1. NATURE OF FAS’ FOIA OPERATIONS

The FAS FOIA operation was located in the Public Affairs Division in the Office of the Administrator.  The Division’s deputy director served as the FAS FOIA Officer; it is a part-time responsibility.  She is responsible for logging and tracking requests, drafting the annual report, and serving as the agency’s technical expert on FOIA.  Information on how to make a request under FOIA is available on the FAS homepage.  FAS FOIA employee guidelines and sample letters are available on the agency’s intranet.  

FAS receives about 50 FOIA requests per year.   FAS conducts FOIA operations as a decentralized process.  FAS field locations are at U.S. embassies around the world.  FAS personnel tasked with responding to a FOIA request work closely with the FAS FOIA Officer to search and review documents in response to a request.  The FOIA Officer reviews all responses. 

2. AREAS SELECTED FOR REVIEW

FAS identified the following potential improvement areas:

--Proactive disclosure of information
--Forms of communications with requesters
--Process by which necessary cooperation is obtained from agency personnel

3. NARRATIVE STATEMENT SUMMARIZING RESULTS OF REVIEW

FAS consisted of five program areas plus the Office of the Administrator.  The FOIA officer resides in the Officer of the Administrator.  The five program areas had a designated contact for processing FOIA requests.  The FOIA officer logs in the request and determines which program area should be assigned.  The program area contacts determine who in their program area should handle the request.  In fiscal year 2005, FAS responded to 44 requests, with 34 full releases, 6 no records found, 3 full denials, and 1 referral to another agency.  FAS had no appeals.  All of the denials for documents fell under exemption 4, commercial or financial information.  The median number of days to process a request was 14. 

Due to the small number of requests, the agency does not use tracking software.  The FOIA officer encourages program areas to respond to requesters via email if possible and to document the communication.  The agency does not have a backlog.

The FAS Web page includes a section titled “How to Make a FOIA Request to FAS.” The information advises visitors that documents that they request could already be available online without filing a request, and examples are provided.  If the agency receives three or more requests for the same documents, the material is posted online.

4. AREAS CHOSEN AS IMPROVEMENT AREAS FOR PLAN FOR FAS

1.  Proactive disclosure of information

Goal:  Encourage FAS program areas to increase the amount of information available electronically via the FAS Website.

Target completion:  Ongoing.

Steps

2.  Forms of communications with requesters

Goal:  Encourage FAS program areas to increase communication with FOIA requesters about their requests.

Target completion:  Ongoing.

Steps

• Meet with agency and program area leadership annually to encourage them to take the initiative with requesters to improve the clarity of all agency-requester communications.  Completed by 9-30-06 and continuing thereafter.
   

• Review each incoming FOIA request with responding office to determine if the request requires a phone call or email to clarify the request or if the request could be handled via phone or email.  Ongoing.

3.  Process by which necessary cooperation is obtained from agency personnel.

Goal:  Reinforce employees’ understanding of FOIA legal requirements to ensure continued compliance.

Target completion:  Ongoing.

Steps

• Meet with agency and program area leadership annually to outline FOIA legal requirements and encourage them to communicate the importance of meeting those requirements to staff handling requests.  Completed by 9-30-06 and continuing thereafter.
   

• Review each FOIA response for timeliness and completeness. Ongoing.

5. IMPROVEMENT TIME PERIODS

--Proactive disclosure of information

Areas anticipated to be completed by 12-31-07

--Forms of communications with requesters

Areas anticipated to be completed after 12-31-07

--Process by which necessary cooperation is obtained from agency personnel