ERS Initiatives
Records Management Modernization
In response to the November 28, 2011 Presidential Memorandum on Managing Government Records and the joint NARA OMB Memorandum M-12-18, calling for Executive Branch agencies to eliminate the use of paper and to use only electronic recordkeeping before the end of the decade, ERS has assembled the Records Management Modernization Working Group and is analyzing the best methods by which to fulfill both the letter and the spirit of the mandate, while decreasing the burdens of and improving the efficiency of VA’s records management program.
Directives and Handbooks Program Improvement
ERS is currently exploring solutions for improving the efficiency of the process of issuing internal policy and guidance. A Working Group with representatives from VA’s various policy-issuing entities have been assembled to research and explore ways to accomplish this task. ERS has also involved other governmental entities to help modernize VA’s directives management programs.
Information Collection Burden Reduction
In accordance with OMB Memorandum, Reducing Reporting and Paperwork Burdens, issued June 22, 2012, calling on Federal agencies to eliminate unjustified reporting and paperwork burdens, ERS is currently reviewing all of VA’s Information Collection Clearances to identify redundancies or collections of information that may be unnecessary to the purpose for which the information is collected. As VA’s information collections are renewed or as new information collections are needed, alternatives to traditional methods of collection are being explored.
