Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 1 of 9

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

ANNUAL REPORT

October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011

I. BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING REPORT

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

Ruth Ann Abrams, Assistant Secretary 

Postal Regulatory Commission 

901 New York Ave, NW, STE 200 

Washington, DC 20268 

202-789-6800 

B. Electronic address for report on the World Wide Web. 

http://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/misc/foia/reports.aspx

  

C. How to obtain a copy of the report in paper form. 

Requests can be made to the Office of the Secretary and Administration, Postal Regulatory 

Commission, at the address listed above. 

II. HOW TO MAKE A FOIA REQUEST

Requests can be made to the Office of the Secretary and Administration, Postal Regulatory 

Commission, at the address listed below. 

A. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual agency components and offices that 

receive FOIA requests. 

Ruth Ann Abrams, Assistant Secretary 

Postal Regulatory Commission 

901 New York Avenue, NW, STE 200 

Washington, DC 20268 

202-789-6800 

Jennie Jbara, FOIA Public Liaison 

Postal Regulatory Commission 

901 New York Avenue, NW, STE 200 

Washington, DC 20268 

202-789-6800 

B. Description of why some requests are not granted and an overview of certain general categories of 

the agency’s records to which the FOIA exemptions apply. 

The Commission does not grant requests for information unrelated to functions of the Commission 

for which it has no existing records. Information requested that is protected from disclosure by 

statute may not be granted when the Commission determines that it may be harmed by the release 

of such information. 

The Commission maintains some records, for example mailer-specific confidential business 

information submitted under seal, to which Exemption 4 may apply. 
    Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 2 of 9

III. ACRONYMS, DEFINITIONS, AND EXEMPTIONS

A. Agency-specific acronyms or other terms. 

"Commission" or "PRC" means Postal Regulatory Commission 

B. Definitions of terms used this Report: 

1. Administrative Appeal – a request to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher 

administrative level a FOIA determination made by the agency at the initial request level. 

2. 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. 

3. Backlog – the number of requests or administrative appeals that are pending at an agency at 

the end of the fiscal year that are beyond the statutory time period for a response. 

4. Component – for agencies that process requests on a decentralized basis, a “component” is an 

entity, also sometimes referred to as an Office, Division, Bureau, Center, or Directorate, within 

the agency that processes FOIA requests. The FOIA now requires that agencies include in 

their Annual FOIA Report data for both the agency overall and for each principal component of 

the agency. 

5. Consultation – the procedure whereby the agency responding to a FOIA request first forwards 

a record to another agency for its review because that other agency has an interest in the 

document. Once the agency in receipt of the consultation finishes its review of the record, it 

responds back to the agency that forwarded it. That agency, in turn, will then respond to the 

FOIA requester. 

6. Exemption 3 Statute -- a federal statute that exempts information from disclosure and which 

the agency relies on to withhold information under subsection (b)(3) of the FOIA. 

7. FOIA Request – a FOIA request is generally, a request to a federal agency for access to 

records concerning another person (i.e., a “third-party” request), or concerning an organization, 

or a particular topic of interest. FOIA requests also include requests made by requesters 

seeking records concerning themselves, (i.e., “first-party” requests), when those requesters are 

not subject to the Privacy Act, FOIA requests also include any first-party requests where an 

agency determines that it must search beyond its Privacy Act “systems of records” or where a 

Privacy Act exemption applies, and the agency looks to FOIA to afford the greatest possible 

access. All requests which require the agency to utilize the FOIA in responding to the 

requester are included in this Report. 

Additionally, a FOIA request includes records referred to the agency for processing and direct 

response to the requester. It does not, however, include records which the agency has received 

a consultation from another agency. (Consultations are reported separately in Section XII of 

this Report.) 

8. Full Grant – an agency decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request 

9. Full Denial – an agency decision not to release any records in response to a FOIA request 

because the records are exempt in their entireties under one or more of the FOIA exemptions, 

or because of a procedural reason, such as when no records could be located. 

10. Median Number -- the middle, not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median 

number is 7. 
    Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 3 of 9

11. 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 tracks. Requests granted expedited processing are placed in yet 

another track. Requests in each track are processed on a first in/first out basis. 

a. Expedited Processing – an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis 

when a requester satisfies the requirements for expedited processing as set forth in the 

statute and in agency regulations. 

b. Simple Request – a FOIA Request that an agency using multi-track processing places 

in its fastest (non-expedited) track based on the low volume and/or simplicity of the 

records requested. 

c. Complex Request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing 

places in a slower track based on the high volume and/or complexity of the records 

requested. 

12. Partial Grant/Partial Denial – in response to a FOIA request, an agency decision to disclose 

portions of the record and to withhold other portions that are exempt under the FOIA, or to 

otherwise deny a portion of the request for a procedural reason. 

13. Pending Request or Pending Administrative Appeal – a request or administrative appeal 

for which an agency has not taken final action in all respects. 

