A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
F. Additional Statistics:
None pending
FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS (BOP)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has met all of the goals and milestones established
in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be
completed for this reporting period.
In particular, in order to improve the Web site, ensure compliance with affirmative
disclosure requirements, and increase the proactive disclosure of information, BOP reviewed
"bop.gov" and determined that information was easily located, presented in a clear and precise
manner, and was accurate and current. BOP also designated a staff member to have sole responsibility for
reviewing and maintaining the FOIA reading room disclosure list. Furthermore, BOP reviewed the list of most frequently requested records. BOP also concentrated on improving its expedited processing procedures. Specifically, BOP appointed a
Central Office Expedited processing liaison, and implemented improved procedures to ensure immediate identification of requests for expedited treatment.
In its efforts to improve customer relations, BOP has established procedures within its
FOIA Requester Service Center to compile and use any suggestions or concerns that users
identify.
BOP has also restructured the procedures for the handling of incoming referrals and
consultations, and has already noticed a substantial improvement. Along this same line, BOP
conducted an intensive review of its FOIA administration structure in relation to
centralization and decentralization. As a result of this review, BOP restructured the entire intake
process by centralizing many procedures and decentralizing others. BOP also implemented a
Backlog Reduction Project, the first phase of which included the review and culling of the
backlog list.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
April 29, 2005 to January 9, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
None pending
CIVIL DIVISION
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Civil Division successfully completed the vast majority of goals and milestones
established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that
were to be completed for this reporting period.
Specifically, the Civil Division was able to
accomplish the goals concerning the areas of Web site improvement, communications with
requesters, customer service, updating staffing/position descriptions, training, docket control
system, and multi-track processing. Also, although no complaints have been made to the FOIA
Customer Service Center, the Civil Division has met its goal of establishing a system to review
any such complaints.
Through the Civil Division's efforts to make improvements in such areas as its Web site
and communications with requesters, the Civil Division was able make its procedures more user-
friendly for the requester community. Furthermore, the review of staffing and position
descriptions, as well as a review of its FOIA docket control system, allowed the Civil Division to
update many different facets of its FOIA processing procedures.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
The Civil Division was unable to fully meet the milestones for two of its goals for this
reporting period. The
Civil Division's progress under the Department's improvement plan was constrained by
litigation obligations, staffing limitations, and the focus on processing requests in a timely
manner.
Specifically, staffing limitations and review requirements have delayed the accomplishment of the
goal and the last two milestones found under the improvement area "E-FOIA publication
requirements." The Civil Division now expects to locate the specific Civil Division records that
meet the E-FOIA publication requirements by February 15, 2007. The Civil Division also
expects to publish the responsive records and test Internet access to those records by February 15,
2007.
The concerns noted above have also delayed the goal found under the improvement area
entitled "Acknowledgment letter responses." While the first two milestones were accomplished in
a timely fashion, any necessary processing changes to the content of the Civil Division's
acknowledgment letters still need to be implemented. The Civil Division now expects to
accomplish this by February 15, 2007.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
October 24, 2006 to December 15, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
One consultation initiated on August 7, 2006
CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION (CRT)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Civil Rights Division (CRT) has met all of the goals and milestones established in
the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be
completed for this reporting period. CRT had success in the improvement areas of staffing,
training, and equipment, as well as customer service.
In particular, regarding improvements in timeliness for processing complex FOIA
requests, the FOIA office developed information on the problem areas contributing to the high
number of days in turnaround time for complex requests. A strategy to address these problem
areas was developed, and soon after the FOIA office began to see results. The Division had set a
goal of reducing the median processing time by thirty days for the fifteen percent of the workload
consisting of complex requests. By October 1, 2006, the Division had dropped the median time
to process pending complex requests from 528 days to 222 days and, for closed requests, from
359 days to 344 days for an overall average reduction of 160 days on complex FOIA requests.
The Division is ahead of its goal targeted for February 1, 2007 and well on its way to continue
reducing its processing time.
