FOIA ANNUAL REPORT

FOR

10/01/2011

THROUGH

09/30/2012

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The following Annual Freedom of Information Act report covers the

Period 10/01/2011 through 09/30/2012, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552.

I. BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING REPORT

1. Provide name, title, address, and telephone number of person(s) to be contacted with questions 

about the Report.

 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

300 E. Street, SW, Washington, DC 20546 

Point of Contact: 

Miriam Brown-Lam 

Principal Agency FOIA Officer 

202-358-0718 

2. Provide an electronic link for access to the Report on the agency Web site.

 

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/agency/ 

3. Explain how to obtain a copy of the Report in paper form.

 

 Write TO: 

 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

 Attention: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office 

 300 E. Street, SW, Code: P-FOIA 

 Washington, DC 20546-0001 

 Email: FOIA@hq.nasa.gov 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II. MAKING A FOIA REQUEST

1. Provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual agency components that receive 

FOIA requests.

 

Miriam Brown-Lam, NASA Chief FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 202-358-0718 

NASA, FOIA Requester Service Center, Room 2W80 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

Josephine Sibley, HQ FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 202-358-2462 

NASA Headquarters (HQ) FOIA Requester Service Center, Code NB 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

Frank LaRocca, OIG FOIA Public Liaison Officer, 202-358-2575 

NASA Office of the Inspector General (OIG); FOIA Requester Service Center Code W 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

Lubna Shirazi, ARC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 650-604-1138 

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MS 943-4 

Moffett Field, CA 94035 

Kim Lewis-Bias, DFRC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 661-276-2704 

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC), FOIA Requester Service Center MS 273 

Edwards, CA 93523 

Angela Pierce, GRC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 216-433-2813 

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NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MS 0610 

21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135 

Joan Belt, GSFC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 301-286-4721 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center(GSFC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MS 213.1 

Greenbelt, MD 20771 

Dennis Mahon, JPL FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 8181-393-6779 

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), FOIA Requester Service Center, 

4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 

Jessica Cordero, JSC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 281-483-8612 

NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MC AP2 

Houston, TX 77058 

Penny Myers, KSC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 321-867-9280 

NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC), FOIA Requester Service Center MC XA-A1 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 32889 

Carissa Wheeler, LaRC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 757-864-4274 

NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MS 218 

Hampton, VA 23681 

Judi Hollingsworth, MSFC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 256-544-1837 

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), FOIA Requester Service Center, MC CS20 

Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812 

Paula Roy, NSSC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 228-216-3534 

NASA Shared Service Center (NSSC), FOIA Requester Service Center 

Bldg 5100 Standby Road, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 

Sallie Bilbo, SSC FOIA Public Liaison Officer; 228-688-3182 

NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC), FOIA Requester Service Center 

Code CA 10, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 

2. Provide a brief 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. 

Generally, when requests are not granted it is due to the fact that the documents are exempt from release in 

accordance with the FOIA. NASA processes a substantial number of requests for contracts as well as 

deliberative process materials. 

III. ACRONYMS, DEFINITIONS, AND EXEMPTIONS

1. Provide any agency-specific acronyms or terms used in this Report.

 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

HQ NASA Headquarters 

ARC Ames Research Center 

DFRC Dryden Flight Research Center 

GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center 

JSC Johnson Space Flight Center 

KSC Kennedy Space Flight Center 

LaRC Langley Space Flight Center 

GRC Glenn Research Center 

MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center 

NSSC NASA Shared Service Center 

OGC Office of General Counsel 

OIG Office of the Inspector General 

SSC Stennis Space Center 

2. Include the following definitions of terms used in this Report:

a. 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.

b. Average Number - the number obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the 

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quantity of numbers in the group. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is 8.

c. 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.

d. 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.

e. 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. 

f. 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.

g. 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, such as non-U.S. citizens. Moreover, because all 

first-party requesters should be afforded the benefit of both the access provisions of the FOIA 

as well as those of 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 for which the agency has 

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

XII of this Report.)

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

i. 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.

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

number is 7.

k. 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 granted expedited processing are placed in yet 

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

i. 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. 

ii. 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.

iii. 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.

