I. PURPOSE

This directive establishes policy and responsibilities for forms management.

II. CANCELLATION

Cancel FSQS Directive 2640.1, dated 10/7/77.

III. REASON FOR REISSUANCE

This directive is reissued to update the editorial format and to change to FSIS masthead.

IV. FORMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

The following will appear in shortened form in this directive:

• OMB Office of Management and Budget
• PMB Paperwork Management Branch, Administrative Services Division

V. POLICY

It is FSIS policy to use forms management as an aid in achieving program efficiency and economy by:

A. Establishing a single focal point to approve or disapprove all FSIS forms and  to provide overall management of the FSIS forms program.

B. Ensuring that General Services Administration, the Joint Committee  on Printing, and other Government standards and guidelines are applied in forms design,  composition, and printing.

C. Ensuring that the appropriate clearance and coordination is obtained  before placing an FSIS form into use. 

D. Using workflow analysis, comparison and procedures analysis, and  other methods to determine the need for a particular form and the most suitable  design to produce forms that are efficient and easy to use.

E. Ensuring that FSIS forms are composed, printed, distributed, and  stocked by the most economical methods.

F. Providing procedures for an annual review of each current FSIS form.

G. Providing procedures for maintaining a complete history of each FSIS form from inception until it becomes obsolete.

VI. DEFINITIONS

A. Form. Any printed or duplicated document (including those created or used on a computer) with blank spaces for inserting information. Certain printed items without fill-in space (e.g., contract provisions, instruction sheets, tags, labels, and posters) may be considered forms as an aid in referencing, printing, stocking, and distributing.

B. Agency Forms. Program or administrative forms and form letters originated within FSIS, including public-use forms which require approval of OMB. An Agency form is assigned the same number as the prescribing directive.

C. Worksheets. Forms which are directly related to the mission of an individual office and are stocked exclusively in that office, with less than 100 copies printed a year. All printed forms or documents used as worksheets must  be cleared through PMB to determine whether or not they meet forms  management criteria before printing. 

D. Unauthorized (Bootleg) Forms. Those forms (including computer generated forms developed E. Standardized Forms. the collection of information or data by Agency personnel that have not been officially approved and that have no official number (e.g., FSIS Form XXXX-X or Form MP-XX).

E. Standardized Forms.

1. Forms originated by one Government agency for use within another (e.g., Standard Forms or Office of Personnel Management Forms).
2. Forms with the prefix "AD" developed for use Departmentwide.
3. Forms with the prefix "FSIS" developed for use Agencywide.
4. Forms with the program prefix "MP" developed for use by a particular program area.

VII. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Users must work jointly with PMB in carrying out forms management.
Use only those forms which are absolutely necessary. Do not create unauthorized forms. (See paragraph VIII.) Forms must be:

1. Used to help achieve program economy and efficiency.
2. Simple to use.

B. Forms and Reports Management Section must:

1. Analyze and design forms for FSIS programs and divisions.
2. Review to ensure:

a. Compliance with the Federal Reports Act.

b. Clarity and completeness of instructions.

c. User simplicity and efficiency.

d. Compatibility with office machines and filing equipment.

e. Method of reproduction is efficient and economical.

3. Obtain clearances and approvals.
4. Publish a forms catalog yearly to list all current forms.

VIII. UNAUTHORIZED FORMS

With the exception of forms identified in subparagraph A., bargaining unit employees are not required to complete unauthorized forms.

A. Completion of Plant (Industry) Forms. 

1. Inspectors are not required to initial or sign industry-generated  forms unless the initialing or signing of such forms or records m is required by FSIS regulations and procedures e.g., quality control records or canning records).

2. Inspectors may continue to initial or complete industry-generated forms in  instances where the data recorded on the form is useful to them in performance of their duties (e.g., product formulation worksheets).

B. Use of Worksheets for Existing Forms. Use of worksheets by individual  inspectors to accumulate data needed for forms or reports is not precluded. However, to the extent possible, inspectors should use them existing forms. 

C. Use of Employee-Generated Data. Development and use of standard m formats for conveying data to management by individual inspectors is m acceptable. Thus, inspectors may use forms they generate for recurring m reports. Individualized inspector checklists are also acceptable.