronic recordkeeping for Federal agencies drafted.
FY 2001	Department of Defense software certification process endorsed.
FY 2002	ERM e-Gov initiative vision, goals, and objectives developed and confirmed by OMB. Detailed workplan and financing strategy developed. Transfer guidance for 1 electronic records format issued (email with attachments).
FY 2003	Transfer guidance for 2 more electronic record formats issued (scanned images of textual records and PDF). Version 2 of DOD 5015.2 standard endorsed. Records management application pilot in two NARA units deployed.
FY 2004 Projected	Transfer guidance for 3 more electronic records formats issued (digital photography, geographical information systems, web pages). In coordination with OMB, requirement for agencies to report on records management requirements in their FY 2006 capital asset plans developed. Records management application in two NARA units completed.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Capital asset planning: is part of the decision-making process for ensuring that IT investments integrate strategic planning, budgeting, procurement, and the management of IT in support of agency missions and business needs. Records management service components (RMSC): an application or system software that incorporates interfaces for interacting with other programs, and that is made available to all Federal agencies for use in their enterprise architecture. The RMSC would provide the ability to embed records management functionality in the IT structure of the enterprise.

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Long Range Performance Target 1.3. By 2008, 95 percent of customers are satisfied with NARA scheduling and appraisal services.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Process records schedule items within a median time of 220 calendar days or less.

Develop detailed workflows for scheduling and appraisal; processing of Federal electronic records; transfer of records to Federal Records Centers; and carrying out disposition of records by Federal Records Centers.

Develop concept of operations for automated workflow and collaboration tools to support the redesigned scheduling and appraisal process.

Survey Federal agencies to determine baseline satisfaction with NARA scheduling and appraisal services.

Significance We must make the records scheduling process more effective and efficient, and decrease the time it takes to get schedules approved. Taking a long time to process schedules delays action on the disposition of records and discourages agencies from submitting schedules, potentially putting essential evidence at risk.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target for median time for records schedule items completed (in calendar days).	--	--	260	240	225	220
Median time for records schedule items completed (in calendar days). *	337	283	237	470	155
Median time for records schedule items completed (in calendar days), NARA only. *	--	--	--	403	154
Average age of schedule items at completion (in calendar days).	502	461	410	532	274
Number of schedule items completed.	3,262	5,664	4,728	9,374	4,654
Number of records schedule items completed within 120 calendar days of submission to NARA.	469	1,229	659	1,999	1,571
Percent of records schedule items completed within 120 calendar days of submission to NARA.	14	22	14	21	34
Performance target for increase in percent of Federal agencies that are satisfied with NARA scheduling and appraisal services.	--	--	--	--	--	Establish Baseline

*The metric for median schedule processing time measures all processing time, including the amount of time it takes other agencies to respond. We provide a breakout of "NARA-only" time to give a comparison of how much of the total processing time occurs within NARA versus outside NARA.

*Milestones*
FY 2003	"To-be" model for the redesigned scheduling, appraisal, and accessioning process developed.
FY 2004 Projected	Detailed workflows for scheduling and appraisal; processing of Federal electronic records; transfer of records to Federal Records Centers; and carrying out disposition of records by Federal Records Centers developed. Concept of operations for automated workflow and collaboration tools to support the redesigned scheduling and appraisal process developed. Federal agencies surveyed to determine baseline satisfaction with NARA scheduling and appraisal services.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Records schedule: a document, having legally binding authority when approved by NARA, that provides mandatory instructions (i.e., disposition authority) for what to do with records no longer needed for current business; Schedule item: records subject to a specific disposition authority that appear on a records schedule.

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STRATEGIC GOAL 2:

ELECTRONIC RECORDS ARE CONTROLLED, PRESERVED, AND MADE ACCESSIBLE AS LONG AS NEEDED.

Long Range Performance Targets	2.1 By 2008, NARA's Records Center Program accepts and services electronic records.
	2.2 By 2008, 80 percent of scheduled archival electronic records are accessioned by NARA at the scheduled time.
	2.3 By 2008, 80 percent of archival electronic records are managed at the appropriate level of service.
	2.4 By 2008, the median time from the transfer of archival electronic records to NARA until they are available for access is 35 days or less.
	2.5 By 2008, the per megabyte cost managing archival electronic records through the Electronic Records Archives decreases each year.

FY 2003 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $20,105,000; 67 FTE
FY 2004 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $44,798,000; 88 FTE

FY 2004 Budget Linkage: pages 16-21

Long Range Performance Target 2.1. By 2008, NARA's Records Center Program accepts and services electronic records.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Establish and test a pilot for remote servicing capability for electronic Official Military Personnel Files for Army.

Establish pilot programs at selected records centers to store backup and inactive copies of agency electronic media.

Outcome Federal agencies can economically and effectively create and manage electronic records necessary to meet business needs, and electronic records of archival value are preserved.

Significance The NARA Records Center Program plays a vital role in the lifecycle of Federal records. The program helps agencies manage the transfer, storage, and servicing of their non-current records and works closely with NARA's records management program to ensure that essential evidence is efficiently and appropriately managed for as long as needed. As more and more Federal records are created and managed in electronic formats, NARA needs to respond by providing economical and effective electronic records services at our records centers.