To improve both affirmative disclosure and proactive disclosure, the FOIA staff has
reviewed the records immediately available for Web site posting and has met with the technical
staff that is constructing a user-friendly system for easy transfer of tens-of-thousands of pages of
frequently requested records to the electronic reading room.
In the area of customer service, the FOIA Branch achieved its goals by meeting with the
staff to emphasize basic protocol in working with the public and continues
to monitor the Branch's fulfillment of high standards in this area.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
As of October 1, 2006, the Civil Rights Division's backlog of only fifteen FOIA requests is
the lowest it has been at any time in the last thirty years in spite of a generally stable average of
incoming FOIA requests (529 received during Fiscal Year 2006). From all indications and the
clear trend of the Division's processing, the Division's current practices will continue to reduce
both the backlog and the turnaround time for processing its FOIA requests.
The Division has also made significant progress in the primary area previously
noted as needing attention. A staff member is now assigned to handle requests that
involve records related to the upper-level management of the Division. Work in this area has
resulted in the closing of a portion of these pending requests with additional progress anticipated
for the near future.
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
January 10, 2002 to January 9, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE (CRS)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Community Relations Service (CRS) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period.
To date CRS focused on two potential
improvement areas: affirmative disclosure under subsection (a)(2) and Electronic FOIA
(receiving/responding to requests electronically). After a review of CRS policy statements that
are posted on the Web site, it has been determined that the current Web site is complete and no
additional policy statements should be posted. CRS also examined the feasibility of responding
to requests electronically. In light of the very small number of FOIA requests received by CRS
over the past five years and the fact that most are "no record" responses, CRS determined that an
electronic FOIA system is not necessary for its FOIA operations.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
CRIMINAL DIVISION
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Criminal Division successfully completed the milestones and goals in several of the
improvement areas established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to
Executive Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
Most notably, the Criminal Division realized
improvements through training and the purchase of new equipment. For instance, the
FOIA/PA Unit received a new photocopier which is more efficient and will aid in increasing
productivity. Furthermore, the FOIA Unit also conducted an in-house training session with an
emphasis on courtesy and helpfulness especially for those individuals involved with the FOIA
Requester Service Center. A Senior Analyst reviewed and revised the FOIA Unit's in-house training materials
to help improve and accelerate its training process.
In addition, the completion of several measures helped to improve the Criminal
Division's response time. For instance, to ensure that the analysts are handling requests as
efficiently as possible, the Deputy Chief and Unit Chief are meeting quarterly with each analyst
to discuss their workload and any problems they might be encountering. The Criminal Division
also initiated a new procedure relating to consultations and concurrences where the analyst
follows up every thirty days to check on the status with the section/agency involved. As part of
the Criminal Division's efforts to improve its response time on consultations, it assigned an analyst
the task of completing the ten oldest outstanding consultations. Also, to improve response time,
the Criminal Division has worked towards hiring one attorney and one analyst. In fact,
the Criminal Division has already made its selections and is awaiting the completion of the personnel
process.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
The Criminal Division was unable to meet milestones for three of its goals for this
reporting period. Some activities were dependent on an increase in funding, as
well as additional personnel. However, due to a reduction in the budget, the Criminal Division deemed
these additional resources unfeasible. Current staffing levels were also
affected by an early out/buy out, and the extended leave required by one employee. The Criminal Division was
advised that it may not be able to replace employees who are retiring, at least for the foreseeable
future.
Specifically, as to the fifth milestone in its backlog reduction goal, which was to reduce
by a proportionate share the Criminal Division's backlog by January 15, 2007 (i.e., reduce by
approximately eighty requests), due to the reasons outlined above, the Criminal Division's backlog
has instead increased from 872 to 892 as of January 9, 2007. Even with the current staffing
limitations, the Criminal Division is continuing its efforts to reduce the backlog in proportional
amounts. However, once its new staff is on board the Criminal Division still anticipates
achieving its overall goal in this improvement area by December 31, 2008.
