CSI RESOURCE REQUEST REGARDING JFK
Originator: CIA
From: JOHN F. PEREIRA
To: WITHHELD
Document date: 11/06/1997
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SECRET

CL BY: 0185904

CL REASON: Section 1.5 C

DECL ON: X1

DRY FRM: COL 1-82

NOTE FOR:

FROM:

OFFICE:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

Rebecca.V. Strode @ DCI

John F. Pereira

CSI/HRG

11/06/97 11:14:13 AM

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 done ?

- 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 be 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 314 days per week)

: The DO unit detailed to CSI to coordinate the review of JFK records recently added two

contractors and may add more.

3. What difference would X more make ?

: 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

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CC:

Brian S. Latell @ DCI./PatriciaF. Duryee@ DCRodney A. Snyder @ DCI.Rex-HaLathamC-@ DCI RobertiE.

Legget @ DCI, J. Barry Harrelson @ DCI

SECRET

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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:

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.

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Additional Resources Requested.

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 documents 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

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JFK Project - Status

CIA JFK/Sequestered Collection:

I.Oswald 201

(45.65 records/25,707 pages)

III. CIA/JFK Hardcopy (63 boxes)

- Complete

HSCA

Boxes 1-12

(30,000 pages)

Complete

(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

Security Files

- 40,000 pages

3,000 pages

We anticipate the number of new records to increase as the

ARRB

staff

continues

its

review of Agency files.

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Referrals from other Agencies are increasing -

To be reviewed: At least 40,000 pages.

This is a

rough estimate and could easily be higher.

We

reviewed in

August, September and October over 18,000 pages

compared with less

than 10,000 the previous 7 months.

Declassification and Transfer to NARA:

The increase in assassination records plus the

requirement to declassify and transfer to NARA all JFK

assassination records to NARA by 30 September 1998 will

require a significant increase in support resources

(indexing, redaction, reproduction).

Currently most of the

indexing

and reproduction for the project is done on

overtime. Two support Ils assist the reviewers with the

review and redaction tasks. To meet the deadline, I estimate

that the current cost of support will double.

Resources:

See previous memo.

The projected requirements are a rough estimate at this

time. They assume that HRG will have computer connectivity

with the CIA SCIF at ARRB offices and access to summer

employees (5) to assist with preparing documents for NARA

during June-Aug. 1998.

The actual cost could increase

depending on the decisions by the Board on the NBR proposals

and if number of referrals and new assassination records are

much higher than projected.

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