Means and Strategies Since 1999, the Records Center Program has been fully reimbursable, which allows us to be more flexible in responding to agency records needs and requires us to meet those needs in a cost-effective and efficient way. Our ability to provide our records center customers with responsive services for electronic records is closely tied to our Electronic Records Archives (ERA) program. Until ERA is ready and can provide complete online servicing, we will test the delivery of new offline services for electronic records, limited to electronic Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) and storage of agencies' backup electronic media.

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Key external factors The Records Center Program operates in a competitive business environment, which allows Federal agencies to choose their records center services provider.

Verification and Validation

Milestones

FY 2004 Projected

Protocols for secure interoperability of Case Management and Reporting System (CMRS) and Defense Personnel Records Image Retrieval System (DPRIS) tested.
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) staff to access Army information via DPRIS trained.
Records center facility capacity to meet standards for secure storage of electronic media established.
Procedures, baseline service standards, and fees for pilot electronic media storage services established.
Staff to handle electronic media storage trained.
Initial customers for electronic media storage identified and obtained.
Pilot test of CMRS functionality to interface with DPRIS performed and necessary changes made to make fully operational.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Long Range Performance Target 2.2. By 2008, 80 percent of scheduled archival electronic records are accessioned by NARA at the scheduled time.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Survey Federal agencies to identify electronic systems that generate electronic records, and develop priorities for scheduling these records.

Outcome Electronic records of archival value are preserved for future generations.

Significance We must guarantee the continuing accessibility of the electronic records of all three branches of our Government. If we cannot do this, citizens, corporations, and the Government will lose the essential evidence necessary to document their legal rights; the Government will suffer loss of both accountability and credibility; and as a nation our ability to learn about and understand our national experience will be diminished substantially. Moreover, as the business of government shifts more and more to electronic government and reliance on information technology, activities such as collecting taxes, providing veteran's benefits, and protecting our environment will suffer in both efficiency and effectiveness unless agencies are able to create, maintain, and readily access reliable electronic records.

Means and Strategies The Electronic Records Archives will provide a vehicle for implementing the records management improvements that result from the Electronic Records Management Initiative and NARA's Records Management Initiatives. We will improve the development and implementation of records disposition schedules by automating and improving the quality of interactions between NARA and other agencies and the workflow within NARA. We will reduce cycle time for NARA's review and approval of records disposition authorities requested by other agencies and increase the number of acceptable formats for transfer of electronic records to NARA.

The first increment of the ERA system will enable NARA to accession, preserve, and provide access to electronic records in the additional digital formats for which transfer standards were developed in the ERM Initiative. These include email with attachments, scanned images, PDF files, still digital photography, Geographic Information Systems, and web pages. In the long term, ERA will allow NARA to accession, preserve, and provide access to electronic records in any format.

In addition to decreasing the cycle time to approve schedules and increasing the number of acceptable transfer formats, NARA needs to have a better way of knowing what electronic records Federal agencies are creating and using. We will survey critical Federal agencies, particularly those that create electronic records that document citizen rights and Government accountability, to determine important electronic records that need to be scheduled. This will be accomplished by analyzing the results of previous and ongoing initiatives, such as the Government Information Locator System (GILS), the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) study, Exhibit 300 of the President's Budget, Y2K Critical Systems, as well as conducting a survey of select Federal agencies.

After systems are identified, NARA will schedule them based on NARA's RMI criteria, to focus first on records affecting citizens rights and government accountability; records of archival value; and of these records, records perceived to be at risk of loss or damage. NARA will develop a plan for tracking the development and submittal of schedules by Federal agencies; review and approval of these schedules by NARA; and the transfer of electronic records in electronic systems to the National Archives.

Key External Factors Federal agencies must schedule their electronic records.

Performance Data	FY 2004
Number of electronic records accessioned in one of the new transfer formats (in logical data records).
Size of accessioning backlog (in logical data records).

Milestones
FY 2001	3 terabytes of data from Federal agency web sites "snapshot" collected and preserved.
FY 2002	Transfer guidance for 1 electronic records format issued (email with attachments).
FY 2003	Transfer guidance for 2 more electronic record formats issued (scanned images of textual records and PDF). Transfer standards for permanent electronic records in the following formats: email with attachments, scanned images of permanent textual records, and Portable Document Format established and issued.
FY 2004 Projected	Transfer guidance for 3 more electronic records formats issued (digital photography, geographical information systems, web pages). Federal agencies surveyed to identify electronic systems that generate electronic records and develop priorities for scheduling these records

Data source The Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Accessioned: Legal custody of archival materials is transferred to NARA.

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Long Range Performance Target 2.3. By 2008, 80 percent of archival electronic records are managed at the appropriate level of service.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Conduct online survey of customer satisfaction with online access to electronic records through Access to Archival Databases system.

Increase archival electronic holdings that are accessible online by 50 percent.

Outcome Electronic records of archival value are effectively preserved for future generations.

Means and Strategies To meet an immediate need to provide online access to high-volume and high-demand electronic records from the Department of State, the Executive Office of the President, and other agencies, NARA launched the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) project. We debuted AAD to the public in FY 2003, and are continuing to increase the number of records available to the public. This function will eventually be provided by ERA.

During FY 2004 we will conduct an online survey, using the American Customer Satisfaction Index, that will help us better understand our online customers' needs and future behaviors and preferences. Data relating to design and content, particularly for the AAD online tool, will give us the information we need to ensure that we are getting the most efficient and effective use of our resources.

