Source: http://www.osec.doc.gov/omo/foia/03rpt.htm
Timestamp: 2014-11-25 21:45:46
Document Index: 280756654

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2411', '§ 12', '§ 122', '§ 253', '§ 278', '§ 253']

Annual FOIA Report FY 2003, U.S. Department of Commerce
ANNUAL FOIA REPORT FY 2003
Name:Brenda Dolan
C. How to obtain a copy of the report in paper form. Write to address or contact person listed in item I. A.
II. How to Make a FOIA Request Instructions are shown on DOC FOIA Home Page at: http://www.osec.doc.gov/omo/foia/foiawebsite.htm
The FOIA Officers are also listed at: http://www.osec.doc.gov/omo/foia/foiawebsite.htm
The Department of Commerce strives to answer all FOIA requests within the 20 day
response time mandated by the Electronic FOIA Amendments. The response time for simple requests is approximately 13 days. The response for complex requests varied from 25 days to a maximum of 69 days.
C. Brief description of why some requests are not granted. A request for records may be denied if the requested record contains information which falls into one or more of the nine categories listed below. If the requested record contains both exempt and nonexempt information, the nonexempt portions which may reasonably be segregated form the exempt portions will be released to the requester.
Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issues: or establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matter to be withheld. Exemption Four: Trade secrets and commercial of financial information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential.
4. Processed Request or Appeal - a request or appeal for which an agency has taken a final action on the request or the appeal in all respects. 5. 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 in each track are processed on a first-in/first out basis. A requester who has an urgent need for records may request expedited processing (see below).
50 U.S.C. app. § 2411(c), Export Administration Act of 1979 § 12(c) - protects information obtained for the purpose of consideration of, or concerning, exporting license applications, unless the Secretary of
Commerce determines that release of such information is in the national interest. This includes not only the applications themselves and the information contained therein, but also any information relating to an
1853(a)(5). Information which may not be disclosed includes, but in not limited to, the type and quantity of fishing gear used, catch by species in numbers of fish or weight thereof, areas in which fishing took place, number of hauls, and the estimated and actual processing capacities of U.S. fish processors. The Secretary of Commerce may, however, promulgate regulations that provide for the release
in aggregate or summary form which does not disclose the identity or business of any person that submits statistics.
35 U.S.C. § 122 - provides that applications for patents shall be kept in confidence by the Patent and Trademark Office unless disclosure is necessary to carry out the provisions of any Act of Congress, or in special
circumstances, to be determined by the Commissioner for Patents and Trademarks. This also includes materials in patent interference files. 41 U.S.C. §§ 253 - protects proprietary or source selection information in the possession of the Government during the conduct of any Federal procurement of property or services.
15 U.S.C. § 278n(d)(5) - provides that the FOIA does not apply to information submitted on a confidential basis, by joint ventures and members of joint ventures that receive funding
under the Department's Advanced Technology Program. The Department must withhold information concerning the business operation or trade secrets possessed by any business or member of a joint
venture that is receiving funding under the program.
41 U.S.C. §§ 253B - no case
1. Number of requests pending as of end of preceding fiscal year. 298 2. Number of requests received during current fiscal year. 1975
3. Number of requests processed during current fiscal year. 1981 4. Number of requests pending as of end of current fiscal year. 292
1. Number of total grants. 875
2. Number of partial grants. 327 3. Number of denials. 216
(1) Exemption 1 8
(2) Exemption 2 14 (3) Exemption 3 107
(4) Exemption 4 103
(5) Exemption 5 149
(6) Exemption 6 212
(7) Exemption 7(A) 5
4. Other reasons for nondisclosure (total) 563
a. no records 199
b. referrals 90
c. request withdrawn 47
d. fee-related reason 77 e. records not reasonably described 15 f. not a proper FOIA request for some other reason 16
g. not an agency record 19
h. duplicate request 21
i. other (publicly available information) 79
1. Number of appeals received during fiscal year 72 2. Number of appeals processed during fiscal year 74 B. Disposition of appeals.
1. Number completely upheld 25 2. Number partially reversed 13 3. Number completely reversed 7 a. number of times each FOIA exemption used (counting each exemption once per appeal)
(5) Exemption 5 14
(6) Exemption 6 23
(12)Exemption 7(F) 0 (13)Exemption 8 0 (14)Exemption 9 0 4. Other reasons for nondisclosure (total) 29 a. no records 3 b. referrals 0 c. request withdrawn 6 d. fee-related reason 3 e. records not reasonably described 1 f. not a proper FOIA request 2 g. not an agency record 1 h. duplicate request 0 i. other (specify) untimely 13 adequacy of search 0 no response 0 publicly available 0 went to litigation 0 VII. Compliance with Time Limits/Status of Pending Requests
a. number of requests processed 1486 b. median number of days to process 13 2. Complex requests (specify for any and all tracks used).
a. number of requests processed 495 b. median number of days to process 30 3. Requests accorded expedited processing.
a. number of requests processed 0 b. median number of days to process 0
1. Number of requests pending as of end of current fiscal year 292 2. Median number of days that such requests were pending as of that date 22 VIII. Comparisons with Previous Year(s) (Optional) - A. Comparison of numbers of requests received:
FY01-2183 FY02-2142 FY03-1975
FY01-2232 FY02-2063 FY03-1981
FY01-30 FY02-30 FY03-22
1. Requests received for expedited processing 0 2. Requests for expedited processing granted 0 E. Other narrative statements describing agency efforts to improve timeliness of FOIA performance and to make records available to the public (e.g., backlog-
1. Number of full-time FOIA personnel 13 2. Number of personnel with part-time or occasional FOIA duties (in total
work-years) 4.8 3. Total number of personnel 17.8 B. Total costs (including staff and all resources).
1. FOIA processing (including appeals) 1,253,641.00 2. Litigation-related activities (estimated) 283,362.00 3. Total Costs 1,537,003.00 4. Comparison with previous year(s) (including percentage of change) (optional) Optional data is not provided.
A. Total amount of fees collected by agency for processing requests 42,758.65 B. Percentage of total costs 2.78% XI. FOIA Regulations (Including Fee Schedule)