Senior Agency Official for Records Management (SAORM)

The Senior Agency Official for Records Management (SAORM) is a senior executive each federal agency must designate to provide high-level accountability for the agency’s records management program. The role was established to ensure records management has executive sponsorship and is tied to agency leadership, not left solely to operational staff.

The SAORM ensures the agency’s program complies with the Federal Records Act and NARA requirements, supports the transition to electronic recordkeeping, and reports annually to NARA on the agency’s progress. The SAORM works alongside the Agency Records Officer (the records officer who runs the program day to day): the SAORM provides authority and accountability; the records officer provides execution.