Government Retention Policies

In case you were ever wondering, here is what the government actually has to do in terms of retaining their electronic documents. Whether or not they actually have the ability to do this is another story. Source can be found here.

Document	Retention Period
(1) Records pertaining to Contract Disputes Act actions.	6 years and 3 months after final action or decision for files created prior to October 1, 1979. 1 year after final action or decision for files created on or after October 1, 1979.
(2) Contracts (and related records or documents, including successful proposals) exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold for other than construction.	6 years and 3 months after final payment.
(3) Contracts (and related records or documents, including successful proposals) at or below the simplified acquisition threshold for other than construction.	3 years after final payment.
(4) Construction contracts:
(i) Above $2,000.	6 years and 3 months after final payment.
(ii) $2,000 or less.	3 years after final payment.
(iii) Related records or documents, including successful proposals, except for contractor's payrolls (see (b)(4)(iv)).	Same as contract file.
(iv) Contractor's payrolls submitted in accordance with Department of Labor regulations, with related certifications, anti-kickback affidavits, and other related papers.	3 years after contract completion unless contract performance is the subject of an enforcement action on that date.
(5) Solicited and unsolicited unsuccessful offers, quotations, bids, and proposals:	.
(i) Relating to contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold.	If filed separately from contract file, until contract is completed. Otherwise, the same as related contract file.
(ii) Relating to contracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold.	1 year after date of award or until final payment, whichever is later.
(6) Files for canceled solicitations.	5 years after cancellation.
(7) Other copies of procurement file records used by component elements of a contracting office for administrative purposes.	Upon termination or completion.
(8) Documents pertaining generally to the contractor as described at 4.801(c)(3).	Until superseded or obsolete.
(9) Data submitted to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). Electronic data file maintained by fiscal year, containing unclassified records of all procurements other than simplified acquisitions, and information required under 4.603.	5 years after submittal to FPDS.
(10) Investigations, cases pending or in litigation (including protests), or similar matters.	Until final clearance or settlement, or, if related to a document identified in (b)(1) - (9), for the retention period specified for the related document, whichever is later.