FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION ACT
ANNUAL REPORT
FY2007
I. Basic Information Regarding Report
-
Name, title, address, and telephone number of person(s)
to be contacted with questions about the report.
Paula
D. Sweeney, Records Manager Selective Service System Arlington, VA 22209-2425 Telephone: 703-605-4046
-
An electronic copy of the report may be obtained by accessing
the Selective Service System Home Page at the following
address:
www.sss.gov
-
A copy of this report in paper form may be obtained by requesting
a copy in writing to the address stated in I.A. above.
II.
How to Make a FOIA Request
-
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual
agency components and offices that receive FOIA requests.
Paula
D. Sweeney, Records Manager Selective Service System Arlington, VA 22209-2425 Telephone: 703-605-4046
-
Brief description of the agency’s response time ranges.
The
Selective Service’s response time ranges from 1 to
20 days depending on the complexity of the request.
-
Brief description of why some requests are not granted.
Requests
which are not granted are usually denied because no records
are available.
III.
Definitions of Terms and Acronyms Used in the Report (to be
included in each report)
-
Agency-specific acronyms or other terms.
N/A
-
Basic terms, expressed in common terminology.
-
FOIA/PA Request – Freedom of
Information/Privacy Act request. A FOIA request is
generally a request for access to records concerning a third
party, an organization, or a particular topic of interest.
A Privacy Act request is a request for records concerning
oneself; such requests are also treated as FOIA requests.
(All requests for access to records, regardless of which law
is cited by there requester, are included in this report.)
-
Initial Request – a
request to a federal agency for access to records under the
Freedom of Information Act.
-
Appeal – a request to
a federal agency asking that it review at a higher
administrative level a full denial or partial denial of
access to records under the Freedom of Information Act, or
any other FOIA determination such as a matter pertaining to
fees.
-
Processed Request or Appeal – a request or appeal for which
an agency has taken a final action on the request or the
appeal in all respects.
-
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 in each track are processed
on a first-in/first-out basis. A requester who has an
urgent need for records may request expedited processing
(see below).
-
Expedited processing
– an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited
basis when a requester has shown an exceptional need or
urgency for the records which warrants prioritization of his
or her request over other requests that were made earlier.
-
Simple request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing
places in its fastest (nonexpedited) track based on the
volume and/or simplicity of records requested.
-
Complex request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing
places in a slower track based on the volume and/or
complexity of records requested.
-
Grant – an agency
decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request.
-
Partial grant – an agency decision to
disclose a record in part in response to a FOIA request,
deleting information determined to be exempt under one or
more of the FOIA’s exemptions; or a decision to disclose
some records in their entireties, but to withhold other in
whole or in part.
-
Denial - an agency
decision to disclose a record in part of a
record or
records in response to a FOIA request because all the
information in the requested records is determined by the
agency to be exempt under one or more of the FOIA’s
exemptions, or for some procedural reason (such as because
no records is located in response to a FOIA request).
-
Time limits
– the
time period in the Freedom of Information Act for an agency
to respond to a request (ordinarily 20 working days from
proper receipt of a “perfected” FOIA request).
-
“Perfected”
request – a FOIA request for records which adequately
describes the records sought, which has been received by
the FOIA office of the agency or agency component in
possession of the records, and for which there is no
remaining question about the payment of applicable fees.
-
Exemption 3 statute – a separate
federal statute prohibiting the disclosure of a certain type
of information and authorizing its withholding under FOIA
subsection (b)(3).
-
Median number – the
middle, not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14,
the median number is 7.
-
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.
IV.
Exemption 3 Statutes
-
List of Exemption 3 statutes relied on by agency during
current fiscal year.
-
Brief description of type(s) of information withheld under
each statute.
N/A
-
Statement of whether a court has upheld the use of each
statute. If so, then cite example.
N/A
V.
Initial FOIA/PA Access Requests
-
Numbers of initial requests.
Total of the numbers in
lines 1 and 2, minus the number in line 3 should equal the
number in line 4.
-
Number of requests
pending as of end of preceding fiscal year. 0
-
Number of requests
received during current fiscal year. 35
-
Number of requests
processing during current fiscal year. 35
-
Number of requests
pending as of end of current fiscal year. 0
(Enter this number also
in Line VII.B.1.)
-
Disposition of initial requests.
-
Number of total
grants 34
-
Number of partial
grants 0
-
Number of denials
0
-
number of times each FOIA exemption used (counting each
exemption once per request)
(1) Exemption 1
0
(2) Exemption 2
0
(3)
Exemption 3 0
(4) Exemption 4
0
(5)
Exemption 5 0
(6) Exemption 6
0
(7) Exemption 7 (A)
0
(8) Exemption 7 (B)
0
(9)
Exemption 7 (C) 0
(10) Exemption 7 (D)
0
(11) Exemption 7 (E)
0
(12) Exemption 7 (F)
0
(13)
Exemption 8 0
(14) Exemption 9
0
-
Other reasons for nondisclosure (total) 1
-
no records
0
-
referrals
0
-
request withdrawn
0
-
fee-related reason
0
-
records not reasonably described
0
-
not a proper FOIA request for some other reason
0
-
not an agency record
0
-
duplicate request
0
-
other (specify)
1 (More information needed to process request)
VI.
Appeals of Initial Denials of FOIA/PA Requests
-
Numbers of appeals.
-
Number of appeals received during fiscal year
1
-
Number of appeals processed during fiscal year
1
-
Disposition of appeals.
