Document Submittal Guidelines

IDEM now has a Virtual File Cabinet (VFC) to capture, store, file, distribute, and securely access electronic documents. The VFC should streamline document management and increase service to the public by providing direct access to documents via the internet.

In order to realize the benefits of VFC, IDEM has had to learn what the system will efficiently handle, given the limitations common to web-based technologies. IDEM staff developed guidelines to minimize the number of staff hours that we must spend to upload and access files, and maximize the time available to review documents and interact with our customers.

Your cooperation with these guidelines will benefit your projects. All Office of Land Quality staff use VFC for reviewing documents and delays in uploading documents to VFC can disrupt their workload and unnecessarily extend project schedules as well as delay public access to the documents.

Guidelines

• For all documents larger than 10 pages or that have color text or graphics, submit 2 paper copies and 1 CD or DVD containing the complete report and associated data files.
  • Two paper copies are required to allow simultaneous review by both technical staff and project/ permit managers.
  • Label CD/DVDs with program name, site name, site/FID number, document title(s), data file name(s), and date.
• For all documents 10 pages or less that does not have color text or graphics a CD/DVD is not required.
• If you are submitting QA/QC documentation with a report, include full QA/QC documentation of lab data on a CD or DVD containing the complete report (including QA/QC documentation). Make sure to include pagination and a Table of Contents. The second paper copy of your report does not need to include the QA/QC documentation.
• If you are submitting an Excess Liability Trust Fund (ELTF) claim for eligibility or cost, include one, single-sided paper copy of the entire claim and one CD/DVD containing the claim and all pertinent back-up as a PDF.
• Paper documents should be duplex (except for ELFT claims) and printed on white bond paper.
• Binding paper documents is optional.
• The paper copies and CD/DVDs should be mailed to the appropriate project manager or permit manager at the following address:

100 North Senate Avenue
MC [Program Mail Code *] IGCN 1101
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

Please replace the [Program Mail Code] with the appropriate mail code found below.

Electronic Documents

• Electronic document files should be no larger than 75MB.
  • When splitting larger files into 75MB sections, a document identification page should be included as the first page of each subsequent section.
  • The document identification page should include the document title, date, and section (i.e. Part X of Y).
  • You may compress the electronic document files using the Zip file format (.zip) to reduce the file size.
• File names for electronic documents must not include any symbols, i.e.:
  • exclamation point (!)
  • pound symbol (#)
  • dollar sign ($)
  • percent sign (%)
  • ampersand (&)
  • asterisk (*)
  • single quote/apostrophe (') or double quotes (")
  • at symbol (@)
  • slash (/) or backslash (/)
• Reports should be submitted as Portable Document Format (.pdf) files, version 8.0 or lower. Acceptable file formats for images are .PDF and .TIF. Data files should be formatted according to OLQ Electronic Data File Submittal Guidelines.
• Embedded images or graphics must not be included in documents (Non-embedded images and graphics are acceptable).

Communication of any changes to document submittal guidelines will be:

• Presented at Consultants’ Day.
• Posted on the OLQ Program Websites.
• Fliers will be enclosed with outgoing mail for three months after any changes to guidelines.
• Emailed to anyone on the OLQDATA notification list. You may register for the list on the OLQ Electronic Data File Submittal Guidelines Web page.

OLQ Mail Codes