In the long term, ERA will allow NARA to preserve and maintain at the appropriate level of service any electronic record in any format. NARA plans to categorize holdings into three basic levels of service-basic, medium, and persistent-based on the technological characteristics of the records, the needs of the records' originators, laws and regulations requiring differing levels of control, expected customer demands or interests, and NARA's business strategies and priorities. The technology and access capabilities will differ in the system based on the service level. The ERA system will enable the National Archives and Presidential libraries to preserve permanent holdings, and the Records Center Program to provide storage and access services to other agencies.

Key external factors The results of existing and future research and development into electronic records preservation may change the requirements for an electronic records preservation system.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target for percent increase in number of archival electronic holdings accessible online	--	--	50
Number of archival electronic holdings accessible online (cumulative logical data records in millions)	0	50.0
Number of archival electronic holdings (cumulative logical data records in millions)	3,713.9	4,742.9
Percent of electronic records available online	0	1
Number of AAD users (in thousands of visits)	--	488.9

*Milestones*
FY 2000	Capability to preserve document image files achieved. Installation and analysis of prototype system for online access to electronic records completed.
FY 2001	Analysis of requirements and ability to copy raster and vector files from geographic information systems completed. Capability to preserve raster and vector files from geographic information systems achieved. Online access to select accessioned data files achieved.
FY 2002	AAD pilot version made operational.
FY 2003	AAD production version made operational, with 344 file units available to customers online.
FY 2004 Projected	Online survey of customer satisfaction with online access to electronic records through Access to Archival Databases system conducted.

Data source The Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions File units: a data file of electronic records, most often in the form of a database. Logical data record: a set of data processed as a unit by a computer system or application independently of its physical environment. Examples: a word processing document; a spreadsheet; an email message; each row in each table of a relational database or each row in an independent logical file database. Visits: One person using our web site is counted as one "visit." It is a count of the number of visitors to our web site, and is similar to counting the number of people who walk through our front door. In contrast, it does not count "hits," which refers to the number of files used to show the user a web page. A visit in which a user accessed a web page comprising 35 files would count as 1 visit and 35 hits. Counting visits is a more accurate way of showing how much use our web site is getting than counting hits.

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Long Range Performance Target 2.4. By 2008, the median time from the transfer of archival electronic records to NARA until they are available for access is 35 days or less.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Process transfers of archival electronic records within a median time of 250 calendar days or less.

Outcome Electronic records of archival value are available promptly for use.

Means and Strategies The growth in the volume of electronic records is enormous. At the end of the last Administration, the White House transferred several terabytes of electronic records to NARA for storage and preservation. The Census Bureau will be transferring electronic images of up to 600 million pages of information, comprising more than 40 terabytes of data, from the 2000 Census. Digital Military Personnel Files represent estimated transfers of a billion files over 10 years. A conservative 1999 estimate indicates that the yearly volume of email traffic in the Federal government is approaching 36.5 billion messages per year. Even if only 2 percent of those messages are appraised as necessary for preservation, the volume would be thousands of times greater than all the electronic records NARA has accessioned since the first such transfer in 1971. In the last three decades, NARA has captured and fully-processed less than 2 terabytes of data in approximately 180,000 files.

Our ability to promptly process archival electronic records will be significantly enhanced by the creation of Electronic Records Archives (ERA). While NARA's existing capacity to process electronic records is higher than it has ever been, it still lags woefully behind what we anticipate agencies will be sending to NARA over the next several years. NARA's existing systems and staff are able to copy about 385 gigabytes of data per year. Until the ERA system is operational, we will extend and expand our existing systems to attempt to keep up.

In FY 2003 we upgraded and replaced existing system components, purchased additional computer processing power and speed, and modified software to perform initial preservation (i.e., making an exact copy onto archivally acceptable media) on new file formats through our existing Archival Preservation System and Archival Electronic Records Inspection and Control System. These changes have allowed us to begin processing nearly 30 million email messages from the Clinton Administration and complete the processing of electronic records from the Reagan and Bush Administrations. In FY 2004 we plan to continue these efforts, adding processing speed, additional storage capacity, and new storage media, as well as making functional changes to systems to accommodate new transfer formats.

Key external factors The results of existing and future research and development into electronic records preservation may change the requirements for an electronic records preservation system.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target for median time to make archival electronic accessions available for access (in calendar days).	--	--	--	250
Median time (in calendar days) from the transfer of archival electronic records to NARA until they are available for access.	--	--	450
Number of electronic records transferred (in file units).	2,099 data files in 89 accessions	6,786 data files in 148 accessions	68,342 data files in 100 accessions
Cost per electronic record transferred.	--	--	--

*The number of electronic records transferred, in logical data records, which is the preferred unit of measure, is not available until the Accession Management Information System upgrade is completed in FY 2004. The FY 2003 accessions include part of Census 2000 records. The number of data files in FY 2004 accessions as of January 2004 already significantly exceed the total FY 2003 data files.

Milestones
FY 2000	Functional, system, and capacity requirements for enhanced Archival Preservation System completed.
FY 2001	Transfer of records via Files Transfer Protocol (FTP) completed. Ability of the current Archival Preservation System to copy digital images and raster and vector files completed.
FY 2002	Study of the archival properties of high-density media and conclusion that the Digital Linear Tape was an appropriate medium for the storage of permanent electronic records completed. Change to Code of Federal Regulations making Digital Linear Tape and Files Transfer Protocol appropriate media for transferring electronic records to NARA completed.
FY 2003	Accession Management Information System redesigned. Version 6.0 of the current Archival Preservation System application developed and installed.
FY 2004 Projected	New Accession Management Information System installed. Certification software for new Digital Linear Tapes on the current Accession Preservation System installed. Copying capacity of the current Accession Preservation System expanded. Technologies that can support copying and verifying electronic records in the following formats studied: email with attachments, scanned images, Portable Document Format, digital images, World Wide Web files, and Geographic Information System files.

