Source: http://ecfr.io/Title-05/pt5.3.9301
Timestamp: 2019-03-25 23:47:30
Document Index: 595493795

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 9301', 'art 9301', 'art 9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301', '§9301']

[5 CFR 9301] Title 5 Part 9301 : Code of Federal Regulations ';
Title 5 Part 9301
Title 5 → Chapter LXXXIII → Part 9301
§9301.1 In general.
§9301.2 Authority and functions.
§9301.3 Organization.
§9301.4 Availability of records.
§9301.5 Accessing records without request
§9301.6 Requesting records.
§9301.7 Definitions.
§9301.8 Fees in general.
§9301.9 Fees for categories of requesters.
§9301.10 Other charges.
§9301.11 Payment and waiver.
§9301.12 Purpose and scope.
§9301.13 Rules for determining if an individual is the subject of a record.
§9301.14 Requests for access.
§9301.15 Access to the accounting of disclosures from records.
§9301.16 Requests for copies of records.
§9301.17 Requests to amend records.
§9301.18 Request for review.
§9301.19 Schedule of fees.
§9301.20 Exemptions.
Source: 77 FR 34180, June 11, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
This information is furnished for the guidance of the public and in compliance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended. This subpart should be read in conjunction with the FOIA. The Freedom of Information Act applies to third-party requests for documents concerning the general activities of the government and of SIGAR in particular. When a U.S. citizen or an individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence requests access to his or her own records, it is considered a Privacy Act request. Such records are maintained by SIGAR under the individual's name or personal identifier. Although requests are considered either FOIA requests for Privacy Act requests, agencies process requests in accordance with both laws, which provides the greatest degree of lawful access while safeguarding an individual's privacy.
[77 FR 38171, June 27, 2012]
SIGAR provides records to individual requesters in response to FOIA requests. Records that are required by the FOIA to be made available for public inspection and copying are accessible on SIGAR's Web site, http://www.sigar.mil. SIGAR will also identify records of interest to the public that are appropriate for public disclosure, and then post these records.
Certain SIGAR records, including the agency's Quarterly Report, audit reports, testimony, oversight plans, press releases, other public issuances, and records that are required by 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) to be made publicly available are available electronically from SIGAR's homepage at http://www.sigar.mil. SIGAR encourages requesters to visit its Web site before making a request for records under §9301.6.
[82 FR 712, Jan. 4, 2017]
(a) Written requests required. For records not available as described under §9301.5, requesters wishing to obtain information from SIGAR should submit a written request to SIGAR's FOIA Officer. Requests should be addressed to FOIA Officer, Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, 2530 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. As there may be delays in mail delivery, it is advisable to send the request via facsimile to (703) 601-3804 or by email to [email protected]
(c) Response to requests—(1) Processing. SIGAR will provide an individualized tracking number, and estimated date of completion, and a brief description of the subjects of the request in an acknowledgement letter to the requester. The FOIA Officer shall determine within 20 days (except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays) after receiving a request for records, whether it is appropriate to grant or deny the request. The 20-day period may be tolled once if the FOIA Officer requests information from the requestor or if additional time is necessary to clarify issues with the requestor regarding a fee assessment.
(i) Request granted. If the FOIA Officer decides to grant the request, either in-full or in-part, the FOIA Officer shall promptly provide the requester written notice of the decision. The FOIA Officer shall include with the notice both the requested records and a copy of the decision. The notice shall also describe the procedure for filing an appeal.
(iii) Consultations and referrals: When SIGAR receives a request for a record in its possession, it will determine whether another agency of the Federal Government, is better able to determine whether the record is exempt from disclosure under the FOIA and, if so, whether it should be disclosed as a matter of administrative discretion. If SIGAR determines that it is best able to process the record in response to the request, then it will do so. If SIGAR determines that it is not best able to process the record, then it will either:
(A) Respond to the request regarding that record, after consulting with the agency best able to determine whether to disclose it and with any other agency that has a substantial interest in it; or
(B) Refer the responsibility for responding to the request regarding that record to the agency that originated the record (but only if that agency is subject to the FOIA). Ordinarily, the agency that originated a record will be presumed to be best able to determine whether to disclose it.