Second, the steps necessary to update the Criminal Division's Web site were not
achieved. Due to the staffing concerns raised above, the Criminal Divison still needs to remove the out-of-date material and develop a better system to obtain (a)(2) material from the Criminal Division Sections in a timely manner.
After reviewing the status of each Sections' Web site within the Division, the FOIA Unit
determined that most, if not all, Sections are already posting volumes of material on their Web sites. The
Criminal Division anticipates full compliance by July 15, 2007.
Third, the Criminal Division's Declassification Officer has moved to the new National
Security Division. Consequently, as set forth in its plan, the Criminal Division has requested that
this responsibility be delegated to a new individual in the Criminal Division. While the
FOIA Unit has made this delegation request, as of
January 9, 2007, a new declassification officer was not yet designated. The FOIA Unit will
continue to routinely inquire about its request for a new declassification officer, until that delegation is made.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of referral from another agency)
July 10, 1989 to January 8, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
August 2, 2002 to January 9, 2007
DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION (DEA)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has met nearly all of the milestones and
goals established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In particular, DEA has made great
strides in the area of customer relations/communications. DEA created very specific critical
elements to rate the performance of all employees handling FOIA requests in the area of
customer service. Also, the implementation of a Customer Service Hotline has created a positive
atmosphere of open communications between the customer/requester and the FOIA Specialist.
Other positive results DEA has achieved include a decrease in the number of unperfected requests. Additionally, DEA is ahead of
schedule in implementing its plan area related to automated tracking and automated
processing/redacting capabilities (though the remainder of implementation activity in this area
falls into later reporting periods).
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Despite implementing all of the steps in the plan, DEA has not achieved the goal of
reducing the backlog by two percent on a quarterly basis due to a lack of human resources and to
budget constraints. FOIA staffing is currently at seventy-five percent, which includes six
vacancies. Also, since the submission of DEA's plan, a two-year hiring freeze was
implemented. The members of the management team have continuously met to discuss
alternative ways to eliminate the backlog. Certain alternative measures were implemented by DEA,
including having personnel work compensatory time, and increasing communications with requesters in an effort
to facilitate the processing of FOIA requests. DEA is committed to
continue to look at the process and seek improvements where possible. DEA will continue to
review its backlog reduction progress on a bi-weekly basis.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
November 5, 2005 to December 31, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
January 3, 2003 to December 29, 2006
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION (ENRD)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) has met all of the goals and
milestones it established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive
Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In particular, ENRD has added an
additional attorney consultation step for complex requests, reminded all ENRD staff how to
properly bill FOIA-related time, reduced the processing time for requests in the Law and Policy
Section, convened more frequent meetings between FOIA paralegals and section contacts, and
incorporated Executive Order 13,392 into paralegal training. These accomplishments have
facilitated the processing of the Division's FOIA requests, helping ENRD reduce the number of
pending requests by fifty-three percent before January 1, 2007. ENRD devotes significant time
and resources to process its FOIA requests. Efficiency and politeness continue to be hallmarks of
ENRD's interaction with FOIA requesters.
Since March 2006, ENRD has held three meetings of all FOIA staff. In these meetings,
the staff of the litigating sections met the new Law and Policy Section paralegal, discussed
modifications of ENRD FOIA procedures, and learned about Executive Order 13,392. All three
meetings were well attended and received positive feedback.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
August 11, 2005 to December 19, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time
None pending
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW (EOIR)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has met nearly all of the goals and
milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period. Overall, EOIR recognized the importance of
improving customer satisfaction, increasing efficiency, and reducing backlogs.
Highlights of EOIR's accomplishments include exceeding the aggressive backlog
reduction goals established in the FOIA Improvement Plan. The plan set a Fiscal Year 2006
reduction goal of twenty-five percent, which EOIR exceeded by nineteen percent by obtaining an
overall reduction in its backlog of forty-four percent during the fiscal year. This reduction
included the processing of an additional 1000 complex requests and nearly double the number of
expedited requests. In addition, EOIR was able to substantially reduce the median number of
days taken to process requests in all categories. Simple requests went from 43 days to 27;
complex requests went from 149 days to 129; and expedited requests went from 44 days to 16.