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

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

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

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m. Pending Request or Pending Administrative Appeal - a request or administrative appeal 

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

n. 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.

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

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

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

administrative appeals.

q. 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).

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

a. Exemption 1: (A) specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to 

be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and (B) are in fact properly 

classified pursuant to such Executive order; 

b. Exemption 2: related solely to the internal personnel rules and agency practices 

c. Exemption 3: specifically exempted from disclosure by statute provided that such statute (A) 

requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no 

discretion on the issue, or (B) established particular criteria for withholding or refers to 

particular types of matters to be withheld

d. Exemption 4: trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person 

and privileged or confidential

e. Exemption 5: inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be 

available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency 

f. Exemption 6: personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would 

constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy 

g. Exemption 7: records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the 

extent that the production of such law enforcement records or information (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 would disclose guidelines for law 

enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger 

the life or physical safety of any individual

h. Exemption 8: contained in or related to examination, operation, or condition reports prepared 

by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of 

financial institutions

i. Exemption 9: geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning 

wells

IV. Exemption 3 Statutes

A. For Initial Requests

Statute Type of Information 

Withheld

Case Citation Number of 

Times 

Relied upon 

per 

Component

Total 

Number 

of 

Times 

Relied 

upon 

by 

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Agency

10 U.S.C.

§ 2305

(g)

 Certain contractor proposals Roman v. NSA, Nos. 09-2947, 09=4281, 09-3344, 

09-2504, 09-5633, 2012 WL 569747, at *7 (E.D.N.Y.

Feb. 22, 2012); Margolin v. NASA, No. 09-CV00421-LRH-VPC, 2011 WL 1303221, at *6 (D. Nev. 

Mar. 31, 2011). 

GSFC : 7 

 KSC : 2 

DFRC : 1 

JSC : 2 

12 

22 U.S.C.

§ 2751

 Information subject to the Arms Exports 

Control; Control Technical data withheld 

according to regulations establishing lists or

categories of technical data that may not 

be exported, under the Arms Export 

Control Act.

None cited JSC : 5 

LaRC : 1 

JPL : 4 

HQ : 4 

MSFC : 4 

DFRC : 1 

KSC : 1 

20 

41 U.S.C.

§ 423(a)

(1)*

Contractor bid or proposal information; 

source selection information

Legal & Safety Employer Research, Inc. V U.S. Dept 

of the Army, No, Civ. S001748, 2001 UL 34098652, 

at *3-4 (E.D. Cal. May 4, 2001) (dictum) 

KSC : 1 

GRC : 1 2 

18 U.S.C. 

798

 Espionage Act Larson v. Dep't of State, 565 (Espionage Act) F.3d 

857, 868-69 (D.C. Cir. 2009); N.Y. Times Co. v. 

DOD, 499 F. Supp. 2d 501, 512 (S.D.N.Y. 2007); 

Adejumobi v. NSA, No. 07-1237, 2007 WL 4247878, 

at *3 (M.D. Fla. Dec. 3, 2007), aff'd per curiam, 287 

F. App'x 770 (11th Cir. 2008). 

MSFC : 1 

1 

B. For Appeals

Statute Type of Information 

Withheld

Case Citation Number of Times 

Relied upon 

per Component

Total Number of 

Times Relied upon 

by Agency

V. FOIA REQUESTS

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

ARC 10 45 48 7 

DFRC 5 16 20 1 

GRC 4 38 38 4 

GSFC 14 118 125 7 

HQ 23 210 215 18 

JPL - 53 53 - 

JSC 8 148 142 14 

KSC 4 60 57 7 

LaRC 1 42 40 3 

MSFC 1 93 93 1 

NSSC 1 15 15 1 

OGC - - - - 

OIG 2 41 42 1 

SSC - 7 7 - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

73 886 895 64 

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

Number

of 

Full 

Grants

Number

of 

Partial 

Grants/

Partial 

Denials

 Number of 

Full Denials 

Based on 

Exemptions

Number of Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than Exemptions

No 

Records Referrals Request Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records Not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

