Travel and Other Administrative Services

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Defining the Activity
Relationship to Other GVTs
Business Processes
Retention
Business Value and Retention Recommendations

How to use this tool

This tool is designed for IM specialists to use with relevant business areas when identifying information resources of business value (IRBV) and retention specifications.
The IRBV and retention specifications contained in this document are recommendations only and should be customized to apply in each institutional context. The complete document should be read before using any recommendations.
This Generic Valuation Tool does not provide Government of Canada institutions with the authority to dispose of information. Generic Valuation Tools (GVT) are not Records Disposition Authorities (RDA) and do not replace the Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities (MIDA).

Validation: The business processes and IRBV of this GVT have been validated by subject matter experts from the following departments: Parks Canada (Summer 2014).

Defining the Activity

Travel and Other Administrative Services are identified at the sub-sub activity level of the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Profile of Government of Canada (GC) Internal Services (Profile) and are common across the Government of Canada. The Profile defines Travel and Other Administrative Services as:

Other Administrative Services include GC travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.^Note1.

Additional activities have been added to this GVT from the TBS publication Info Source as well as from a review of file classification plans from across the Government of Canada, and the subject groups addressed in the Common Administrative MIDA. These include:

Mail room management
Forms Management
Hospitality and Visits and Tours
Departmental memberships
Security

Although these groupings are not functional in nature, they are commonly found in records systems across the Government of Canada, and this GVT attempts to align these subject-based information resource groups to the most appropriate functional GVT.

Relationship to Other GVTs

Business processes and activities often overlap. When the IRBV from an activity is identified in another GVT, there is a note in the table of IRBV and retention recommendations (below) to direct the user to the proper tool.

The Travel and Other Administrative Services GVT contains a great number of processes with cross references to other GVTs; many of the activity titles (processes) are taken from Info Source, whose goal is to identify sources of personal information as opposed to describing business processes. As a result, many of the activities listed in Info Source are described in other GVTs; when that has occurred, there is a note in the IRBV table directing the user to the GVT where the process is described.

Human Resources Management: This GVT addresses processes related to requests for office accommodations (e.g. for ergonomic needs), training and conferences attendance as well as non EX travel arrangements, and internal training.

Communications Services: This GVT addresses all processes related to internal communications (including circulars, directives and orders), correspondence management and tracking, printing services (including publishing), translation services, and proactive disclosure.

Management and Oversight: This GVT addresses all processes related to planning which includes the security plan and business continuity planning as well as the processes for policy creation, reporting and audit.

Materiel Services: This GVT addresses processes related to the receipt and inspection of assets, and the creation of service logs or service calls.

Real Property: This GVT addresses processes related to physical security of lands or buildings.

Acquisitions Services: This GVT addresses all processes involved in the ordering of supplies, and the management of service contracts (i.e. printing services, ergonomic assessments).

Information Technology: This GVT addresses processes related to the delivery of telephone services.

Financial Management: This GVT (coming soon) addresses all processes involved in the remittance of payment.

Business Processes

The business processes described in this GVT have been developed by conducting research into common processes undertaken in the Government of Canada, undertaking a review of the types of records captured in the Common Administrative MIDA, as well as reviewing the file plans of some Government of Canada departments.

1. Other Administrative Services (Office Services):

The business processes listed under this heading address many of the activities related to the daily operations of all departments such as requests for office accommodations, the delivery of photocopy services, printing services, parking, telephone services, translation services, locksmith services, room bookings, and mailroom management. Mailroom management (mail and postal services) addresses all activities involved in the operation of an institutional mail room. These activities range from setting up the mail room (physical arrangement) to the daily distribution of mail to Government of Canada employees.

Most of these processes are described in other GVTs, however, when there is no clear functional alignment to another GVT, the process and associated IRBV are described here.

2. Forms Management:

All activities involved in the design and creation of a form are addressed in this business process. Forms filled out for use within a business process (e.g. for a travel request, or request for training) will have been addressed within the business process using the form.

3. Hospitality:

All activities related to the offering of hospitality, in the form of a reception, meal or entertainment to departmental guests or visitors, as well as logistical arrangements surrounding special events such as departmentally hosted events (including but not limited to symposia, conferences, exhibit openings, or ceremonies).
The coordination of executive participation in conferences, events, and hospitality is not included in this GVT; for these activities, users are directed to the Management and Oversight GVT.

