1. 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.)
2. Initial Request - a request to a federal
agency for access to records under the Freedom
of Information Act.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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).
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Grant - an agency decision to disclose all
records in full in response to a FOIA request.
10. 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.
11. Denial - an agency decision not to release
any 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).
12. 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).
13. "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.
14. 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).
15. Median number - the middle, not average,
number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median
number is 7.
16. 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.