(3) Extension for unusual circumstances—
(i) In general. If the FOIA Officer determines that unusual circumstances exist, the FOIA Officer may extend for no more than ten days (except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays) the time limits described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section by providing written notice of the extension to the requester. The FOIA Officer shall include with the notice a brief statement of the reason for the extension and the date the FOIA Officer expects to make the determination. If the extension goes beyond ten working days, the FOIA Officer will include a notification of the requester's right to seek dispute resolutions services from the Office of Government Information Services.
(d) Appeals—(1) Initiating appeals. Requesters not satisfied with the FOIA Officer's written decision may request SIGAR's FOIA Appellate Authority to review the decision. Appeals must be delivered in writing within 90 days of the date of the decision and shall be addressed to the FOIA Appellate Authority, Office of Privacy, Records & Disclosure, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, 2530 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. As there may be delays in mail delivery, it is advisable to Fax appeals to (703) 601-3804 or email to [email protected] An appeal shall include a statement specifying the records that are the subject of the appeal and explaining why the Appellate Authority should grant the appeal.
(2) Appeal decisions. The Appellate Authority shall decide the appeal within 20 days (except Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays) from the date it receives the appeal. If the Appellate Authority denies the appeal in full or part, the Appellate Authority shall promptly notify the requester in writing of the Appellate Authority's decision and the provisions for judicial review. If the Appellate Authority grants the appeal, the FOIA Officer shall notify the requester in writing and shall make available to the requester copies of the releasable records once the requester pays any fees that SIGAR assesses under §§9301.8 through 9301.10.
(3) Dispute resolution. A response to an appeal will advise the requester that the 2007 FOIA amendments created the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) to offer dispute resolution services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a nonexclusive alternative to litigation. Dispute resolution is a voluntary process. A requester may contact OGIS in any of the following ways: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740; Email: [email protected]; Telephone: 202-741-5770; Facsimile: 202-741-5769; Toll-free: 1-877-684-6448.
[77 FR 34180, June 11, 2012, as amended at 77 FR 38171, June 27, 2012; 82 FR 712, Jan. 4, 2017; 82 FR 28549, June 23, 2017]
(e) Fee category means one of the three categories that agencies place requesters in for the purpose of determining whether a requester will be charged fees for search, review and duplication.
(f) Fee waiver means the waiver or reduction of processing fees if a requester can demonstrate that certain statutory standards are satisfied.
(g) Non-commercial scientific institution means an institution that is not operated on a commercial basis and that operates solely for the purpose of conducting scientific research the results of which are not intended to promote any particular product or industry.
(h) Representative of the news media means any person or entity that gathers information of potential interest to a segment of the public, uses its editorial skills to turn the raw materials into a distinct work, and distributes that work to an audience.
(i) Review means to examine a record to determine whether any portion of the record may be withheld and to process a record for disclosure, including by redacting it.
(j) Search for means look for and retrieve records covered by a FOIA request, including by looking page-by-page or line-by-line to identify responsive material within individual records.
[77 FR 38172, June 27, 2012]
SIGAR shall charge reasonable fees that recoup the full allowable direct costs it incurs in responding to FOIA requests. SIGAR will provide an estimated amount of fees, including a breakdown of the fees for search, review, and/or duplication. SIGAR may assess charges for time spent searching for records even if SIGAR is unable to locate the records or if the records are located and determined to be exempt from disclosure. In general, SIGAR shall apply the following fee schedule, subject to §§9301.9 through 9301.11:
(d) Duplication. Fees for copying paper records or for printing electronic records shall be assessed at a rate of $.10 per page. For other types of copies such as disks or audio visual tapes, SIGAR shall charge the direct cost of producing the document(s). If duplication charges are expected to exceed $25, the FOIA Officer shall notify the requester, unless the requester has indicated in advance a willingness to pay fees as high as those anticipated.
(ii) When the FOIA Officer requires a requester to make an advance payment, the 20-day period described in §9301.6(c)(1) shall begin when the FOIA Officer receives the payment.
(i) Notwithstanding §9301.8(f)(3), if SIGAR determines that unusual circumstances apply and that more than 5000 pages are necessary to respond to the request, SIGAR may continue to charge search fees, or duplication fees for requesters in preferred status, for as long as necessary, after timely written notice has been made to the requester and SIGAR has discussed with the requester how the requester could effectively limit the scope of the request via written mail, electronic mail, or telephone, or made three good-faith attempts to do so.
