I. Basic Information Regarding Plan:

A. Name, title, address, and telephone number of person to be contacted with questions about the report:

Richard S. Flahavan, Chief FOIA Officer, Selective Service System National Headquarters, Arlington, VA 22204-2359, (703) 605-4100

B. Electronic address for report may be obtained by accessing the Selective Service System (SSS) Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.sss.gov.

C. A paper copy of this report can be obtained by writing to the SSS FOIA Requester Service Center at the address in I.A. above, or by downloading a copy from the Internet site listed in subparagraph B. above.

II. Nature of SSS FOIA Operations:

A. SSS is a small independent agency of the federal Executive Branch, operating with permanent authorization under the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.), to serve the emergency manpower needs of the Department of Defense if conscription becomes necessary. The Agency remains ready to implement a draft of untrained manpower or health care professionals if directed by the Congress and the president to do so in a national crisis. Its statutory mission also includes being ready to administer an alternative service program, in lieu of military service, for men classified as conscientiously opposed to any form of military service.

B. Information relevant to SSS programs and policies is available through the SSS website at www.sss.gov. Additionally, the Agency responds annually to thousands of written, telephonic and email requests for general SSS information, registration information specific to an individual, and historical data all of which is outside the formal FOIA program.

C. The SSS FOIA program is operated on a day-to-day basis in a professional and efficient manner by the Chief FOIA Officer. This individual manages the FOIA Requester Service Center which received 25 requests during the last reporting period, FY 2005. 100% were responded to, averaging six days to process, and 0% were denied or appealed. FOIA requests are scanned and forwarded to the appropriate office for action. SSS is pleased to report that it does not have a backlog of FOIA requests.

III. Areas Selected for Review:

A. Affirmative Disclosure
B. Proactive Disclosure
C. Overall Website Improvement
D. Improvement of FOIA Reference Guide
E. Acknowledgments

IV. Review Results:

A. SSS considered the 27 potential improvement areas listed in Executive Order 13392 Implementation Guidance. Twenty-two of the potential improvement areas were determined to be acceptable in current practice based upon performance evaluation or not warranted for review because of the small number of requests received by the Agency.

B. Of the five areas selected for closer review, one – acknowledgments – also was determined to be acceptable or not warranted. Records Officer reports little or no follow-up inquiries such that current high level of responsiveness obviates need for separate acknowledgment letters – answer to the requester was dispatched on average in a mere six days or less: the acknowledgment would arrive just immediately prior to the answer itself.

V. Areas Selected for Improvement:

A. Affirmative Disclosure

• B. Proactive Disclosure

• Goal. Add to website searchable information addressing those areas which are queried most frequently by the public.
  
• Actions.
1. Survey staff offices for applicable records and documents.
2. Scan applicable records and documents as PDF files.
3. Load records and documents on FOIA pages of SSS website.
   
• Milestones.

  1. Complete Action 1 by 31 Dec 06
  2. Finish Action 2 by 1 Mar 07
  3. Accomplish Action 3 by 30 May 07
     
• Measures.

  1. Compare completion of actions to milestone dates.
  2. Annual review of records and documents created during the previous year to validate retention.

  C. Overall Website Improvement

• Goal. Evaluate the look, feel, and content of the SSS website based upon user feedback and contractor input, always mindful of relevant data and ease of navigation by the public.
  
• Actions.
  1. Review periodically the SSS website to identify sections warranting update.
  2. Assess visual presentation of website, in consultation with SSS webmaster, and employ format changes to better assist potential requesters.
  3. Monitor public/user feedback to foster clarity and user-friendly site.
• Milestones.
  1. Complete Action 1 quarterly (30 Sep 06, 31 Dec 06, 31 Mar 07, 30 Jun 07, 30 Sep 07)
  2. Complete Action 2 as necessary, but at least annually
  3. Accomplish Action 3 as feedback is provided
• Measures.
  1. Compare completion of actions to milestone dates.
  2. Appropriate adjustments are tracked and applied as they become known to FOIA staff.

D. Improvement of FOIA Reference Guide

• Goal. Rewrite and post on SSS website an FOIA Reference Guide to increase public awareness of FOIA processing.

• Actions.
  1. Benchmark other federal agency examples of FOIA Reference Guides.
  2. Author a FOIA Reference Guide tailored to the SSS FOIA program incorporating government-wide best practices.
  3. Load Reference Guide on FOIA pages of SSS website.

• Milestones.
  1. Complete Action 1 by 15 Sep 06
  2. Finish Action 2 by 31 Oct 06
  3. Accomplish Action 3 by 15 Dec 06

• Measures.
  1. Compare completion of actions to milestone dates.
  2. Annual review of Reference Guide for currency.

VI. Summary:

While the processes currently utilized by SSS to implement FOIA are efficient, we recognize that opportunities exist for enhancing services provided to the public. Based upon our previous efforts and those envisioned in this plan, the Selective Service System will be postured better to maximize the quality of service it provides under FOIA and thereby ensure expanded customer satisfaction.