-
Number completely upheld
1
-
Number partially reversed
0
-
Number completely reversed
0
-
number of times each FOIA exemption used (counting each
exemption once per appeal)
(1) Exemption 1
0
(2)
Exemption 2 0
(3) Exemption 3
0
(4) Exemption 4
0
(5) Exemption 5
0
(6) Exemption 6
1
(7) Exemption 7(A)
0
(8) Exemption 7(B)
0
(9) Exemption 7(C)
0
(10)
Exemption 7(D) 0
(11) Exemption 7(E)
0
(12) Exemption 7(F)
0
(13) Exemption 8
0
(14) Exemption 9
0
-
Other reasons for nondisclosure (total) 0
-
no records
0
-
referrals
0
-
request withdrawn
0
-
fee-related reason
0
-
records not reasonably described
0
-
not a proper FOIA request for some other reason
0
-
not an agency record
0
-
duplicate request
0
-
other (specify)
0
VII.
Compliance with Time Limits/Status of Pending Requests
-
Median processing time for requests processed during the
year.
-
Simple requests (if multiple tracks used).
-
number of requests processed
35
-
median number of days to process
10
-
Complex requests (specify for any and all tracks used).
-
number of requests processed
0
-
median number of days to process
0
-
Request accorded expedited processing.
-
number of requests processed
0
-
median number of days to process
0
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Status of pending requests.
Agencies
using multiple tracks may provide numbers of each track,
as well as totals.
-
Number of requests pending as of end of current fiscal year
0 (Enter this number from line V.A.4.)
-
Median number of days that such requests were pending as
of that date 0
VIII.
Comparison with Previous Year(s) (Optional)
Requests
for expedited processing:
-
Number of requests received: 0
-
Number of requests processed: 0
IX.
Costs/FOIA Staffing
-
Staffing levels.
-
Number of full-time FOIA personnel
0
-
Number of personnel with part-time or occasional FOIA
duties (in total work-years) .03
-
Total number of personnel (in work-years)
.03
-
Total costs (including staff and all resources)
-
FOIA processing (including appeals)
$1,686
-
Litigation-related activities (estimated)
0
-
Total costs
$1,686
-
Comparison with previous year(s) (including percentage of
change)(optional) 0
-
Statement of additional resources needed for FOIA compliance
(optional) 0
X.
Fees
This
includes charges for search, review, document duplication,
and any other direct costs permitted under agency regulations.
-
Total number of fees collected by agency for processing
requests 0
-
Percentage of total costs
0
XI.
FOIA Regulations (Including Fee Schedule)
An electronic copy may be obtained by
accessing the Selective Service System’s home page at the
following address:
www.sss.gov
XII.
Activities under FOIA Improvement Plan
-
Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement
plan (if applicable)
Not
applicable
-
Report on agency implementation
of its plan, including its performance in meeting milestones
with respect to each improvement area.
Four areas for potential improvement were
selected in our FY2006 plan: affirmative disclosure,
proactive disclosure, overall website improvement, and
improvement of FOIA reference guide. Following our plan,
SSS has achieved its goals and milestones for affirmative
disclosure, proactive disclosure and overall website
improvement in spite of shifting priorities within a two
person part-time staff. Nevertheless, anticipated benefits
have been realized. Specifically, appropriate Agency
documents have been posted and have fostered greater direct
public access online. Further, in the area of proactive
disclosure a less cluttered, more searchable website is in
place and continues to be monitored for betterment.
Addressing overall website improvement, public feedback and
contractor inputs have ensured that the Selective Service
website is relevant, anticipatory of customer actual
concerns, and simple to navigate. In only one area,
Improvement of FOIA Reference Guide, did one action miss the
originally established milestones.
-
Identification
and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones
(if applicable).
Only one planned
action,
rewrite and post on SSS website a
FOIA Reference Guide to increase public awareness of FOIA
processing,
was not accomplished according to our original milestone.
This shortfall resulted from the milestone being too
ambitious given constrained part-time contractor operating
within a dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
Nevertheless, management acknowledged the incomplete action,
changed priorities, focused on the item, and completed the
action 21 November 2007.
-
FOIA
Improvement Plan area to which the deficient milestones
relate. Improvement of FOIA Reference Guide. Goal: Rewrite
and post on SSS website a FOIA Reference Guide to increase
public awareness of FOIA processing.
-
Deficient milestones and the original
target dates from the FOIA Improvement Plan.
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Benchmark other federal agency examples of FOIA Reference Guides, by 15 Sep 06.
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Author a FOIA Reference Guide tailored to
the SSS FOIA program incorporating government-wide best
practices, by 31 Oct 06.
-
Load Reference Guide on FOIA
pages of SSS website, by 15 Dec 06.
-
Steps taken to correct the
deficiencies and the dates by which the steps were
completed.
-
Re-prioritized
the workload on 15 Jan 07.
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Rewrote 50
percent of the Guide by 1 May 07, and 100 percent of the
Guide by 1 Sep 07.
-
Completed
loading of the Guide on FOIA pages of Agency Web site by 21
Nov 07.
-
No additional steps are necessary.
-
Additional narrative statement regarding other executive
order-related activities (optional)
Not
applicable
-
Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
Over
past year and currently, exemptions #6 (invasion of personal privacy)
has been utilized.
-
Additional statistics:
-
Ten Oldest Pending FOIA Requests -
(As of January 1,
2008)
Calendar Year |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
Requests |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-
Consultations
- Number of Consultations Received,
Processed, and Pending
Consultations Received From Other Agencies During
FY07 |
Consultations Received From Other Agencies
That Were Processed by Your Agency During FY07
(includes those received prior to FY07) |
Consultations Received From Other Agencies
That Were Pending at Your Agency as of October
1,2007 (includes those received prior to FY07) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-
Ten Oldest
Pending Consultations Received From Other Agencies
Calendar Year |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
Consults
Received |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|