ARA-8.04 - Transferring Physical Records to the Portland Archives & Records Center

A. Purpose

Archives & Records Management (Archives & Records) operates the Portland Archives & Records Center (PARC) to provide City agencies with a secure and cost-effective alternative to storing records in their offices. PARC provides many services to agencies: storage, retrieval, re-filing, destructions, and general records management assistance. 

B. Policies

1. To ensure security and adherence to City records management policies, agencies are required to store physical records in their offices or at PARC.

2. Records stored at PARC must be classified using the City’s Records Retention Schedule and must not surpass their legally mandated retention period.
   1. Records may be retained past their retention if necessary for: litigation, audit, or for transfer to the Archives (Historical Collection).

3. Records that have fulfilled their legally mandated retention period may be transferred to PARC for direct destruction. 

4. All records transferred to PARC, for storage or direct destruction, must be prepared according to the requirements found here.
5. Agencies should schedule records maintenance days to encourage employees to manage their files according to approved Records Retention schedules and City policies.

C. Responsibilities

1. Agency responsibilities

   1. Identify inactive records – records no longer in regular use by agency staff but that have not yet met the requirements of their retention period – within their office needing to be stored at PARC. If any City records are stored within a non-City building or with a vendor, the agency must notify Archives & Records and arrange for transfer to PARC;

   2. Match records with their appropriate Records Retention Schedule and follow the guidelines and procedures for packing boxes, filling out paperwork, and transferring the boxes to PARC;
   3. Notify Archives & Records when records require a litigation or audit hold and again notifying them when the hold is no longer necessary.

2. Archives & Records responsibilities
   1. Maintain current policies and procedures for storing boxes at PARC;
   2. Verify that the requirements for records transfers have been met. When problems are identified with the boxes or their contents, Archives & Records staff will:
      1. Contact the sender to outline the issues and discuss how they can resolve the issue. 

Auditor’s Office Administrative Rule Information

Questions about this administrative rule may be directed to the Archives & Records Management Division.