Commerce › Office of the Secretary › CFO/ASA › OPOG >FOIA

Freedom of Information Act Program

The responsibility for the development and maintenance of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) policies, procedures, and guidance is handled through the Office of Privacy and Open Government, FOIA Program. The FOIA Program Office is also reponsible for oversight of the Department of Commerce's FOIA program.

The Department's FOIA operations are decentralized between 14 bureaus and operating units (BOUs). From this page, you can link to those BOUs and their electronic (on-line) FOIA libraries, learn about how the FOIA program is structured, and/or review our guidance and resources related to FOIA. You can also file and track the status of a request. The Department and its BOUs post a great deal of information on-line. If you are interested in making a request you may find the information you seek has already been posted. A good place to begin is in the electronic FOIA Libraries.

DEPARTMENT FOIA OFFICE Department of Commerce Deputy Chief FOIA Officer and responsibilities, FOIA Mission Statement, and FOIA Council’s authority and responsibilities. Department of Commerce Chief FOIA Officer Department of Commerce Deputy Chief FOIA Officer Immediate Office of the Secretary FOIA Officer FOIA Council	BOU FOIA PROGRAMS The responsibility for the development and maintenance of FOIA policies, procedures, and guidance is handled through the Office of Privacy and Open Government, FOIA Program Office. Bureau/Operating Unit FOIA & Privacy Act Contacts	The FOIA The FOIA generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. Please Note: The FOIA applies only to federal agencies and does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government agencies. The FOIA does not require agencies to: conduct research for you, analyze data, answer written questions, or create records (such as lists or statistics). Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) FOIA Exemptions FOIA Fee Categories, Schedule, & Waivers Law Enforecement and National Security Exclusions FOIA Office Contact Information
		Return to Top
FOIA REQUESTS A FOIA request is a request submitted to a federal agency asking for access to agency records on any topic. A FOIA request can generally be made by any person, to any federal agency, and only requires that requesters reasonably describe the records they are seeking and comply with agency regulations for making such requests. How to File a FOIA Request What Information to Include in Your FOIA Request Sample FOIA Request Letter FOIA Office Contact Information Privacy Act Requests (How to Make a Request About Yourself)	ELECTRONIC FOIA LIBRARY The electronic FOIA Library contains materials such as certain agency manuals, specific agency policy statements, and opinions developed in the adjudication of cases. The information you are requesting may be located in our FOIA Library. Please check the Library before submitting a FOIA request. Introduction Department of Commerce Policy Statements Department of Commerce Administrative Staff Manuals Frequently Requested Records Privacy Impact Assessments Systems of Records Notices	FOIA REPORTS All agencies are required by law to report to the Department of Justice on their FOIA compliance through submission of Annual FOIA Reports and Chief FOIA Officer Reports. All agencies are also required to provide quarterly reporting of four key FOIA statistics to the Department of Justice that will be posted on FOIA.gov. Annual Reports Quarterly Reports Chief FOIA Officer Reports
		Return to Top
RESOURCES List of FOIA-related resources. FOIA Resources FOIA Online	TRAINING List of FOIA-related training opportunities. FOIA Training	Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Frequently asked questions and factual information about the website. What is the FOIA? Who can make a FOIA request? How do I make a FOIA request? What can I ask for under the FOIA? What is a record?
		Return to Top