Data source The Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Gigabyte: (1) a gigabyte is a measure of computer data storage capacity. A gigabyte is 2 to the 30th power, or 1,073,741,824 in decimal notation. Terabyte: A terabyte is a measure of computer capacity is 2 to the 40th power, or approximately a thousand billion bytes (that is, a thousand gigabytes). File units: a data file of electronic records, most often in the form of a database. This is not the preferred method for counting electronic records. Logical data records is preferred, and will be available when the upgraded Accession Management Information System is implemented in FY 2004. Logical data record: a set of data processed as a unit by a computer system or application independently of its physical environment. Examples: a word processing document; a spreadsheet; an email message; each row in each table of a relational database or each row in an independent logical file database.

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Long Range Performance Target 2.5. By 2008, the per megabyte cost of managing archival electronic records through the Electronic Records Archives decreases each year.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Award contract for design of the ERA system.

Outcome Electronic records of archival value are economically preserved.

Means and Strategies Through the Electronic Records Archives (ERA), we are creating a digital National Archives that will make permanently valuable Government records available to anyone, at any time, and in any place, for as long as needed.

This ERA system addresses a fundamental requirement of electronic government: to be able to keep and transmit reliable and authentic electronic records independently of time, place, the vagaries of the market place, the state of the art of information technology, or the peculiarities of proprietary formats or stovepipe applications. NARA will develop a comprehensive, systematic, and dynamic means for preserving virtually any kind of electronic record, free from dependence on any specific hardware or software. The ERA system, when operational, will make it possible for Federal agencies to transfer records of any type or format to NARA. More importantly, ERA will help citizens to find records they want and make it easy for NARA to deliver those records in formats suited to citizens' needs.

ERA will be the primary means through which NARA implements its target enterprise architecture. It will include practically all of NARA's processes for lifecycle management of records; therefore, it will be the catalyst for conversion to the target architecture of the legacy applications NARA currently uses to support these processes. This conversion will include process improvement as well as reengineering the architecture of these applications.

We also will continue collaborative research into issues related to the lifecycle management of electronic records that are beyond state-of-the-art of information technology or state-of-the-science computer, information, or archival sciences. Research and exploratory development activities will continue to focus on problems that must be solved in order to achieve the President's Management Council's vision of Government wide-electronic records management in support of e-Government, continuing to rely primarily on established R&D management capabilities in partner agencies.

NARA has laid out an incremental acquisition strategy for ERA that will enable us to ensure that significant milestones are achieved before commitments are made for subsequent work. In FY 2004 we will contract for design of the ERA system with one or two vendors. After selecting the best design, we will exercise an option for development and deployment of the first increment of the system. In FY 2007, NARA will deploy ERA's initial operational capability. NARA will also contract for technical services to support the operation of the deployed system.

We expect that the first increment will implement a reengineered end-to-end process for lifecycle management of electronic records, add the capability for handling digital Official Military Personnel Files to the reengineered processes of the National Personnel Records Center, and also implement the results of our business process reengineering of records scheduling and appraisal for all types of records. For electronic records, the first increment of ERA will focus on ensuring the survival of "at-risk" electronic records, namely the vast majority of all existing electronic records that are in obsolete formats, and improving efficiency of core processes.

Key external factors The results of existing and future research and development into electronic records preservation may change the requirements and costs for an electronic records preservation system.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target of percent of NARA's electronic holdings preserved in preparation for their transfer to the Electronic Records Archives.	40	60	65	99
Percent of NARA's electronic holdings are preserved in preparation for their transfer to the Electronic Records Archives.	97	98	99
Number of logical data records in NARA's custody (in millions).	2,344.5	3,713.9	4,724.9
Number logical data records preserved (in millions).	2,271.7	3,641.5	4,594.4
Percent of Presidential logical data records managed and preserved.	99	49	49
Number of Presidential logical data records (in millions).	2.2	35.3	35.3
Number of Presidential logical data records preserved (in millions).	2.2	17.3	17.3
Per megabyte cost for preserving archival electronic records.	--	--	$4.50

*Milestones*
FY 2001	GAO risk assessment of ERA project performed and Program Management Office organization proposal developed.
FY 2002	Electronic Records Archives Analysis of Alternatives, Requirements, and Business Case completed. ERA Project Management Office established.
FY 2003	Electronic Records Archives Analysis of Alternatives, Requirements, and Business Case updated. Draft Request for Proposals for ERA design issued.
FY 2004 Projected	ERA design contract awarded. Installation of an earned value management system for ERA performance measurement completed.

Data source The Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Preserved:(1) the physical file containing one or more logical data records has been identified and its location, format, and internal structure(s) specified; (2) logical data records within the file are physically readable and retrievable; (3) the media, the physical files written on them, and the logical data records they contain are managed to ensure continuing accessibility; and (4) an audit trail is maintained to document record integrity; Logical data record: a set of data processed as a unit by a computer system or application independently of its physical environment. Examples: a word processing document; a spreadsheet; an email message; each row in each table of a relational database or each row in an independent logical file database. Megabyte: a megabyte is a measure of computer data storage capacity. A megabyte is 2 to the 20th power, or 1,048,576 bytes in decimal notation.

