Guidelines for Determination of Fee Estimates

'regular' files:

mostly even sized records (letter or legal size); regular bond paper, with a minimum of documents with staples or cerloxed reports;
e.g., a correspondence file

'mixed' files:

individual records are of different sizes and different weights of paper, some are double-sided, some are not, the file may also contain large maps or plans; e.g., a subdivision file

Measurements

Average File folder - 1"

Average file holds 200 pages (single-sided)

1 Standard Records Centre Services Box (1 cubic foot):

• if in legal sized folders
• if in letter sized folders

-   1,800 pages
-   2,200 pages

Notes:

• This does not mean that all pages in the folders are legal or letter sized.
  It means that the paper in the box is in either legal or letter sized folders, and therefore the number of folders is limited by their arrangement in the box.
• This does not allow for double-sided documents. If a large proportion of the documents are double-sided, adjust numbers proportionately.
• Files may vary — another guide is: a regular file with only 8½" x 11" pages may contain up to 250 pages and a mixed file (with some double-sided) may contain 215–225

Microfilm:

• 108 rolls of microfilm = 1 cubic foot = 276,000 pages
• 3360 fiche = 1 cubic foot
• COM fiche (most typical) contain 1–270 images:
• at 24x reduction 63 images
• at 42x reduction 208 images
• at 48x reduction 270 images

• Aperture cards contains 1–8 images on a 35mm frame
• Jackets contains 1–75 images
• Roll 16mm  3,000 images if filmed comic 2,000–2,500 images if filmed cine

Locating/Retrieving/Searching for Records

Includes time spent:

• reviewing file lists and off-site lists (active and semi-active) and generating a list of files
• calling boxes from off-site storage (i.e., the time required to phone and ask for the retrieval of the boxes from off-site storage)
• consulting with staff about content of specific boxes of files
• pulling paper files out of cabinets
• pulling specific paper records out of files
• reading through files to determine whether the records are responsive — estimated time to read/review files for documents is 15 minutes per 1" file
• determining how many records might be in each file when all files not yet retrieved — do random sample of files found, determine average number of documents found in each — use this as estimate for balance of files. Add 10% as a cushion.
• viewing videotapes and listening to audio tapes to determine whether they are responsive to request
• electronic records:
• searching e-mail records and printing any records responsive to the request
• searching other electronic records and printing any records responsive to request

Notes:

• First three hours are not chargeable.
• Does not include the costs of retrieving boxes from off-site storage or shipping boxes back to off-site storage. Outside the radius where costs are covered by contracts with the British Columbia Archives Branch (generally the lower mainland and Victoria), charges to ministries would apply.

Preparing Records for Disclosure

Use either of the following processes, depending on circumstances.

1.

Includes (per order 157):

• time to prepare records for photocopying (remove staples, etc.)
• time to photocopy the records
• time it takes to put the file back together again (re-file, re-staple, put reports back in cerlox coils, etc.)
• time it takes to prepare the package — includes assembling the package, ensuring the package is complete and preparing the package for shipping or viewing. Estimated time for this is 30 minutes for 'regular' and 60 minutes for 'mixed,' depending on the size of the package.

** This estimate is dependent upon the specificity of the request.

2.

Includes:

• A general estimate used by some ministries is ¼ the cost of the copying equals the estimated time to prepare the records for disclosure. Other ministries use the rate of ½ minute to 1 minute per page for preparing records for disclosure.
  This charge is dependent on specific circumstances of the request.

Notes:

• If ministries wish to record the actual times spent on preparing records for disclosure, the actual charges would be applied.
• The above does not include the cost of copying records in regions and districts to send to head office for processing.

Copies

Includes:

• Receiving copies - charge for the number of copies made to send to applicant.
• Viewing files - charge for the number of copies that must be made to allow viewing of the documents (i.e., those that must be severed). If program area requires the file for ongoing purposes and the file must be copied to allow viewing, charge for those copies as well.

Note:

• Cost per page - refers to the cost per side, not the cost per sheet.

Shipping

• Use standard post office rates.
• Courier - only used at applicant's expense. If applicant wishes records sent by courier, then the applicant makes the arrangements and pays the fees.

Notes:

• Shipping does not include the cost of shipping records from regions and districts to head office.
• The costs of sending third party notifications by registered mail are not chargeable.

Other

• All applicants are charged non-commercial fees.
• The costs of severing all formats of records are not chargeable.
• The costs of time spent invigilating are not chargeable.