Press Release
Press Release · Thursday, August 15, 2002

WHAT: The National Archives and Records Administration is planning to build a state-of-the-art Electronic Records Archives (ERA) to preserve the valuable electronic records of the Federal Government and make them available to future generations of Americans. The National Archives announced today a Request for Information (RFI) to gather information from vendors and integrating contractors in order to determine the best solution for building ERA.

The purpose of this initial RFI is to gather information only. At this time, the ERA Program Management Office will not answer questions, accept additional information or discuss submissions received in response to this RFI with individual responders. The ERA Program Management Office is planning to host an industry conference in the second quarter of fiscal year 2003.

WHEN: The RFI was published on August 14, 2002. All responses to this RFI must meet published specifications and be submitted via email not later than 4:00 PM on September 4, 2002, to ERA.Acquisition@nara.gov. The subject of the email should be "ERA RFI 1 Response."

WHERE: The RFI is published on the Federal Business Opportunities web site at http://www.eps.gov/ .

BACKGROUND: The mission of the National Archives and Records Administration is to ensure, for the citizen and the public servant, for the President and for the Congress and the courts, ready access to essential evidence that documents the rights of citizens, the actions of Federal officials, and the national experience. Increasingly, records are created and maintained in electronic formats. To continue to fulfill its mission, the National Archives needs to respond effectively to the challenge posed by the diversity, complexity, and enormous volume of electronic records being created today and the rapidly changing nature of the systems that are used to create them.

ERA is envisioned to be a comprehensive, systematic, and dynamic means for preserving any kind of electronic record, free from dependence on any specific hardware or software. ERA, when operational, will make it easy for the National Archives customers to find records they want, and easy for the National Archives to deliver those records in formats suited to customers' needs.

More background information is available at the ERA web site: www.archives.gov/electronic_records_archives/ .

For PRESS information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or by e-mail.

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