4. Travel:

Travel in a Government of Canada context includes all arrangements made for travel by or for non-executive level employees while on departmental business, as well as travel arrangements for employees traveling while on professional development (courses, symposia, or conferences) related to their employment. (Processes related to travel taken by executives has been addressed within Management and Oversight). Additionally, the IRBVs involved in the internal approvals relating to employee conference attendance, and the provision or tracking of taxi chits will be addressed here.

5. Security:

As noted in section 3.5 of the Policy on Government Security, “The management of security is most effective when it is systematically woven into the business, programs and culture of a department … as a whole^Note2. In accordance with this, the only security process that is not already embedded within other GVTs are certain practices within the implementation of security controls (visitor logs, and employee ID badges).

All processes related to security will be listed in the IRBV chart, with notes directing users to the appropriate GVT.

Retention

Recommended retention specifications in GVTs are determined based on traditional or best practices, a review of government-wide legislation and policy, and validation with subject matter experts. Retention periods are suggestions only; departments must take into account their own legislative requirements and business needs.

For guidance on how to develop retention specifications, institutions can consult the TBS Guideline on Information Management: Setting Retention Specifications.

Business Value and Retention Recommendations

1. Other Administrative Services (Office Services)

Business Processes	Recommendations: Information Resources of Business Value (IRBVs)	Recommendations: Retention Period
Request for workspace accommodations (office moves, re-fits, ergonomic adjustments, etc.)	For IRBV please see Human Resources Management GVT (Manage Modified Work Arrangements). For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the acquisition of goods to fulfill the request). For IRBV please see Materiel Services GVT (Receipt and Inspection of Assets). For IRBV please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices). For IRBV please see Materiel Services GVT (Use of Assets).	For retention please see Human Resources Management GVT (Manage Modified Work Arrangements). For retention please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the acquisition of goods to fulfill the request). For retention please see Materiel Services GVT (Receipt and Inspection of Assets). For retention please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices). For retention please see Materiel Services GVT (Use of Assets).
Photocopy services (the provision of photocopiers to staff members for their use) (training of staff of the use of new devices)	For IRBV please see Acquisitions GVT (for all processes related to the acquisition of new machines, or service contracts). For IRBV please see Materiel Services GVT (Use of Assets). For IRBV please see Human Resources Management GVT (Internal Training activities). For IRBV please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices).	For retention please see Acquisitions GVT (for all processes related to the acquisition of new machines, or service contracts). For retention please see Materiel Services GVT (Use of Assets). For retention please see Human Resources Management GVT (Internal Training activities). For retention please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices).
Printing services	For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT for all processes relating to contracting out of services related to printing. For IRBV please see Communications Services GVT (Pubications). For IRBV please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices).	For retention please see Acquisitions Services GVT for all processes relating to contracting out of services related to printing. For retention please see Communications Services GVT (Pubications). For retention please see Financial Management GVT (for the payment of invoices).
Parking	Completed, approved application forms Notice of cancellation of parking permit Request for temporary disability parking spot Correspondence	2 years after permit expires. This is a retention and Disposal Standard governed by the Privacy Act and prescribed by Treasury Board. See Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 914, Parking.
	Parking rating criteria Parking spot waiting list Notification of incidents in parking lot	2 years after last administrative action.
	Parking permit database	2 years after permit expires (for individual entries).
	For IRBV please also see the Communications Services GVT (Manage Internal Communications) for all general IRBV related to notifying users of changes relating to parking.	For retention please see Communications Services GVT (Manage Internal Communications) for all general IRBV related to notifying users of changes relating to parking.
Telephone services	For IRBV please see Information Technology GVT (Acquire and Implement; and IT Service Support Processes). For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the acquisition of goods to fulfill the request). For IRBV please see Materiel Services GVT (Receipt and Inspection of Assets).	For retention please see Information Technology GVT (Acquire and Implement; and IT Service Support Processes). For retention please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the acquisition of goods to fulfill the request). For retention please see Materiel Services GVT (Receipt and Inspection of Assets).
Translation services	For IRBV please see Communications Services GVT (Translation Services).	For retention please see Communications Services GVT (Translation Services).
Locksmith services	For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts relating to the provision of locksmith services).	For retention please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts relating to the provision of locksmith services).
Room Bookings / Event logistics	See Hospitality (below).	See Hospitality (below).
Mail Management	-	-
Management of contracts related to mail services	For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts relating to the provision of mail services, or the processes related to the acquisition of materiel for the processing of mail).	For retention please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts relating to the provision of mail services, or the processes related to the acquisition of materiel for the processing of mail).
Receive mail Empty mail bins or bags Screen, scan, and sort incoming mail Sign for mail or parcels when required Receive parcels	Suspicious incident / package reports Signature logs Manifest Bulk item register Receipt delivery forms	2 years after last administrative use.
Open mail	Record of Receipt / Cash blotter / Cheque Register (when valuables received)	6 fiscal years after the end of the fiscal year in which the file closes, based on traditional practice applied to IRBV pertaining to financial transactions
Deliver Mail to internal clients	Diplomatic Bag Receipt Signature Request for registered mail/courier service Diplomatic Mail tag Mail reject notification Lost Mail inquiry	1 year after last administrative use.
Send Mail Collect outgoing mail Sort outgoing mail	Statements of Mailing Manifests	1 year after last administrative use.
Send Mail Collect outgoing mail Sort outgoing mail	Mailing lists	Until superseded or obsolete.

