NASA Headquarters' Directives
HQPR 1460.1 Effective Date: February 28, 2006 Expiration Date: June 28, 2024 Responsible Office: JA	Vital Records (Revalidated w/Change 2, 7/2/19)

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CHAPTER 1. REQUIREMENTS

1.1 Selection of Vital Records

1.1.1 Vital records will be carefully selected to assure compliance with NPR 1040.1, NASA Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning Procedures. Selection shall be based solely on their necessity for carrying out Headquarters (HQ) emergency functions and/or protecting the legal and financial rights and interests of employees, while restoring normal operations or reconstitution after an emergency ceases. Selection shall not be determined by the archival or research value of the records. The vital records listings must be sufficiently descriptive to permit persons other than regularly assigned employees to perform essential tasks. Selection criteria include but are not limited to the following elements:

a. The impact of the total loss of a record on the ability of the activity to be reconstituted and to resume operation.

b. The availability of the record in other files outside of the office that considers it vital; (e.g. NASA Centers or the Washington National Records Center (WNRC)).

c. The specific planned need for the record during or immediately following the emergency.

1.2 Collection and Storage

1.2.1 The HQ Vital Records Manager shall collect the approved vital records from the primary organizations. The HQ Emergency Management Specialist shall maintain the recommended medium at the HQ alternate operating facility (AOF), and a designated official at each AOF will maintain another copy of the recommended medium.

1.3 Updating/Adding/Deleting Vital Records Inventories

1.3.1 The vital records program shall be kept current in accordance with the established cycle. If a national security emergency occurs, an obsolete record will be useless and could be detrimental to the continuation of the agency's mission.

1.3.1.1 Once an organization's vital records inventory is established, any recommended addition to the inventory shall be submitted to the Vital Records Manager for approval by the Information Technology (IT) Operations Branch Chief.

1.3.1.2 Once an organization's inventory is established, requests to remove documents from the approved vital records inventory shall be submitted to the Vital Records Manager for action.

1.4 Vital Records Program Review Cycle

1.4.1 The HQ Information Technology and Communications (ITCD) shall conduct an annual review of the HQ Vital Records holdings. The review will be initiated by the distribution of a Vital Records Inventory memorandum. Primary Organizations will be tasked to review their holdings for updates or changes.