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STRATEGIC GOAL 3:

ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE IS EASY TO ACCESS REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS OR WHERE USERS ARE FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED.

Long Range Performance Targets	3.1 By 2007, access to records and services and customer satisfaction levels meet or exceed NARA's published standards.
	3.2 By 2007, 70 percent of NARA services are available online.
	3.3 By 2008, 80 percent of NARA archival holdings are described in an online catalog.
	3.4 By 2007, government-wide holdings of 25-years-old or older records are declassified, properly exempted, or appropriately referred under the provisions of Executive Order 12958, as amended, through a series of ISOO-led interagency efforts.
	3.5 By 2007, NARA archival holdings of 25-years-old or older records are declassified, properly exempted, or appropriately referred under the provisions of Executive Order 12958, as amended.
	3.6 By 2007, 10 percent of records of a two-term President or 15 percent of records for a one-term President are open and available for research at the end of the 5-year post-Presidential period specified in the Presidential Records Act.
	3.7 By 2007, 90 percent of all NHPRC-assisted projects produce results promised in grant applications approved by the Commission.

FY 1999 Resources Requested to Meet This Goal: $130,873,000; 1,988 FTE *
FY 2000 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $120,058,000; 2,028 FTE *
FY 2001 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $120,046,000; 2,159 FTE *
FY 2002 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $134,208,000; 2,263 FTE *
FY 2003 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $132,060,000; 2,298 FTE
FY 2004 Resources Available to Meet This Goal: $144,518,000; 2,326 FTE

*Resources include a portion of the dollars and FTE for Goal 5.

FY 2004 Budget Linkage: pages 19-20

Long Range Performance Target 3.1. By 2007, access to records and services and customer satisfaction levels meet or exceed NARA's published standards.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Meet or exceed NARA's published standards for access to records and services and customer satisfaction levels:

90 percent of written requests are answered within 10 working days;

85 percent of Freedom of Information Act requests for Federal records are answered within 20 working days;

70 percent of requests for military service separation records at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis are answered within 10 working days;

95 percent of items requested in our research rooms are furnished within 1 hour of requested of scheduled pull time.

99 percent of customers with appointments have records waiting at the appointed time;

90 percent of Federal agency reference requests in Federal records centers are ready when promised to the customer;

99 percent of records center shipments to Federal agencies are the records they requested;

75 percent of archival fixed-fee reproduction orders through OFAS are completed in 35 working days or less;

95 percent of education programs, workshops, and training courses meet attendees' expectations.

Outcome Our customers are satisfied with NARA's service.

Significance Our customers deserve the best service we can deliver. Through the measurement of performance against customer service standards, development of customer service teams and customer service training, and process redesign efforts in areas that traditionally had high backlogs, we are coordinating our efforts to ensure that our customer service meets our customers' needs.

Means and Strategies Serving our customers is one of our primary areas of focus, and we are continually making process improvements in our research rooms, training staff in customer service principles, employing customer service teams, modernizing and upgrading research room equipment, adding research room staff, and adjusting hours of service to make it easier for more people to use our services. We also added public computer terminals with Internet access in all our research rooms nationwide.

One of our biggest challenges is to reduce the response time for requests for veterans' records. At the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis we are in the midst of a multi-year business process re-engineering project to bring the average response time on requests for modern military service records from several weeks to 10 working days, particularly for military service separation requests, which make up the bulk of the requests we receive. The kind of systemic change that we are making requires a flexible approach and modifications in plans as changes take place. Some of the changes are dramatic, even disruptive, as old processes are put aside and new ones are learned; other modifications-training and other changes that address the underlying nature of the organization-are so pervasive and far reaching that they naturally take some time to affect the culture of that organization. We are already seeing the positive influence of organizational changes, such as our creation of team-based units known as "cores," but we are still fairly early in the transition to a new processing system-and culture. While we are seeing a steady improvement in response time, until more training, practice, and technology is applied, the progress will be gradual.

We also are improving access to records that are difficult to use. Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen's Bureau) from the Reconstruction era contain a great deal of information about the African-American family experience across 15 states and the District of Columbia, but the information is difficult to extract, the records are fragile, and they are only available in one NARA location. We are undertaking a project to microfilm these records and distribute the microfilm to our regional archives and microfilm rental program. We also plan to form partnerships with non-profit organizations and educational institutions to develop automated name indexes to the records to make them easier to use.