2. Forms Management (regardless of medium of form – paper or electronic)

Business Processes	Recommendations: Information Resources of Business Value (IRBVs)	Recommendations: Retention Period
Forms Analysis	Transcripts of interviews	Until superseded or obsolete.
Forms Design	Final approved versions of form	Until superseded or obsolete.
Forms Control (communication of changes in forms)	For IRBV please see Communications Services GVT (Manage Internal Communications)	For retention please see Communications Services GVT (Manage Internal Communications)

3. Hospitality

Business Processes	Recommendations: Information Resources of Business Value (IRBVs)	Recommendations: Retention Period
Event planning	Correspondence pertaining to event details Planning documents (expense estimates, copies of contracts) Attendee lists Post event reports	1 year after last administrative use.
Event planning	For IRBV please see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts for items such as the provision of food services, the arrangement of audio visual supports, or flowers)	For retention please also see Acquisitions Services GVT (for the management of contracts for items such as the provision of food services, the arrangement of audio visual supports, or flowers)
Remittance of payment	For IRBV please also see the Financial Management GVT for all processes related to the payment of invoices.	For retention please also see the Financial Management GVT for all processes related to the payment of invoices.
Proactive Disclosure of hospitality expenses	For IRBV please also see the Financial Management GVT for all IRBV related to the disclosure of hospitality expenses.	For retention please also see the Financial Management GVT for all IRBV related to the disclosure of hospitality expenses.

4. Travel

Business Processes	Recommendations: Information Resources of Business Value (IRBVs)	Recommendations: Retention Period
Departmental travel and conference planning	Long range plans for departmental travel Approvals for conference attendance Approvals for speaking at conferences	2 years after last administrative use.
	For IRBV please also see Management and Oversight for all processes related to departmental planning.	For retention please also see Management and Oversight for all processes related to departmental planning.
	For IRBV please also see the Human Resources Management GVT (Employee Performance, Learning, Development and Recognition)	For retention please also see the Human Resources Management GVT (Employee Performance, Learning, Development and Recognition)
Seek and obtain approval to travel	Training and travel authorization (approved, completed form)	2 years after last administrative use.
Submit expense reports	Expense claim form (including boarding pass, hotel receipts, or additional expense receipts for items beyond the per diem)	6 fiscal years after the end of the fiscal year in which the file closes, based on traditional practice applied to IRBV pertaining to financial transactions.
-	For IRBV please also see the Financial Management GVT for all processes related to the payment of invoices.	For retention please also see the Financial Management GVT for all processes related to the payment of invoices.
Management of Taxi Chits (for local travel)	Taxi chits/receipts Annual reporting	6 fiscal years after the end of the fiscal year in which the file closes, based on traditional practice applied to IRBV pertaining to financial transactions.

5. Security

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