FOIA 

Request for 

Other Reason

Not 

Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Request

Other 

*Explain

in chart 

below

TOTAL

ARC 6 20 6 7 - 2 1 2 1 - 3 - 48 

DFRC 7 6 1 1 - 1 - - - - 4 - 20 

GRC 10 14 1 4 - 5 - - - - 4 - 38 

GSFC 29 38 5 16 - 9 13 3 7 - 5 - 125 

HQ 39 32 13 12 8 6 9 22 43 19 12 - 215 

JPL 6 16 4 3 - 4 5 1 - 10 4 - 53 

JSC 41 25 5 12 5 9 12 2 8 4 19 - 142 

KSC 10 17 2 9 - 6 5 6 - - 2 - 57 

LaRC 18 8 1 5 - 1 1 - 1 1 4 - 40 

MSFC 49 18 3 6 - 9 3 - 1 - 4 - 93 

NSSC 9 1 - 1 - 2 1 - 1 - - - 15 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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OIG 4 16 7 7 2 2 - 1 - - 3 - 42 

SSC 3 1 - 1 - 1 1 - - - - - 7 

AGENCY

OVERALL

231 212 48 84 15 57 51 37 62 34 64 - 895 

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

Component Description of Other Reasons 

for Denials from Chart B (1) 

& Number of Times Those 

Reasons Were Relied upon

TOTAL

B.(3) Disposition of FOIA Requests – Number of Times Exemptions Applied

(b)(1) (b)(2) (b)(3) (b)(4) (b)(5) (b)(6) (b)(7)(A) (b)(7)(B) (b)(7)(C) (b)(7)(D) (b)(7)(E) (b)(7)(F) (b)(8) (b)(9)

ARC - - - 18 4 8 - - - - 2 1 - - 

DFRC - - 2 6 - 3 - - - - - - - - 

GRC 1 1 1 10 6 4 - - 1 1 1 1 - - 

GSFC - - 7 31 - 5 - - - - - - - - 

HQ - 2 4 6 24 18 2 - - - 1 4 - - 

JPL - - 4 10 - 16 - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - 7 10 5 6 - - - - - - - - 

KSC - - 2 6 4 10 - - - - - 1 - - 

LaRC - - 1 4 1 - - - - - 1 - - - 

MSFC - - 5 14 - 3 - - 3 - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG - - - - 9 20 6 - 20 1 2 1 - - 

SSC - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL

1 3 33 115 53 95 8 - 24 2 7 8 - - 

VI. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OF INITIAL DETERMINATIONS OF FOIA 

REQUESTS

A. Received, Processed and Pending Administrative Appeals

Number of 

Appeals Pending 

as of 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

ARC - - - - 

DFRC - - - - 

GRC - - - - 

GSFC - - - - 

HQ - - - - 

JPL - - - - 

JSC - - - - 

KSC - - - - 

LaRC - - - - 

MSFC - - - - 

NSSC - - - - 

OGC - 23 21 2 

OIG - 3 3 - 

SSC - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL - 26 24 2 

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

TOTAL

ARC - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - 

HQ - - - - - 

JPL - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - 

LaRC - - - - - 

MSFC - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - 

OGC 12 6 2 1 21 

OIG 1 2 - - 3 

SSC - - - - - 

AGENCY 13 8 2 1 24 

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OVERALL

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

 (b)(1) (b)(2) (b)(3) (b)(4) (b)(5) (b)(6) (b)(7)(A) (b)(7)(B) (b)(7)(C) (b)(7)(D) (b)(7)(E) (b)(7)(F) (b)(8) (b)(9)

ARC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

HQ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JPL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

LaRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

MSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OGC - - - 2 1 1 - - - - - - - - 

OIG - - - - - 3 1 - 3 - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL - - - 2 1 4 1 - 3 - - - - - 

C.(2) Reasons for Denial on Appeal – Reasons Other than Exemptions

No 

Records

Request 

Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records Not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

Request for 

Other Reasons

Not 

Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Appeal

Request in 

Litigation

Appeal Based Solely 

on Denial of Request 

for Expedited 

Processing

Other 

Explain

in chart 

below

*

TOTAL

ARC - - - - - - - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - - - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - - - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - - - - - - - 