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Key external factors Unexpected increases in records holdings or public interest in groups of records can significantly increase workloads, response times, and wear and tear on public use equipment. NARA cannot control the response time for FOIAs that must be referred to other agencies.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Performance target for written requests answered within 10 working days.		80	80	85	85	90
Percent of written requests answered within 10 working days.	89	92	93	93	94
Performance target for Freedom of Information Act requests completed within 20 working days.		80	80	85	85	85
Percent of Freedom of Information Act requests completed within 20 working days.	34	26	27	75	65
Number of FOIAs processed.	6,911	8,751	7,634	8,825	5,107
Annual cost to process FOIAs (in millions).	--	--	--	$1.54	$1.35
Annual per FOIA cost.	--	--	--	$175	$265
Performance target for requests for military service separation records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis answered within 10 working days.	--	--	--	--	--	70
Percent of requests for military service separation records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis answered within 10 working days.	--	--	7	40	37
Number of military service separation records (DD-214) requests received.	--	--	297,307	360,573	389,704
Average price per request for military service separation records.	--	--	--	--	$29.70
Performance target for requests for all military service records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis answered within 10 working days.	--	--	25	30	35	--
Percent of requests for all military service records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis answered within 10 working days.	7	3	4	28	28
Performance target for items requested in our research rooms furnished within 1 hour of request or scheduled pull time.		95	95	95	95	95
Percent of items requested in our research rooms furnished within 1 hour of request or scheduled pull time.	94	89	93	94	96
Number of researchers visiting our research rooms (in thousands).	--	--	--	248.7	204.4
Number of items furnished in our research rooms (in thousands).	833	918	1,056	613	607
Number of items furnished on time in our research rooms (in thousands).	501	818	985	578	584
Performance target for customers with appointments for whom records are waiting at the appointed time.		99	99	99	99	99
Percent of customers with appointments for whom records are waiting at the appointed time	99.7	99.4	99.6	99.8	99.9
Performance target for Federal agency reference requests in Federal records centers that are ready when promised to the customer.		90	90	90	90	90
Percent of Federal agency reference requests in Federal records centers that are ready when promised to the customer.	81	79	93	92	94
Performance target for records center shipments to Federal agencies are the records they requested.	--	--	99	99	99	99
Percent of records center shipments to Federal agencies are the records they requested.	--	--	99.99	99.99	99.99
Performance target for archival fixed-fee reproduction orders through OFAS are completed in 35 working days or less.	--	--	--	50	60	75
Percent of archival fixed-fee reproduction orders through OFAS are completed in 35 working days or less.	--	--	--	88	99
Average per order cost to operate fixed-fee ordering.	--	--	--	--	$18.78
Average order completion time (days)	--	--	--	20	15
Performance target for percent of education programs, workshops, and training courses meeting attendees' expectations.	--	90	90	95	95	95
Percent of education programs, workshops, and training courses meeting attendees' expectations.	90	95	97	96	95
Number of program attendees.	6,848	6,971	6,291	8,447	7,343

*Milestones*
FY 2000	Two cores, consisting of four teams each, established and operational at National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). 61 percent of 1930 census microfilm duplicated-15 sets of 2,669 rolls out of 4,318 rolls of schedules and indexes.
FY 2001	100 percent of 1930 census microfilm duplicated-15 sets of 4,318 rolls of schedules and indexes-and distributed to NARA facilities and microfilm rental program. Furniture and equipment procured and installed.
FY 2002	1930 census opened to the public on April 1, 2002. Prototype Case Management and Reporting System at NPRC tested and deployed. New work assignment profiles at NPRC modified to refocus core team work. Freedmen's Bureau records from three states (out of 15 states and the District of Columbia) microfilmed.
FY 2003	Case Management and Reporting System functionality fully implemented at NPRC. Freedmen's Bureau records from three additional states (out of 15 states and the District of Columbia) microfilmed.
FY 2004 Projected	Freedmen's Bureau records from two additional states (our of 15 states and the District of Columbia) microfilmed.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist. Request price for military service separation agreements from FY 2003 Records Center Program Rate Schedule, which is provided annually to agencies in an attachment to their interagency agreement.

Definitions
Written requests: requests for services that arrive in the form of letters, faxes, emails, and telephone calls that have been transcribed. Excludes Freedom of Information Act requests, personnel information requests at the National Personnel Records Center, Federal agency requests for information, fulfillment of requests for copies of records, requests for museum shop products, subpoenas, and special access requests; Federal agency reference request: a request by a Federal agency to a records center requesting the retrieval of agency records. Excludes personnel information requests at the National Personnel Records Center.

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Long Range Performance Target 3.2. By 2007, 70 percent of NARA services are available online.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Ensure 40 percent of NARA services are available online.

Outcome More people, nationwide and worldwide, have easy access to NARA services.

Significance For citizens and the Government to take full advantage of the resources we have to offer, we must make those services available regardless of the user's physical location. With the advent of the Internet and other electronic forms of communication, we have the means to offer services remotely. Visiting or writing one of our facilities is no longer the only way for people to get ready access to essential evidence. By broadening the availability of our services, we ensure that citizens everywhere have access to their National Archives.

Means and Strategies Our web site is the most widely available means of electronic access to our services and information, including directions on how to contact us and do research at our facilities; descriptions of our holdings in an online catalog; direct access to certain archival electronic records; digital copies of selected archival documents; electronic mailboxes for customer questions, comments, and complaints; electronic versions of Federal Register publications; online exhibits, and classroom resources for students and teachers.

In accordance with the Administration's Government-wide initiative to expand electronic government, NARA has aggressively looked for opportunities to make more of our services, for both Federal agencies and the public, available electronically. To meet this challenge and the requirements of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), however, we must dramatically improve our information technology infrastructure to support a wide variety of complex electronic transactions.

In FY 2002 we redesigned our web site, archives.gov, making it easier to navigate and maintain. While the Rotunda and exhibit hall at the National Archives Building were closed to the public, our web site provided an important informational function to the public-with updates about the renovation of the National Archives Building and the re-encasement of the Charters of Freedom (the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights), previews of our new National Archives Experience, and online versions of popular exhibits such as "American Originals." In partnership with National History Day, USA Freedom Corps, The History Channel, US News and World Reports, and Siemens, we built and populated the web site, ourdocuments.gov. The web site provides information online to students, teachers, and the general public interested in this national initiative on American history, civics, and service.