14. Perfected Request – a request for records which reasonably describes such records and is 

made in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any) and procedures 

to be followed. 

15. Processed Request or Processed Administrative Appeal -- a request or administrative 

appeal for which an agency has taken a final action in all respects. 

16. Range in Number of Days – the lowest and highest number of days to process requests or 

administrative appeals. 

17. Time Limits – the time period in the statute for an agency to respond to a FOIA request 

(ordinarily twenty working days from receipt of a perfected FOIA request.) 

C. Include the following concise descriptions of the nine FOIA exemptions: 

1. Exemption 1: classified national defense and foreign relations information 

2. Exemption 2: internal agency rules and practices 

3. Exemption 3: information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law 

4. Exemption 4: trade secrets and other confidential business information 

5. Exemption 5: inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by legal 

privileges 

6. Exemption 6: information involving matters of personal privacy 
    Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 4 of 9

7. Exemption 7: records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, to the extent 

that the production of those records (A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with 

enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial 

adjudication, (C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of 

personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential 

source (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or 

prosecutions, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of an 

individual. 

8. Exemption 8: information relating to the supervision of financial institutions 

9. Exemption 9: geological information on wells 

IV. EXEMPTION 3 STATUTES

Exemption 3 statutes relied on to withhold Information: 

N/A, the Commission has not relied upon Exemption 3 statutes.

Statute Type of Information

Withheld 

Case Citation Number of Times 

Relied upon per 

Component 

Total Number of 

Times Relied upon 

by Agency 

Agency Overall 0 0 0 0 

V. FOIA REQUESTS

For charts in Section V, include all “purported” FOIA requests, both perfected and non-perfected. 

Non-perfected requests are further reflected in columns in Chart V, B 1 below. 

A. Received, Processed and Pending FOIA Requests 

Number of 

Requests Pending 

as of Start of Fiscal 

Year 

Number of 

Requests Received 

in Fiscal Year 

Number of 

Requests 

Processed in Fiscal 

Year 

Number of 

Requests Pending 

as of End of Fiscal 

Year 

Agency Overall 1 29 30 0 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 5 of 9

B. 1. Disposition of FOIA Requests. – All Processed Requests 

Number of Full Denials Based on Reasons Other thanExemptions

Number of

Full Grants

Number of 

Partial 

Grants/Partial

Denials

Number of 

Full Denials 

Based on

Exemptions

No

Records

All Records 

Referred to

Another 

Component 

or Agency

Request

Withdrawn

Fee-Related

Reason

Records Not 

Reasonably

Described

Improper 

FOIA 

Request

for Other

Reason

Not 

Agency Record

Dup

Re

AGENCY

TOTAL

9 1 1 7 12 0 0 0 0 0 

B. 2. Disposition of FOIA Requests – “Other” Reasons for “Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than Exempt

Section V, B (1) Chart 

Component 

Description of “Other” Reasons for Denials 

from Chart B (1) & Number of Times Those 

Reasons Were Relied upon TOTAL 

Component A N/A 0 Component B N/A 0 
B. 3. Disposition of FOIA Requests – Number of Times Exemptions Applied 

Ex.1 Ex.2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 Ex. 7(A) Ex. 7(B) Ex. 7(C) Ex. 7(D) Ex. 7(E) Ex. 7

AGENCY OVERALL 1 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 6 of 9

VI. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OF INITIAL DETERMINATIONS OF FOIA REQUESTS

A. Received, Processed and Pending Administrative Appeals

Number of Appeals 

Pending as of the Start 

of Fiscal Year 

Number of Appeals 

Received in Fiscal Year 

Number of Appeals 

Processed in Fiscal Year 

Number of Appeals 

Pending as of End of 

Fiscal Year 

0 0 0 0 

B. Disposition of Administrative Appeals – All Processed Appeals

Number Affirmed on 

Appeal 

Number Partially Affirmed & 

Partially 

Reversed/Remanded on 

Appeal 

Number Completely 

Reversed/Remanded on 

Appeal 

Number of Appeals 

Closed for Other 

Reasons 

0 0 0 0 

C. 1. Reasons for Denial on Appeal – Number of Times Exemptions Applied 

N/A 

2. Reasons for Denial on Appeal – Reasons Other than Exemptions 

N/A 

3. Reasons for Denial on Appeal – “Other” Reasons from Section VI, C (2) Chart 

N/A 

4. Response Time for Administrative Appeals

N/A 

5. Ten Oldest Pending Administrative Appeals 

N/A 
VII. FOIA REQUESTS: RESPONSE TIME FOR PROCESSED AND PENDING REQUESTS

A. Processed Requests – Response Time for All Processed Perfected Requests (median, average and range in number of days to process all perfected requests).