HQ - - - - - - - - - - - 

JPL - - - - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - - - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - - - - - - - 

LaRC - - - - - - - - - - - 

MSFC - - - - - - - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - - - - - - - 

OGC - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 

OIG - - - - - - - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 

C.(3) Reasons for Denial on Appeal – “Other” Reasons

Component Description of Other Reasons 

for Denials from Chart C (2) 

& Number of Times Those 

Reasons Were Relied upon

TOTAL

C.(4) Response Time for Administrative Appeals

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

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

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

ARC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

HQ - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JPL - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

LaRC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

MSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OGC 22.5 27.4 20 48 23 31.73 13 96 - - - - 

OIG 15 18 10 29 - - - - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL

20 25.23 10 48 23 31.73 13 96 - - - - 

C.(5) Ten Oldest Pending Administrative Appeals

10th Oldest 

Appeal and 

Number of 

Days Pending

9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Appeal 

and Number of 

Days Pending

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ARC 

DFRC 

GRC 

GSFC 

HQ 

JPL 

JSC 

KSC 

LaRC 

MSFC 

NSSC 

OGC 09/21/2012

5 

09/07/2012

15 

OIG 

SSC 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

09/21/2012

5 

09/07/2012

15 

VII. FOIA REQUESTS: RESPONSE TIME FOR PROCESSED AND PENDING 

REQUESTS

A. Processed Requests – Response Time for All Processed Perfected Requests

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

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

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

ARC 10 12.96 <1 56 17 60.35 <1 533 - - - - 

DFRC 15.5 25.58 <1 103 45 85.88 26 288 - - - - 

GRC 2 5.25 <1 24 18.5 22.43 <1 66 - - - - 

GSFC 3 12.18 <1 77 11.5 27.04 <1 103 - - - - 

HQ 2 6.33 <1 145 15 62.58 <1 896 - - - - 

JPL 2 2.65 <1 6 7 6.86 <1 20 - - - - 

JSC 3 5.97 <1 35 14 22.53 <1 115 - - - - 

KSC 7 8 <1 22 15 27.95 <1 121 - - - - 

LaRC 2 2.77 <1 10 11.5 18.61 <1 79 - - - - 

MSFC 7 9.44 <1 28 18.5 20.5 <1 63 - - - - 

NSSC 9 9.75 3 18 13 20.18 4 78 - - - - 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG 16.5 22.76 <1 80 - - - - - - - - 

SSC 4 5.5 <1 13 4 4 4 4 - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL

4 9.92 <1 145 13 33.99 <1 896 - - - - 

B. Processed Requests – Response Time for Perfected Requests in Which Information Was Granted

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

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

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

ARC 18.5 17.29 <1 56 22.5 104.08 <1 533 - - - - 

DFRC 30.5 40 4 103 38 82.86 26 288 - - - - 

GRC 6.5 9.5 1 24 21 26.55 4 66 - - - - 

GSFC 11.5 19 <1 77 34 36.28 1 93 - - - - 

HQ 7.5 13.8 <1 145 26 111.41 4 896 - - - - 

JPL 2.5 3.2 <1 6 7 7.92 1 20 - - - - 

JSC 4 7.36 <1 21 24 30.4 <1 115 - - - - 

KSC 13.5 13 7 19 32 47.43 3 121 - - - - 

LaRC 2.5 2.93 <1 10 23.5 27 2 79 - - - - 

MSFC 9 10.31 <1 26 18.5 22.12 3 63 - - - - 

NSSC 10.5 10.5 3 18 11.5 21.25 4 78 - - - - 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG 22 28.1 3 80 - - - - - - - - 

SSC 7 7.5 3 13 - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL

9 13.94 <1 145 24 49.88 <1 896 - - - - 

C. Processed Requests – Response Time in Day Increments

Simple Requests

< 1 

Day

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

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+ 

Days

TOTAL

ARC 6 12 6 1 - - - - - - - - - - 25 

DFRC 2 5 2 1 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 12 

GRC 2 5 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 8 

GSFC 15 22 10 3 1 - - - - - - - - - 51 

HQ 24 81 3 - - - - - 1 - - - - - 109 

JPL 3 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 

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JSC 8 19 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 29 

