SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 – Defense Logistics Agency Document Services is making it easier for Defense Department components that submit records to the National Archives and Records Administration to meet a new digital-format requirement by Dec. 31, when physical records will no longer be accepted.
The DLA activity has been working with customers such as the Coast Guard, Joint Pathology Center, Army Corps of Engineers and Defense Technical Information Center to scan and convert paper records since NARA announced the change in 2019.
DLA Document Services became the DOD’s manager of printing, scanning and conversion, and office-device procurement services in May 2021.
With an expected influx of scanning and conversion requests, DLA Document Services is dedicating more space to assisting customers with what can be a tedious task. Technicians can scan and digitize documents of any size, from business cards to large-format engineering drawings.
They can also scan a wide range of records including medical files, pathology slides, microfilm, and confidential and secret records. Secure destruction of physical records is available after conversion.
Customers requesting conversion services receive a requirements analysis in which DLA Document Services determines the processing timeline.
Factors include document volume and condition, the amount of document preparation required, the level of indexing or metadata needed to retrieve the documents, potential optical recognition services and destruction.
Converting records to digital format has many benefits besides meeting NARA’s requirements.
They include: Reduced physical document storage costs, more efficient information sharing, easier search and retrieval of documents and data due to organizing and indexing with metadata, protection of critical information, aids in disaster recovery, and better records management for audit purposes.
Visit DLA Document Services for more information or contact the Customer Support Center at 1-866-736-7010 or contact.docsvcs@dla.mil.
DLA Information Operations
Headquarters Marine Corps