Government Agencies' Comprehensive Resources
Establishing a New Federal Publishing Agency: A Step-by-Step Guide
In the Federal Government, the process of creating a new publishing agency involves several key steps to ensure compliance with existing regulations, integration with existing systems, and legal authorization.
- Statutory Creation and Authorization The first step in establishing a new publishing agency is to secure an act of Congress through statute, which grants the agency its authority and defines its scope of activities, including publishing responsibilities if applicable. This legislation will provide the legal foundation for the agency's existence and operations.
- Coordinate with Existing Government Publishing Offices The Government Publishing Office (GPO) currently handles printing and binding orders for Congress and federal agencies. New publishing agencies often coordinate with or integrate into structures like the GPO to manage document production and distribution. Planning how your agency interacts with or complements the GPO’s functions is essential.
- Adhere to Federal Regulations and Approval Processes Before collecting or publishing information, compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is required. This law mandates obtaining approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) if the publishing involves collecting information from 10 or more persons. This involves preparing an Information Collection Request that justifies the need and impact of the information collection.
- Publication and Codification Process Regulations and official documents are first published in the Federal Register, followed by codification in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). New agency publications, especially regulations, would follow this process, meaning your agency must coordinate with the Office of the Federal Register and possibly have allocations of chapters within CFR titles assigned to it.
In addition to these steps, several tools and resources are available to aid in the drafting and publication process:
- A webportal is available for document transmission.
- Instructions for signing a document for transmission are available.
- The Thesaurus of Indexing Terms and CFR List of Subjects are resources for document drafting.
- Deviation requests can be made during the document drafting process.
- Regulatory drafting resources are also available.
Moreover, an Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Request is a process for including previously published documents in a new one. Deferred Publication Request, Immediate Filing Request, Document Withdrawal Request, and Document Correction Request are options for document transmission for publication. FR Liaison/Certifying Officers Designation is a role for managing the publication process within an agency.
Lastly, it's worth noting that FR Bulletins are mentioned but no specific details are given about their purpose. FederalRegister.gov is the website for document publication. Special Handling Request and Emergency Publication Request (with immediate file option) are other options for document transmission for publication.
The new agency, upon securing its legal foundation through a statute passed by Congress, may need to collaborate with the Government Publishing Office (GPO) in managing document production and distribution, as the GPO currently handles printing and binding orders for federal agencies.
For publishing activities involving information collection from 10 or more people, the new agency must adhere to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
