The Department of Energy is required by statute (44 USC Chapter 31) to establish and maintain
an effective records management program that comports with regulations established by the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Department's employees and
contractors have increasingly relied on electronic mail (e-mail) and other electronic records as a
primary means of performing their duties. A comprehensive records management program
ensures that records documenting agency business are created or captured, organized and
maintained to facilitate their use and available when needed. To aid in this process, records
management software (application) can be used to facilitate preservation, retrieval, use, and
disposition of records. In light of Federal requirements, in February 2006 the Department
developed policies to guide the implementation and maintenance of a cost-effective records
management program.