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPE

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Lowest 

Number of 

Days 

Highest 

Number of 

Days 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Lowest 

Number of 

Days 

Highest 

Number of 

Days 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Av

Num

D

AGENCY 

OVERALL 15 11 0 57 0 0 0 0 10 
B. Processed Requests – Response Time for Perfected Requests in Which Information Was Granted

SIMPLE COMPLEX E

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Lowest 

Number of 

Days 

Highest 

Number of 

Days 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Lowest 

Number of 

Days 

Highest 

Number of 

Days 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

N

AGENCY OVERALL 5 17 1 57 0 0 0 0 0 

C. Processed Requests – Response Time in Day Increments 

Simple Requests

1-20 

Days 

21-40 

Days 

41-60 

Days 61-80 Days 81-100 Days 101-120 Days 121-140 Days 141-160 Days 161-180 Days 181-200 Days 201-3

Days 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 24 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Complex Requests 

1-20 

Days 

21-40 

Days 

41-60 

Days 61-80 Days 

81-100 

Days 101-120 Days 

121-140 

Days 

141-160 

Days 

161-180 

Days 

181-200 

Days 

201-3

Days 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

1-20 

Days 

21-40 

Days 

41-60 

Days 61-80 Days 

81-100 

Days 101-120 Days 

121-140 

Days 

141-160 

Days 

161-180 

Days 

181-200 

Days 

201-30

Days 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 9 of 9

D. Pending Requests – All Pending Perfected Requests

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Number 

Pending 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Number 

Pending 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

Number 

Pending 

Median 

Number of 

Days 

Average 

Number of 

Days 

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 10 of 

E. Pending Requests – Ten Oldest Pending Perfected Requests 

N/A. 

VIII. REQUESTS FOR EXPEDITED PROCESSING AND REQUESTS FOR FEE WAIVER

A. Requests for Expedited Processing 

Number 

Granted 

Number 

Denied 

Median Number of 

Days to Adjudicate 

Average Number 

of Days to 

Adjudicate 

Number Adjudicated 

Within Ten Calendar 

Days 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2 0 10 10 1 

B. Requests for Fee Waiver 

Number Granted Number Denied Median Number of 

Days to Adjudicate 

Average Number of 

Days to Adjudicate 

AGENCY OVERALL 6 0 14 14 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 11 of 

IX. FOIA PERSONNEL AND COSTS

The Commission’s cost to process its small number of requests, including staff time, is de minimus.

X. FEES COLLECTED FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS

None 

XI. FOIA REGULATIONS

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx 02/39cfr3004 02.html

XII. BACKLOGS, CONSULTATIONS, AND COMPARISONS

A. Backlogs of FOIA Requests and Administrative Appeals 

None 

B. Consultations on FOIA Requests – Received, Processed, and Pending Consultations 

None 

C. Consultations on FOIA Requests – Ten Oldest Consultations Received from Other Agencies and 

Pending at Your Agency 

None 

D. Comparison of Numbers of Requests from Previous and Current Annual Report – Requests Received, 

Processed, and Backlogged 

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year’s 

Annual Report 

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report 

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year’s 

Annual report 

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

30 29 30 30 

 

PERSONNEL COSTS 

Number of “FullTime FOIA 

Employees” 

Number of 

“Equivalent FullTime FOIA 

Employees” 

Total Number of 

“Full-Time FOIA 

Staff” 

(The sum of 

Columns 1 & 2)

Processing 

Costs 

(At initial request 

and appeal 

levels)

LitigationRelated Costs Total Costs 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 0.5 0.5 2,000 0 0 
Postal Regulatory Commission FY 2011 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report Page 12 of 

Starting with the Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2010, provide the number of backlogged requests as 

of the end of the fiscal year from the previous Annual Report and the number of backlogged 

requests as of the end of the fiscal year from the current Annual Report. 

Number of Backlogged Requests 

as of End of the Fiscal year From 

Previous Annual Report 

Number of Backlogged Requests 

as of End of the Fiscal Year from 

Current Annual Report 

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 

E. Comparison of Numbers of Administrative Appeals from Previous and Current Annual Report – 

Appeals Received, Processed, and Backlogged 

NUMBER OF APPEALS RECEIVED NUMBER OF APPEALS PROCESSED

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year from 

Last Year’s Annual 

Report 

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year from 

Current Annual Report 

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year from 

Last Year’s Annual 

Report 

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year from 

Current Annual Report 

AGENCY OVERALL 1 0 1 0

Starting with the Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2010, provide the number of backlogged 

administrative appeals as of the end of the fiscal year from the previous Annual Report and the 

number of backlogged administrative appeals as of the end of the fiscal year from the current 

Annual Report. 

F. Discussion of Other FOIA Activities (Optional) 

N/A 

Number of Backlogged Appeals as of End of 

the Fiscal Year from Previous Annual Report 

Number of Backlogged Appeals as of End of 

the Fiscal Year from Current Annual Report 

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0