§ 1258.4 - What costs make up the NARA fees?

§ 1258.4 What costs make up the NARA fees?

(a) 44 U.S.C. 2116(c) allows the NATF to recover all of its costs for providing records reproduction services to the public. The vast majority of materials that are reproduced are from the holdings of NARA, which require special handling, due to the age, condition and historical significance. Examples of special handling include the following:

(1) The placement of each record by hand on the reproduction equipment. Many of the records are fragile and have historical uniqueness; reproduction equipment operators must take great care in handling these records. For example, each page of a document must be carefully placed by hand on the reproduction equipment, a copy made, the page removed, and the process re-started.

(2) Clarity and legibility of the reproduced records. Older records may be handwritten and darkened from age, which requires extra time to make sure we produce copies that are as clear and legible as possible.

(3) Inability to use automatic document feeders. Because of the requirements in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, automatic document feeders cannot be used for the duplication of paper materials. This adds time and cost to the price of copying these irreplaceable documents.

(b) The NATF costs, at a minimum, include:

(1) Salaries and benefits of the NATF staff involved in all aspects of the records reproduction process (includes, but is not limited to, compensation for full- and part-time employees, temporary appointments, overtime, awards, Civil Service Retirement Service and Federal Employees' Retirement System contributions, health benefits, life insurance benefits and Thrift Savings Plan contributions).

(2) Travel and transportation (includes, but is not limited to, travel and transportation of persons, transportation of things, and contract mail service).

(3) Rent, communications and utilities (includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications, equipment rental, and postage).

(4) Printing and reproductions (includes, but is not limited to, commercial printing, advertising, and printing of forms).

(5) Consulting and other services (includes, but is not limited to, management and professional services, contract labor, work performed in support of reproduction orders, and maintenance of equipment).

(6) Payments to other agencies/funds (includes, but is not limited to, reimbursements and payments to other agencies and other funds within NARA). Specifically, the NATF “hires” the NARA custodial units to do reproduction work. In return, the NATF reimburses the custodial units for the cost of salaries and benefits.

(7) Supplies and materials (includes, but is not limited to, general supplies, and materials and parts).

(8) Depreciation (spreading the cost of an asset over the span of several years).

(9) System upgrades/replacement (includes, but is not limited to, installation of operating equipment, software upgrades, and system changes).