Guide to Crafting Documents (GCD)
The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) has released the 2018 Edition, Revision 2.2 of its Document Development Handbook (DDH), providing updated guidance for drafting Federal Register documents. The new edition is now available as a PDF and online, offering revised instructions, changes in processes, and reminders for federal agencies to follow.
One of the key updates in the DDH is the removal of the requirement to provide extra original documents or certified copies of paper documents sent for publication in the Federal Register. Revision 2.2 also corrects several links and adds a reminder to make 508-compliant forms available when publishing the form in the Federal Register.
Another significant change concerns the process for rules with information collections requirements that haven't been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The updated guidance includes new instructions for these rules.
In addition, the DDH now permanently adopts the COVID-19 policy to discontinue accepting floppy disks. This policy is part of the ongoing effort to modernise the process of submitting documents for publication in the Federal Register.
The updated DDH provides detailed instructions on correcting and withdrawing documents, including corrections to a notice, proposed rule, rule, and corrections to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). For specific questions about these processes, users are advised to contact the OFR Scheduling Unit at [email protected].
For questions about the Federal Register Act or regulations, users can contact the Legal Affairs and Policy Division at [email protected]. For problems with webportal accounts or sending documents through the webportal, users can contact OFR technical support at [email protected].
The DDH includes appendices on letter templates, PKI and digital signature, drafting conventions no longer permitted, and an index of tables and examples. For technical assistance in drafting complex documents or requests for special formatting, users are encouraged to contact their agency's Federal Register Liaison Officer.
All federal agencies are required to begin using this version of the DDH by June 9, 2025. Users are advised to consult the OFR's official publications or website for authoritative, detailed information on changes to the DDH or any revisions related to "Revise and Republish."
For more information, users can refer to the DDH's chapter on electronic files and online transmissions (Chapter 6) or visit the OFR's website at www.federalregister.gov.
- With the new edition of the Document Development Handbook (DDH), the avenue for education-and-self-development in online-education has broadened as users now have access to detailed instructions on correcting and withdrawing documents, learning about electronic files, and online transmissions in Chapter 6.
- In line with the ongoing effort to modernize the process of submitting documents for publication in the Federal Register, the DDH now offers learning opportunities on utilizing the latest technology, such as the inclusion of PKI and digital signature information in its appendices.
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