NAO 214-100

REVIEW OF NOAA MAILING LISTS

Issued 08/22/91; Effective 08/06/91

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

This Order describes the policy and procedures for the review of external NOAA mailing lists. It assigns responsibilities to the NOAA Staff Offices (SO) and the Line Offices (LO), provides procedures for the designated review coordinators in SOs/LOs, and provides instructions to NOAA officials who originate NOAA mailing lists containing non-Department of Commerce (DOC) free subscribers.

SECTION 2. SCOPE.

This Order applies only to mailing lists containing non-DOC free subscribers. When a mailing list contains both paid and free subscribers, only the free portion is affected by this Order. A review is not necessary for mailing lists containing fewer than twenty-five (25) addresses.

SECTION 3. AUTHORITY.

An annual review and purge of mailing lists is required by Paragraph 31 of the Joint Committee on Printing Regulations No. 24, Congress of the United States, and the Department of Commerce Publishing and Printing Management Manual which is authorized by Departmental Administrative Order (DAO) 201-32, Publishing and Printing, dated May 16, 1984.

SECTION 4. DEFINITIONS.

Free subscribers are those people, organizations, businesses, and Federal agencies, other than DOC, who are given material, which was procured or acquired under NOAA sponsorship, without charge.

SECTION 5. POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES.

.01 All SOs/LOs must review their free subscription lists annually to correct address information and eliminate from the mailing lists addressees no longer desiring to receive the publications. Subscribers who fail to return a circularization card shall have their addresses removed from the distribution list except those described in Section 6.04 of this Order.

.02 The Support Services Branch (OA333), Administrative Services Division, Procurement, Grants and Adminstrative Services Office, Office of Administration shall provide overall coordination of the review of NOAA mailing lists.

.03 Each NOAA SO/LO shall designate a review coordinator to identify all mailing lists with non-DOC free subscribers, ensure that the responsible NOAA officials review their mailing lists, and provide a report regarding the mailing lists as described in this Order.

.04 NOAA officials responsible for maintaining mailing lists containing non-DOC free subscribers shall review their mailing lists annually and shall report to the review coordinator as described in this Order.

SECTION 6. PROCEDURES.

.01 Review Coordinators. Each NOAA SO/LO generating mailing lists with free subscribers shall assign a review coordinator to identify qualifying mailing lists and coordinate the review as described in this Order. The name of each review coordinator shall be submitted to the Support Services Branch (OA333). By June 30th of each year, the review coordinators shall inform all originators of mailing lists within their area of responsibility of the requirement for reviewing their lists. The coordinators shall also provide a blank format sheet for each originator within their area of responsibility. The coordinator shall photocopy the attachment and send it to the originators. The originators shall submit their final reports on the provided sheet or an exact duplicate on the review by December 10th of each year to their coordinators who shall review and send them to the Support Services Branch by January 15th. (See Section 6.03 of this Order.) In addition, the coordinators shall list publications that were added or deleted within the last year. Questions originators have regarding the review shall be directed to their coordinators. Coordinators shall direct their questions to the Support Services Branch.

.02 Review Procedures.

a. Offices originating mailing lists shall send circularization cards to the free subscribers. Subscribers shall use this card to correct their addresses if necessary and indicate their desire to remain on the mailing list.

b. Originators of mailing lists shall use the standard NOAA Circularization Card, NOAA Form 49-53, which is available from their coordinators or the National Logistics Supply Center, Kansas City, MO. One card shall be ordered for each mailing list to be reviewed. The title of the publication shall be typed within the rectangular box formed by the broken line. (See Attachment 2 to this Order.) The return address of the originating office shall be typed under the words "reply card" and on both sides of the form under "U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." This card shall then be used as the original for printing the number of cards required for mailing to the free subscribers. The originating office is responsible for the printing of the cards. After the cards are printed, the addresses of the free subscribers shall be placed in the center of the form on the same side as the eagle indicia. If the mailing list is maintained by the Distribution Unit in Rockville, MD, the printed cards may be sent there for affixing the labels and mailing. In all other cases, the originating office has the responsibility for mailing the card.

.03 Reporting Requirements.

a. Offices originating mailing lists with free subscribers may review their mailing lists as described in Section 6.02 of this Order at any time during the year. They shall report the results to their coordinator no later than December 10th of each year.

b. The report shall include the information in Section 6.03b.1. through 6.03b.9. of this Order for each mailing. Note that for Section 6.03b.3. through 6.03b.7. of this Order, only give information that pertains to addresses outside of any NOAA facility (external mail).

1. Name of the publication;

2. Date that the circularization, or purge, was started; (This is not the date that your publication is released. It is when your purge was initiated.)

3. Number of addresses and copies on distribution list prior to purge;

4. Number of addresses and copies based upon returned purge cards;

5. Number of addresses and copies that will be retained even though no responses to the purge were received; (Explain why addresses were retained when cards were not returned.)

6. Number of addresses and copies that were added to distribution list because of new subscriptions;

7. Total number of addresses and copies after purge including exceptions and additions of new subscriptions;

8. Type(s) of mail delivery used, i.e., 1st Class, 3rd Class, etc. for the list; and

9. Person responsible for the mailing list and telephone number.

c. The examples in Section 6.03c.1. through 6.03c.9. of this Order shall be used as guidelines when preparing the annual report. A single format is required to make it easier for the Support Services Branch to consolidate the information for reporting to the DOC.

1. National Weather Service Operations Manual;

2. October 1991;

3. 350 addresses and 510 copies;

4. 310 addresses and 450 copies;

5. 20 addresses and 45 copies; (These addresses were retained because cancelling them would not be in the interest of NOAA.)

6. 24 addresses and 30 copies were added to the list because of new subscriptions;

7. 354 addresses and 525 copies;

8. 1st Class; and

9. John Mailer, (FTS) 443-8983.

.04 Exceptions. A few mailing lists may include certain free subscribers who must not be removed because such action would adversely affect a NOAA program. The office originating such a list shall indicate the number of such addresses and justify retaining them as indicated in Section 6.03b.5. of this Order. The Support Services Branch shall review the justifications.

SECTION 7. EFFECT ON OTHER ISSUANCES.

This Order supersedes NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 214-100, Review of NOAA Mailing Lists, dated June 27, 1989.

SIGNED,
Acting Director, Office of Administration

Attachment 1
Attachment 2

Office of Primary Interest:
Support Services Branch (OA333)
Administrative Services Branch
Procurement, Grants and Administrative Services Office
Office of Administration