104-10331-10204 vos . SECRET CL BY: 0185904 Cl REASOM: Section 1.5 C Ect om: X1 onv Fre: COL 1-82 NOTEFOR: =| @ 0cl FROM: John F. Pereira OFFICE: CSIHRG DATE: - 11/06/97 11:14:13 AM SUBJECT: CSI Resource Request regarding JFK In Brian Latell's absence, i am providing the following response to the Exdir's questions regarding the request for additional resources for review of JFK documents: ; 1. What is the size of the JFK declassification problem ? How much work remains to be dene 7 - An additional 40-50,000 pages of CIA records remain to be reviewed by 30 September 1998. - A large volume of documents are being referred to CIA by other agencies for review, including the FBI, State, and Presidential Libraries. The documents are either ClA-originated or contain CIA information. No figures are available, but we estimate at least 40,000 pages. - The JFK Board has also asked CIA to re-review approximately 130,000 pages of material that we released earlier to the National Archives. The reason is to determine whether information deleted earlier can now N he released. -2. How many people do you have working on the JFK project now? . - Following are dedicated to the JFK project: -- One staff officer (Project leader Barry Harrelson) -- 13 independent contractors (work 3/4 days per week} - The Do unit detailed to CSI to coordinate the review of JFK records recently added two contractors and may addmore. 3. What difference would X more make 7 - The additional resources requested would allow us to increase the pace of the review of CIA documents and third agency referrals. Unless the pace is increased, it is highly unlikely that the Board's requirement to complete the review and declassification of all JFK-related records by 30 September 1998 could be met. SECRET
13-00000 ce: Brian S. Latell @ DC a DCI, J. Barry Harrelson @ DCI SECRET SECRET ancl = fe@ocf__sd)
13-00000 31 October 1997 Request for Additional Funds for the JFK Assassination Records Review Project, through 31 September 1998. Reference: Ltr. to Executive Director form J. Jeremy Gunn, Executive Director, Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB), copy attached. Background. 1. The ARRB will go out of business on 31 September 1998. Before that date, it has a statutory obligation to complete its review of all records held by the U.S. Government which relate to the assassination of President Kennedy, determine those which are relevant to the assassination story and ensure that the same are transferred to the National Archives. As the board begins its final year, it has become increasingly concerned about the pace of the review and transfer process. Referent letter is the latest of a number of exchanges dealing with that concern. 2. CSI/HRG has carefully reviewed its current position with respect to its ability to meet the deadlines imposed and has concluded that it cannot fully do so without additional resources, at least through 30 September 1998. This conclusion is based in large measure on three changed circumstances: A. The ARRB has recently exercised its statutory authority and designated additional CIA records to be within the JFK collection (to date approximately twenty cubic feet or 40,000 pages). Additional records may be identified as. the ARRB staff continues its review of Agency files. . B. Over the past three months we have received an increase in the number of “Assassination Records” referred from third agencies which include both Agency documents held by another agency or third agency documents which must be reviewed because they contain CIA information; and C. The ARRB itself has established a deadline which was not anticipated: All agencies had understood that the review process and ARRB action would have: to be completed by 30 September, but it was widely assumed that final processing and transfer of the documents to the National Archives could occur after that date. However, the Board has now mandated that all relevant records which are not duplicates must be transferred to custody of the National Archives before it goes out of business.
13-00000 Additional Resources Reguested. 3. The following estimate is based on our understanding of the ARRB requirements at this time. A. Review of records: equivalent of 2 man-years (3 contractors -- average daily contractor cost $270); B. Preparation of documerits for National Archives: equivalent of 1.5 man-years (2 contractors -- average daily contractor cost $180); C. Indexing: approximately one-man year of overtime ($25 hourly rate); D. Reproduction: approximately one-man year of overtime ($25 hourly rate). Estimated cost FY98: $300,000
13-00000 JFK Project - Status CIA_JFK/Sequestered Collection: I.Oswald 201 (4565 records/25,707 pages) - Complete IIT. CIA/JFK Hardcopy (63 boxes) “HSCA (30,000 pages) - Complete Boxes 1-12 (4565 record/22389 pages)- Complete Boxes 13-63 (26652 records/156,241 pages) - 65%+ Complete ‘To be re-reviewed: approximately 50,000 pages [The ARRB staff designated “priority” folders in boxes 13- 63; the review of these folders is almost complete.] III. CIA/Microfilm - Approximately 160,000 pages To be re-reviewed - 80,000 pages {1994 release plus newly designated Assassination Records] The remaining pages are either duplicates (Oswald 201- _ 26,000 pages) or are pending a decisions by the Board. At its November and Decembers meetings, The ARRB is scheduled (Nov./Dec. meetings) to act on proposals by the ARRB staff to declare over. 50, 000 pages of the microfilm as “Not . Believed Relevant. The ARRB has agreed that (duplicates do not have to reviewed prior to 1 October 1998. New Assassination Records (to date)- To be reviewed. DO working files - 40,000 pages Security Files. ~ 3,000 pages We anticipate the number of new records to increase as the ARRB staff continues its review of Agency files. oo.