PART II

Requirements for Agency Initiated Correspondence

General Requirements: Agency initiated (sponsored) correspondence is defined as any document or literature transmitted to constituents, businesses, or other entities for information or follow up purposes from an agency, department, sub–unit, or employee. Examples include, but are not limited to, publications, informative literature (e.g. brochures and pamphlets), transaction–based correspondence, letters, email, faxes, and memoranda.

The following instructions specifically apply to all agency initiated (sponsored) correspondence to constituents, businesses, agencies or other entities. These documents at a minimum must:

• include a contact telephone number for constituent questions. Staff members who answer this telephone number should have an understanding of what the literature entails and how to further assist with inquiries.
• include the date of publication to regulate version control and timeliness of information.
• be edited to ensure that the message conveys appropriate information and is free from grammatical and spelling errors.

If agency initiated correspondence contains additional contact information, all information provided should be standard (i.e. main agency email, fax, and street address), in order that employee turnover will not make contact information obsolete.

Facsimiles are considered correspondence and employees should follow standards for handling faxed documents as outlined herein. Additionally, these documents should:

• be standard and professional. Faxes should not contain personal logos or phrases that are different from the mission or goals of the agency or government.
• include the originators contact information should the fax arrive at the wrong office/entity or require additional follow up.
• be edited to ensure that the message conveys appropriate information and is free from grammatical and spelling errors.