KSC 3 12 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 16 

LaRC 7 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - 22 

MSFC 6 67 4 - - - - - - - - - - - 77 

NSSC - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG 2 23 8 6 3 - - - - - - - - - 42 

SSC 1 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

79 284 37 11 5 - 1 - 1 - - - - - 418 

Complex Requests

< 1 

Day

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

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+ 

Days

TOTAL

ARC 1 15 4 1 - - - - - - - - - 2 23 

DFRC - - 4 1 - - 1 1 - - - 1 - - 8 

GRC 1 16 7 5 1 - - - - - - - - - 30 

GSFC 3 40 9 11 6 4 1 - - - - - - - 74 

HQ 15 48 20 8 1 2 - 1 - - 1 5 1 4 106 

JPL 3 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - 36 

JSC 20 46 25 13 4 3 2 - - - - - - - 113 

KSC 9 14 7 5 1 2 2 1 - - - - - - 41 

LaRC 2 10 3 2 1 - - - - - - - - - 18 

MSFC 2 9 3 1 1 - - - - - - - - - 16 

NSSC - 8 2 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 11 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

SSC - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

56 240 84 47 16 11 6 3 - - 1 6 1 6 477 

Requests Granted Expedited Processing

< 1

Day

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

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+ 

Days

TOTAL

ARC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

HQ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JPL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

LaRC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

MSFC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OGC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OIG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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

ARC - - - 7 23 23.57 - - - 

DFRC - - - 1 96 96 - - - 

GRC - - - 4 23.5 22.75 - - - 

GSFC 1 1 1 6 24 24.17 - - - 

HQ - - - 18 20 30.83 - - - 

JPL - - - - - - - - - 

JSC - - - 14 29.5 43 - - - 

KSC 2 7 7 5 43 52.4 - - - 

LaRC - - - 3 21 24.33 - - - 

MSFC - - - 1 16 16 - - - 

NSSC - - - 1 241 241 - - - 

OGC - - - - - - - - - 

OIG 1 17 17 - - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - - - - - 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