In FY 2003 we enhanced our web infrastructure to support online ordering, interactive forms, and direct access to databases. Currently, researchers, using an online form, can order copies of military records from our holdings at the National Personnel Records Center. Order Online!, which will allow customers to place orders for reproductions of selected archival records often requested for genealogical research and pay for them electronically, was deployed in early FY 2004. In FY 2004, we will expand the types of orders customers can make using this tool, and provide online registration, payment, and acknowledgement for public events, workshops, and classes, and the ability to purchase merchandise and pay for it.

We will phase in each new capability to ensure that we have adequate technical resources to meet customer demand. Some Government web sites have been completely overwhelmed by their own success when more users than expected swamped sites with new services. To manage this potential problem, we will monitor each new application closely to evaluate the level of technical resources used, shift resources as necessary, and develop a baseline for future activities. All web initiatives undergo extensive testing so that we have ample opportunity to examine how the initiative is changing business processes, evaluate the costs and benefits of further revamping, analyze the performance of the application, ensure users' privacy is protected, and mitigate the risks associated with fraud, error, and misuse.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Online visits to NARA's website (in thousands).	10,096.2	16,105.9	19,538.0	30,943.1
Cost to provide NARA services online per visit	--	--	--	$0.16
Performance target for percent of NARA services available online.	--	--	20	30	40
Percent of NARA services available online.	--	24	25	30
Number of NARA services online.	--	29	30	36

*Milestones*
FY 2001	Preliminary measurement methodology developed and baseline for NARA services available online proposed.
FY 2002	Measurement methodology finalized. Web-based request form to allow electronic requests of copies of records made available.
FY 2003	Veterans and next-of-kin of deceased veterans provided with the capability of online ordering of copies of the veterans' military service records. Customers surveyed about their satisfaction with our online services.
FY 2004 Projected	Online registration, payment, and acknowledgement of public events, workshops, classes implemented. Online ordering and payment of merchandise implemented.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

Definitions Online visits: One person using our web site is counted as one "visit." It is a count of the number of visitors to our web site, and is similar to counting the number of people who walk through our front door. In contrast, it does not count "hits," which refers to the number of files used to show the user a web page. A visit in which a user accessed a web page comprising 35 files would count as 1 visit and 35 hits. Counting online visits is a more accurate way of showing how much use our web site is getting than counting hits.

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Long Range Performance Target 3.3. By 2008, 80 percent of NARA archival holdings are described in an online catalog.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Describe 30 percent of NARA traditional holdings in the Archival Research Catalog.

Describe 30 percent of NARA artifact holdings in the Archival Research Catalog.

Describe 5 percent of NARA electronic holdings in the Archival Research Catalog.

Outcome Researchers find the descriptive information they need about NARA archival holdings in one convenient location.

Significance In a democracy, the records of its archives belong to its citizens. NARA is committed to ensuring that citizens anywhere, anytime can gain access to information about and from the records of our Government. A key strategy to fulfilling that commitment is the development and deployment of the Archival Research Catalog (ARC).

Means and Strategies When completed, ARC will be a comprehensive, self-service, online "card catalog" of descriptions of our nationwide holdings. Previously, to locate records you wanted to see or copy, you had to search through various published and unpublished catalogs, indexes, and lists, many of which were out of date, out of print, or available in one location only. ARC will ensure that anyone, anywhere with an Internet connection can browse descriptions of all of our holdings, including electronic records, in our Washington, DC, area archives, regional archives, and Presidential libraries. ARC also contains links to more than 123,000 digital images of some of our most popular and interesting holdings.

In developing ARC, we built two systems—a read-only web version of the system for use by staff and the public, and a data entry system in which archivists enter and edit records descriptions. In FY 2002 we launched the read-only catalog, populated with more than 600,000 descriptions of our records, to the public. In FY 2003, we began a phased rollout of the data entry system to all archival units nationwide. But with 65 years worth of existing descriptive information to place into ARC, we have a multi-year challenge ahead.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Percent of nationwide archival holdings described in an online catalog.	13.9	13.2
Cubic feet of archival holdings (in thousands)	2,767.7	2,915.1
Cubic feet of archival holdings described in an online catalog.	385.9	385.9
Performance target for traditional holdings in an online catalog.			20	25	30
Percent of traditional holdings in an online catalog.	--	--	19.0	19.7
Number of traditional holdings described in an online catalog (thousands of cubic feet)	--	--	549.5	597.3
Number of traditional holdings in NARA (thousands of cubic feet)	--	--	2,882.9	3,024.4
Performance target for artifact holdings in an online catalog			20	25	30
Percent of artifact holdings in an online catalog.	--	--	19.1	17.1
Number of artifact holdings described in an online catalog (thousands of items).	--	--	90.0	90.0
Number of artifact holdings in NARA (thousands of items)	--	--	470.4	527.6
Performance target for electronic holdings in an online catalog.			0	0	5
Percent of electronic holdings in an online catalog.	--	--	0.0002	0.0002
Number of electronic holdings described in an online catalog (millions of logical data records)	--	--	1.1	1.1
Number of electronic holdings in NARA (millions of logical data records)	--	--	3,713.9	4,742.9
Number of ARC users (in thousands of user hits*)	--	--	713.0	1,883.8

*Milestones*
FY 2000	ARC functional, technical, and data requirements finalized and design approved.
FY 2002	Migration of NAIL descriptions to ARC completed. Launch of ARC web system to the public completed. Development of ARC data entry system completed.
FY 2003	Testing and launch of ARC data entry system completed.
FY 2004 Projected	ARC rollout to all archival units nationwide 50 percent complete.

