University of Maryland, College Park Policy on the Forms Management Program

In compliance with Section 10-604 through 10-608 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the University of Maryland at College Park has developed the following forms management program which requires a central repository for all forms and the approval of the use of all forms by a Forms Management Officer.

The Forms Management Officer for UMCP is appointed by the Vice President for Administrative Affairs. The Forms Management Officer shall keep a current plan of management of forms created by or for departments and operations administered by UMCP and shall review and approve new forms prior to use to avoid redundancy and assure that all forms are relevant to the purpose for which they are used. Approved forms shall be catalogued and a record kept which is available to departments. The Forms Management Officer shall prepare an annual report on or before July 1 of each year on the management of forms at UMCP.

A list of approved forms is available from the Forms Management Officer. Forms not approved and catalogued are not authorized for use at UMCP.

When a new form is proposed or an existing form needs to be revised, a UMCP Form Information Sheet and a sample of the proposed new or to-be-revised form shall be sent to the Forms Management Officer. The Forms Management Officer shall review the form for redundancy and appropriateness and provide direction to the requesting department. New or revised forms not approved by the Forms Management Officer are not authorized.

Forms of a contractual nature shall be reviewed for legal form and sufficiency.

Upon determination that new forms are needed or existing forms need revision, the Forms Management Officer shall authorize the form and assign a Forms Management number to be printed on the new or revised form. A sample of the completed approved form shall be sent to the Forms Management Officer with a corresponding Form Information Sheet.

The form will be added to the catalogue of forms approved for the campus.

Departments shall advise the Forms Management Officer of any discontinued forms. Adjustment to the Forms Management record shall be made and the discontinuance shall be reported in the required annual report.

A form is a document with a standard format for the systematic and repetitive collection, maintenance, or transmission of information.

For purpose of this Program, the following shall NOT be considered as forms:

1. Work Sheets and other documents used exclusively by the department of origin which, when completed, are not retained for audit purposes;
2. Forms created by other entities, e.g., federal, state, county, municipal, corporate, other universities and institutions;
3. One-time forms, for a specific project;
4. Form letters, memoranda;
5. Letterhead, envelopes, labels, tags, tab cards;
6. Licenses, certificates, diplomas;
7. Brochures, maps, charts, manuals, booklets, pamphlets, posters;
8. ID cards and passes, permits;
9. Tests, examinations, quizzes;
10. Menus, announcements.

Forms requiring printing (other than produced by photocopier) are to be ordered from the campus Printing Department or requisitioned through UMCP Procurement and Supply. "HM" or any other delegated Small Purchase Orders are NOT valid for purchase of forms.

Questions related to the Forms Management Program may be referred to the Forms Management Officer, Department of Communication and Business Services, ext. 54554.