4 7 8 60 23 37.43 - - - 

E. Pending Requests – Ten Oldest Pending Perfected Requests

10th Oldest 

Request and 

Number of 

Days 

9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest 

Request 

and Number 

of 

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Pending Days Pending

ARC 09/28/201208/30/201208/29/201208/27/201208/27/201208/03/2012 0 20 21 23 23 39 

08/03/2012

39 

DFRC 05/14/2012

96 

GRC 09/19/201209/10/201208/13/2012 7 14 33 

08/07/2012

37 

GSFC 09/27/201209/25/201209/18/201208/28/201208/22/201208/13/2012 1 3 8 22 26 33 

07/16/2012

53 

HQ 09/05/201208/27/201208/24/201208/22/201208/20/201208/09/201208/08/201207/10/201204/26/2012

17 23 24 26 28 35 36 57 108 

04/17/2012

115 

JPL 

JSC 08/28/201208/28/201208/22/201208/13/201208/01/201207/10/201206/28/201206/18/201204/30/2012

22 22 26 33 41 57 64 72 106 

04/17/2012

115 

KSC 09/27/201209/11/201208/29/201208/28/201207/30/201207/02/2012 1 13 21 22 43 62 

04/18/2012

114 

LaRC 09/05/201208/29/2012 17 21 

08/09/2012

35 

MSFC 09/06/2012

16 

NSSC 10/14/2011

241 

OGC 

OIG 09/05/2012

17 

SSC 

AGENCY 07/02/201206/28/201206/18/201205/14/201204/30/201204/26/201204/18/201204/17/201204/17/2012 10/14/2011

OVERALL 62 64 72 96 106 108 114 115 115 241 

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

ARC - - - - - 

DFRC - - - - - 

GRC - - - - - 

GSFC - - - - - 

HQ - 3 <1 0.33 3 

JPL - - - - - 

JSC - - - - - 

KSC - - - - - 

LaRC - 1 <1 <1 1 

MSFC - - - - - 

NSSC - - - - - 

OGC - - - - - 

OIG - - - - - 

SSC - - - - - 

AGENCY - 4 <1 0.25 4 

OVERALL 

B. Requests for Fee Waiver

Number 

Granted

Number 

Denied

Median 

Number of 

Days to 

Adjudicate

Average 

Number of 

Days to 

Adjudicate

ARC 1 1 9.5 9.5 

DFRC - - - - 

GRC - - - - 

GSFC - 1 <1 <1 

HQ 1 15 2.5 6.75 

JPL - - - - 

JSC - - - - 

KSC - - - - 

LaRC - 1 <1 <1 

MSFC - - - - 

NSSC 2 - <1 <1 

OGC - - - - 

OIG - - - - 

SSC - 1 <1 <1 

AGENCY 4 19 <1 5.52 

OVERALL 

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IX. FOIA PERSONNEL AND COSTS

PERSONNEL COSTS

Number of 

Full-Time 

FOIAEmployees

Number of 

Equivalent 

Full-Time 

FOIA 

Employees

Total 

Number of 

Full-Time 

FOIA Staff

Processing 

Costs

LitigationRelated 

Costs

Total 

Costs

ARC 1 0.40 1.40 $81,671.45 $0.00 $81,671.45 

DFRC 0 0.53 0.53 $37,043.26 $0.00 $37,043.26 

GRC 1 0.00 1.00 $93,587.20 $0.00 $93,587.20 

GSFC 1 0.70 1.70 $157,322.50 $0.00 $157,322.50 

HQ 3 0.00 3.00 $350,497.65 $0.00 $350,497.65 

JPL 1 0.00 1.00 $95,157.10 $0.00 $95,157.10 

JSC 2 0.00 2.00 $176,918.19 $0.00 $176,918.19 

KSC 2 0.00 2.00 $159,175.95 $0.00 $159,175.95 

LaRC 1 0.00 1.00 $64,830.07 $0.00 $64,830.07 

MSFC 1 0.10 1.10 $111,510.00 $0.00 $111,510.00 

NSSC 0 0.60 0.60 $53,020.75 $0.00 $53,020.75 

OGC 0 3.29 3.29 $351,905.76 $0.00 $351,905.76 

OIG 0 0.37 0.37 $47,240.00 $0.00 $47,240.00 

SSC 0 0.10 0.10 $8,863.35 $0.00 $8,863.35 

AGENCY 13.00 6.09 19.09 $1,788,743.23 $0.00 $1,788,743.23 

OVERALL 

X. FEES COLLECTED FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS

Total Amount of Fees 

Collected

Percentage of Total Costs 

(Rounded to nearest hundredth decimal)

ARC $3,501.45 4.29 

DFRC $310.00 0.84 

GRC $1,501.85 1.60 

GSFC $1,088.70 0.69 

HQ $232.50 0.07 

JPL $735.00 0.77 

JSC $2,669.65 1.51 

KSC $2,443.50 1.54 

LaRC $253.80 0.39 

MSFC $1,215.00 1.09 

NSSC $137.40 0.26 

OGC $0.00 - 

OIG $0.00 - 

SSC $105.00 1.18 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

$14,193.85 0.79 

XI. FOIA Regulations (Including Fee Schedule)

 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?

c=ecfr&sid=97fb51c6e62b667333b7f1645d203f11&rgn=div5&view=text&node=14:5.0.1.1.8&idno=14 

XII. BACKLOGS, CONSULTATIONS, AND COMPARISONS

A. Backlogs of FOIA Requests and Administrative Appeals

Number of Backlogged 

Requests as of End of 

Fiscal Year

Number of Backlogged 

Appeals as of End of 

Fiscal Year

ARC 1 - 

DFRC 1 - 

GRC 2 - 

GSFC 4 - 

HQ 6 - 

JPL - - 

JSC 4 - 

KSC 3 - 

LaRC 1 - 

MSFC - - 

NSSC - - 

OGC - - 

OIG - - 

SSC - - 

AGENCY 22 - OVERALL 

Discuss/Explain the backlog here(Optional)

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 The FOIA staff successfully processed all outstanding requests that were received prior to FY 12. At the end of FY 12, the oldest 

pending case was received by the Agency in October 2011, which was processed in October 2012. In FY 11, the backlog was 

reported as 34; however, that number should have been reported as 32. 

