NCHC 626 Box Fund Fee Request

In the interest of providing assistance to agencies in the economical maintenance of public records (GS § 121-4(2)) and ensuring the efficient use of Records Center shelving space (GS § 132-8), the Records Center has for years required, via NC Administrative Code rule 07 NCAC 04M .0503, that state agencies wishing to transfer material to the State Records Center purchase their packing and labeling supplies, including boxes, tape, and labels, from the Division of Archives and Records. This ensures that the boxes will

• Conform with records management standards for records packing materials
• Fit properly on our shelving

Furthermore, by purchasing boxes in bulk and selling them at near cost, the Division ensures that state agencies are paying the lowest possible price for these materials.

The receipts from all packing supply sales go into a budget code we refer to as the “Box Fund,” which is then used to purchase additional packing supplies. Unfortunately, the current fee structure, which has not been revised in more than a decade, no longer covers the cost of our Records Center box purchases and hasn’t for some time. In this fiscal year, we have seen approximately $11,000 in receipts, whereas our supplies outlay has been closer to $15,000 (figures preliminary). Furthermore, the cost of tape and labels has fluctuated over time.

Therefore, we propose to raise the fees on our boxes and labels by a total of $0.53 per packing kit. This brings the per-box total cost to state agencies to $1.65 from $1.12. Although the current cost to the Division is only $1.37 per packing kit, the additional $0.28 per box kit will

• Ensure that the costs of tape and labels are fully covered by the Box Fund
• Cover some of the cost of ink cartridges and maintenance on the Zebra label printer as well as maintenance on other equipment used by the Records Center staff

In compliance with GS § 121-4(14), we request that the North Carolina Historical Commission approve this change to fees charged and collected to support the Box Fund.

*The cost for tape and label supplies has fluctuated over time.