[77 FR 34180, June 11, 2012, as amended at 77 FR 38172, June 27, 2012; 82 FR 712, Jan. 4, 2017; 82 FR 28550, June 23, 2017]
(c) Aggregating requests. When the FOIA Officer reasonably believes that a requester or a group of requesters acting in concert is attempting to divide a request into a series of requests within a 30-day period for the purpose of avoiding fees, the FOIA Officer shall aggregate those requests and charge accordingly.
[77 FR 34180, June 11, 2012, as amended at 77 FR 38172, June 27, 2012]
(b) Waiver. SIGAR may waive all or part of any fee provided for in §§9301.8 through 9301.9 when the FOIA Officer deems that as a matter of administrative discretion or disclosure of the information is in the general public's interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the Government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. Requesters may request a waiver in their initial FOIA request letter. Requests for a fee waiver should explain how the information requested contributes to the public's understanding of the operations or activities of the government. In determining whether a fee should be waived, the FOIA Officer may consider whether:
(a) Individuals desiring to know if a specific system of records maintained by SIGAR contains a record pertaining to them should address their inquiries to the Privacy Officer, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, 2530 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. As there may be delays in mail delivery, it is advisable to send the request via facsimile to (703) 601-3804 or by email to [email protected] The written inquiry should contain a specific reference to the system of records maintained by the SIGAR listed in the SIGAR Notice of Systems of Records, or it should describe the type of record in sufficient detail reasonably to identify the system of records. Notice of SIGAR systems of records subject to the Privacy Act will be published in the Federal Register, posted on the SIGAR public facing Web site, and copies of the notices will be available upon request to the Privacy Officer when so published. A compilation of such notices will also be made and published by the Office of the Federal Register, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(f).
(i) If the request for access follows a prior request under §9301.1, the same identifying information need not be included in the request for access if a reference is made to that prior correspondence or a copy of the SIGAR response to that request is attached. If the individual specifically desires a copy of the record, the request should so specify under §9301.4.
(iv) The amount of fees charged, if any (see §§9301.6 and 9301.7). (Fees are applicable only to requests for copies);
Rules governing the granting of access to the accounting of disclosures are the same as those for granting access to the records (including verification of identity) outlined in §9301.14.
Rules governing requests for copies of records are the same as those for the granting of access to the records (including verification of identity) outlined in §9301.14. (See also §9301.19 for rules regarding fees.)
(ii) When the individual's identity has been previously verified pursuant to §9301.14(b)(2)(vi), further verification of identity is not required as long as the communication does not suggest that a need for verification has reappeared. If the individual's identity has not been previously verified, SIGAR may require identification validation as described in §9301.14(b)(2)(vi). Individuals desiring assistance in the preparation of a request to amend a record should contact the Privacy Officer at the address cited above.
(v) A description of the review of the appeal within SIGAR (see §9301.18).
(a) Individuals wishing to request a review of the decision by SIGAR with regard to an initial request to amend a record in accordance with the provisions of §9301.17, should submit the request for review in writing and, to the extent possible, include the information specified in §9301.17(a). Individuals desiring assistance in the preparation of their request for review should contact the Privacy Officer at the address provided herein.
(b) The request for review should contain a brief description of the record involved or in lieu thereof, copies of the correspondence from SIGAR in which the request to amend was denied, and also should state the reasons why the individual believes that the disputed information should be amended. The request for review should make reference to the information furnished by the individual in support of his claim and the reasons, as required by §9301.17, set forth by SIGAR in its decision denying the amendment. In order to avoid the unnecessary retention of personal information, SIGAR reserves the right to dispose of the material concerning the request to amend a record if no request for review in accordance with this section is received by SIGAR within 180 days of the mailing by SIGAR of its decision upon an initial request. A request for review received after the 180 day period may, at the discretion of the Privacy Officer, be treated as an initial request to amend a record.
(c) The request for review should be addressed to the Appellate Authority, Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, 2530 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. As there may be delays in mail delivery, it is advisable to send the request via facsimile to (703) 601-3804 or by email to [email protected]
[79 FR 37928, July 3, 2014]