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

Number of 

Consultations Received 

from Other Agencies 

that Were Pending at 

Your Agency as of 

Start of the Fiscal Year

Number of 

Consultations 

Received from Other 

Agencies During the 

Fiscal Year

Number of 

Consultations Received 

from Other Agencies 

that Were Processed by 

Your Agency During 

the Fiscal Year

Number of 

Consultations Received 

from Other Agencies 

that Were Pending at 

Your Agency as of 

End of the Fiscal Year

ARC - - - - 

DFRC - - - - 

GRC - - - - 

GSFC - - - - 

HQ - - - - 

JPL - - - - 

JSC - - - - 

KSC - - - - 

LaRC - - - - 

MSFC - - - - 

NSSC - - - - 

OGC - - - - 

OIG - - - - 

SSC - - - - 

AGENCY - - - - OVERALL 

C. Consultations on FOIA Requests – Ten Oldest Consultations Received from Other Agencies and Pending at Your Agency

10th Oldest 

Consultation and 

Number of 

Days Pending

9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Consultation 

and Number of 

Days Pending

ARC 

DFRC 

GRC 

GSFC 

HQ 

JPL 

JSC 

KSC 

LaRC 

MSFC 

NSSC 

OGC 

OIG 

SSC 

AGENCY 

OVERALL 

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

NUMBER OF REQUESTS RECEIVED NUMBER OF REQUESTS PROCESSED

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Years 

Annual Report

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Years 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report

ARC 59 45 59 48 

DFRC 33 16 28 20 

GRC 33 38 32 38 

GSFC 171 118 183 125 

HQ 201 210 261 215 

JPL 51 53 51 53 

JSC 210 148 226 142 

KSC 75 60 81 57 

LaRC 36 42 45 40 

MSFC 91 93 97 93 

NSSC 18 15 19 15 

OGC - - - - 

OIG 34 41 33 42 

SSC 14 7 16 7 

AGENCY 1026 886 1131 895 

OVERALL 

Number of Backlogged Number of Backlogged 

Requests as of End of Requests as of End of 

the Fiscal Year from the Fiscal Year from 

STANDARD FORMAT ANNUAL REPORT Page 12 of 13

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Previous Annual Report Current Annual Report

ARC 2 1 

DFRC 3 1 

GRC 3 2 

GSFC 4 4 

HQ 14 6 

JPL - - 

JSC 2 4 

KSC 2 3 

LaRC 1 1 

MSFC - - 

NSSC - - 

OGC - - 

OIG 1 - 

SSC - - 

AGENCY 32 22 

OVERALL 

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 Years 

Annual Report

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Years 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current 

Annual Report

ARC - - - - 

DFRC - - - - 

GRC - - - - 

GSFC - - - - 

HQ - - - - 

JPL - - - - 

JSC - - - - 

KSC - - - - 

LaRC - - - - 

MSFC - - - - 

NSSC - - - - 

OGC 19 23 21 21 

OIG 2 3 2 3 

SSC - - - - 

AGENCY 21 26 23 24 

OVERALL 

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Number of Backlogged Number of Backlogged 

Appeals as of End of Appeals as of End of 

the Fiscal Year from the Fiscal Year from 

Previous Annual Report Current Annual Report

ARC - - 

DFRC - - 

GRC - - 

GSFC - - 

HQ - - 

JPL - - 

JSC - - 

KSC - - 

LaRC - - 

MSFC - - 

NSSC - - 

OGC - - 

OIG - - 

SSC - - 

AGENCY - OVERALL - 

F. Discussion of Other FOIA Activities (Optional)

 NASA FOIA staff continue to take annual FOIA training as well as NASA-day training, which is provided in conjunction with the 

ASAP training. Additionally, FOIA staff participate in monthly video conference calls to discuss processing issues and concerns. 

The FOIA staff are working together to process cases that have Agency-wide exposure.