Data source Performance Measurement and Reporting System and periodic performance reports to the Archivist.

DefinitionsNAIL: NARA Archival Information Locator, prototype for ARC; ARC: Archival Research Catalog, NARA-wide online catalog. *User Hits: the number of files used to show the user a web page. This is not the preferred method for measuring web usage. Counting visits is more accurate, and will be available for ARC in 2004. Traditional holdings: books, papers, maps, photographs, motion pictures, sound and video recordings and other documentary material that is not stored on electronic media. Artifact holdings: objects whose archival value lies in the things themselves rather than in any information recorded upon them. Electronic holdings: records on electronic storage media.

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Long Range Performance Target 3.4. By 2007, government-wide holdings of 25-years-old or older records are declassified, properly exempted, or appropriately referred under the provisions of Executive Order 12958, as amended, through a series of ISOO-led interagency efforts.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Determine the universe of records subject to the automatic declassification provision of E.O. 12958, as amended, by required reporting through the declassification plans of executive branch agencies.

Implement solutions to impediments to meeting the December 31, 2006 deadline for automatic declassification.

Develop guidance about how to collect data on the number of classification decisions made in automated systems, including email, and distribute to Executive branch agencies.

Outcome More records are declassified and available for public use.

Significance The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), which is administered by NARA, oversees the Government-wide security classification program and reports annually to the President on its status. ISOO collects data about agencies' programs as a means of assessing those programs. Credible data are essential to making these assessments. Further, an important component of the security classification program is declassification, in particular the automatic declassification program.

Means and Strategies On March 25, 2003, the President issued Executive Order 13292 amending Executive Order 12958. Among the many changes is the extension of the automatic declassification deadline from April 17, 2003 to December 31, 2006. This is the second extension of the original automatic declassification deadline, April 17, 2000. To meet the new deadline set by the President in his amendment, it will be important to determine what records in agencies' holdings will be subject to section 3.3 of the Order. Further, ISOO needs to work with the agencies to identify and implement solutions to the impediments to meeting this deadline.

Key external factors Security concerns related to the war on terrorism may divert resources from declassification efforts or lead to the withholding of additional records. Agencies' cooperation is essential to identifying the records subject to automatic declassification, impediments to meeting the new deadline, and solutions to these impediments.

Verification and Validation

Performance Data	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Number of pages declassified government-wide.	44,365,711
Number of pages exempted government-wide.	--
Cost per page declassified government wide.	$2.55
Total cost of declassification government-wide.	$112,964,750

*FY 2003 data is collected from Federal agencies and reported to Congress in June 2004.

*Milestones*
FY 2000	7 program reviews completed.
FY 2001	3 program reviews completed.
FY 2002	All agencies handling classified information surveyed with a questionnaire about the data collection form, SF 311, "Agency Security Classification Management Program Data." Online contractor e-survey to assess the current effectiveness of the National Industrial Security Program conducted, with 393 contractors participating. 5 Executive Branch agencies program reviews completed.
FY 2003	Interviews with agencies that make classification decisions in automated systems, including email systems, completed. Third review of the National Industrial Security Program completed. 15 Executive Branch agencies program reviews completed.
FY 2004 Projected	Universe of records subject to section 3.3 of the Order identified through agencies' declassification plans. Solutions to impediments to meeting the December 31, 2006 deadline identified. Guidance about how to collect data on the number of classification decisions made in automated systems, including email, developed and distributed to Executive branch agencies. Plan and cost-effectiveness study developed for automating the data for SF 311, including a requirement for electronic reporting.

Data source Periodic performance reports to the Archivist. Information Security Oversight Office, 2002 Report to the President, June 30, 2003 (www.archives.gov/isoo/index.html).

Definitions Classified document review: a review by ISOO of an executive branch agency to identify inconsistencies in the application of classification and marking requirements of Executive Order 12958. The results of the review along with any appropriate recommendations for improvement are reported to the agency senior official for the program or the agency head. Program review: an evaluation of selected aspects of an executive branch agency's security classification program to determine whether an agency has met the requirements of Executive Order 12958. The review may include security education and training, self-inspections, declassification, safeguarding, and classification activity. The results of a review, along with any appropriate recommendations for improvement are reported to the agency senior official or agency head.

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Long Range Performance Target 3.5. By 2007, NARA archival holdings of 25-years-old or older records are declassified, properly exempted, or appropriately referred under the provisions of Executive Order 12958, as amended.

FY 04
Projected Performance

Conduct a survey of those record groups that are not being reviewed by the originating agency to determine which agencies have equities in the records and make appropriate referrals to those agencies.

Scan 300,000 pages of Presidential archival materials eligible for declassification review as part of the Remote Archives Capture project.

Outcome More archival records are declassified and made available for public use.

Significance Executive Order 12958, which was amended in FY 2003, requires the declassification of material 25 years old unless specifically exempt. The Government protects millions of classified documents at great expense, including more tha

NARA

About the National Archives

Plans and Reports

Fiscal Year 2004

Annual Performance Plan

NARA

About the National Archives

Plans and Reports

Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Performance Plan

Fiscal Year 2004

Annual Performance Plan