Purpose:

To ensure that records related to the competitive bidding process sufficient to provide evidence of conformity with the procedures are maintained and are readily identifiable and retrievable.

Applies to:

The FC TREC Secretariat

Reference Documents:

Act 547, Act 617

LI 1649, LI 1721

Record Index System

Procedure:

1.       Records covered by this procedure include:

a)        details of each area identified for allocation as a TUC;

b)        agreement of all parties as set out in LI 1649, Regulations 2, 3, 4, and 5 that each area identified is suitable and available for allocation under a TUC, including consents where applicable;

c)        reports on each area identified as set out in LI 1649, Regulations 6 and 7;

d)        TUC areas advertised for bidding;

e)        details of all applications for pre-qualification for bidding;

f)          minutes of the TREC's deliberations and decisions on pre-qualification of applicants;

g)        the TREC's report on each bidding;

h)        records for each TUC awarded including: completion of pre-operational requirements, receipts of fees, monitoring reports;

i)          records concerning nullification of award of a TUC;

j)          records concerning legal proceedings and sanctions related to each TUC.

2.       The FC TREC Secretariat is primarily responsible for management and integrity of the record system.

3.       An index system [described below] must be maintained.

4.       Records may be stored in either electronic or hard copy formats. 

5.       A back-up copy of each record stored in electronic format must be made on the same day that the record was created and stored on a separate medium (e.g. a separate server, the hard drive of another computer, or a floppy diskette/CD) that is maintained in a physically separate location.

6.       Adequate password protection must be installed to ensure that only authorised persons have access to records that are stored electronically.

7.       Appropriate steps must be taken to protect all records stored in hard-copy format from loss or damage.

8.       Only authorised persons may remove hard-copy records from their files and FC TREC Secretariat must note the identity of that person and the time and date when a record was removed and returned to the file.

9.       Each record must clearly identify the dates on which it was created and modified.

10.   Each record that relates to a TUC area must be assigned a unique identifier that references only that TUC area.

11.   Each record that relates to any person (individual or body corporate) that has applied for pre-qualification for a TUC or holds a TUC or any other right to utilise timber must be assigned a unique identifier that references only that person.

12.   Records that are commercially confidential or contain individuals' personally identifiable information must be clearly identified as such and distinguished from those records that may be released to the public.

13.   Adequate steps must be taken to assure the commercial confidentiality of business information and the privacy of personal data, including signing of non-disclosure undertakings by all personnel who have authorised access to records.