|
Administrative Appeal |
A request
to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher administrative level
a FOIA determination made by the agency at the initial request level. |
|
Average Number |
The number
obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the quantity of
numbers in the group. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is
8. |
|
Backlog |
The number
of requests or administrative appeals that are pending at an agency at the
end of the fiscal year that are beyond the statutory time period for a
response. |
|
Component |
For
agencies that process requests on a decentralized basis, a “component” is
an entity, also sometimes referred to as an Office, Division, Bureau,
Center, or Directorate, within an agency that processes FOIA requests. The
FOIA now requires that agencies include in their Annual FOIA Report data
for both the agency overall and for each principal component of the
agency. |
|
Consultation |
The
procedure whereby the agency responding to a FOIA request first forwards a
record to another agency for its review because the other agency has an
interest in the document. Once the agency in receipt of the consultation
finishes its review of the record, it responds back to the agency that
forwarded it. That agency, in turn, will then respond to the FOIA
requester. |
|
Exemption 3 Statute |
A federal
statute that exempts information from disclosure and which the agency
relies on to withhold information under subsection (b)(3) of the FOIA. |
|
FOIA Request |
A FOIA request is generally a request to a federal agency for access to
records concerning another person (i.e., a “third-party” request), or
concerning an organization, or a particular topic of interest. FOIA
requests also include request made by requesters seeking records
concerning themselves (i.e., “first-party” request) when those requesters
are not subject to the Privacy Act, such as non U.S. citizens. Moreover,
because all first- party requesters should be afforded the benefit of both
the access provisions of the FOIA as well as those of the Privacy Act,
FOIA requests also include any first-party requests where an agency
determines that it must search beyond its Privacy Act “system of records”
or where a Privacy Act exemption applies, and the agency looks to FOIA to
afford the greatest possible access. All requests which require the agency
to utilize the FOIA in responding to the requester are included in this
Report.
Additionally, a FOIA request includes records referred to the agency for
processing and direct response to the requester. It does not, however,
include records for which the agency has received a consultation from
another agency. (Consultations are reported separately in Section XII of
this Report.) |
|
Full Grant |
An agency decision to disclose all records in full response to a FOIA
request. |
|
Full Denial |
An agency decision not to release any records in response to a FOIA
request because the records are exempt in their entireties under one or
more of the FOIA exemptions, or because of a procedural reason, such as
when no records could be located. |
|
Median Number |
The middle number, not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the
medial number is 7. |
|
Multi-Track Processing |
A system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal review are
placed in one processing track and more voluminous and complex requests
are placed in one or more other tracks. Requests granted expedited
processing are placed in yet another track. Requests in each track are
processed on a first in/ first out basis. |
|
-Expedited Processing |
An agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a
requester satisfies the requirements for expedited processing as set forth
in the statute and in agency regulations. |
|
-Simple Request |
A FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in its
fastest (non-expedited) track based on the low volume and/or simplicity of
the records requested. |
|
-Complex Request |
A FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in a
slower track based on the high volume and/or complexity of the records
requested. |
|
Partial Grant/Partial Denial |
In response to a FOIA request, an agency decision to disclose portions of
the records and to withhold other portions that are exempt under the FOIA,
or to otherwise deny a portion of the request for a procedural reason. |
|
Pending Request or Pending Administrative Appeal |
A request or administrative appeal for which an agency has not taken final
action in all respects. |
| "Perfected" request |
A request for records which reasonably describes such records and is made
in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any)
and procedures to be followed. |
|
Processed Request or Processed Administrative Appeal |
A request or administrative appeal for which an agency has taken final
action in all respects. |
|
Range in Number of Days |
The lowest and highest number of days to process requests or
administrative appeals. |
|
Time Limits |
The time period in the statute for an agency to respond to a FOIA request
(ordinarily twenty working days from receipt of a perfected FOIA request). |
|
1 |
Classified national defense and foreign relations information |
|
2 |
Internal agency rules and practices. |
|
3 |
Information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law. |
|
4 |
Trade secrets and other confidential information. |
|
5 |
Inter-agency or intra-agency communications that ate protected by legal
privileges. |
|
6 |
Information involving matters of personal privacy. |
|
7 |
Records or information complied for law enforcement purposes, to the
extent that the production of those records (A) could reasonably be
expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a
person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, (C) could
reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal
privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose techniques and
procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would
disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or
(F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety
of any individual. |
|
8 |
Classified national defense and foreign relations information |
|
9 |
Classified national defense and foreign relations information |