Another highlight is the increased cooperation that EOIR obtained internally with the
Office of Planning Analysis and Technology (OPAT) and externally with the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) FOIA staff. By shifting reporting from the Information Resources
Management (IRM) unit to OPAT, many of the data issues identified for remediation were
addressed, which in turn enhanced EOIR's efficiency. Externally, meetings were held with DHS
that enabled both agencies to improve response times and decrease the need for referrals.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
EOIR was unable to fully meet three goals for this reporting period. First, EOIR planned
to "improve customer satisfaction by creating a tracking mechanism to capture public
comments." As conceived at the time the plan was established, the tracking mechanism was to
be integrated into the existing FOIA database. In order to accomplish this, EOIR met the original
two target dates, (evaluating the system by July 1, 2006, and meeting with the FOIA staff July 15,
2006 and August 1, 2006). Thereafter, EOIR began discussions with IRM to incorporate the
information into the existing database. During these discussions, IRM advised that it did not
have resources to allocate to this project. In fact, with the exception of essential issues, all new
database changes are on hold at EOIR due to the phase-in of a major database system.
In light of these developments, in order to meet this goal the FOIA Service Center has decided not to integrate the FOIA
tracking form into the existing system, but instead will create a separate, simple form that can be
electronically maintained in a folder on the network system. In light of this changed approach,
EOIR anticipates that this new tracking form should be in place and operational by March 15, 2007.
Once in place, EOIR will conduct quarterly reviews, as well.
Second, EOIR planned to "centralize the filing of FOIA records and evaluate the
feasibility of expanding bar coding to manage files" by November 30, 2006. EOIR did not meet that target
completion date because the construction of the new storage location has been
delayed. The file location designated for storing these records is part of a larger reconstruction
effort at EOIR headquarters under the direction of the GSA. When EOIR created the implementation plan, the date of delivery was set for October 1, 2006. This date was not met and, therefore,
none of the planned moves could be made. The revised completion date for the construction is
March 2007. Once the build-out is actually complete and the space is available, the files will be
relocated.
Additionally, the bar coding aspect of this goal ran into difficulties because the plan
required IRM to participate and provide an evaluation of its feasibility. As noted above, the IRM
unit is currently assigned to the major system implementation project and was unable to
conduct a feasibility study for FOIA. Additionally, in light of these resource constraints, there is
little likelihood of implementation at present, but the FOIA unit will pursue the implementation
of bar coding within one quarter after IRM actually completes the phase-in of the major database
system.
Lastly, EOIR planned to include FOIA compliance as part of its court-evaluation reviews
by October 1, 2006. EOIR met the initial steps for this goal in a timely fashion. EOIR FOIA staff met
with the Deputy Chief Immigration Judge in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ) to discuss
inclusion of FOIA compliance as part of the court evaluations. Despite obtaining agreement at
this level EOIR has not been able to finalize or implement the questions to date. The initial target
date for the meeting with the Court Evaluation Unit conflicted with the Annual OCIJ training
meeting and was thus postponed.
However, in light of the agreement that was reached at senior levels and recent conversations
with OCIJ, EOIR now has set September 1, 2007 as the date for implementation of this goal.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
Requests: June 20, 2004 to January 17, 2007 (requests received daily)
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS (EOUSA)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) has met nearly all of the
goals and milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In the area of customer service, EOUSA reviewed all of its forms and changed some
intake procedures which has generated a noticeable reduction in the number of correspondence
and phone calls from requesters and the United States Attorneys Offices (USAOs). EOUSA is
also responding with acknowledgment letters, on average, within five days of receipt of requests.
The letters provide clear guidance on procedures. The processing team was trained and
clearly understands that all form letters are for guidance and should be adjusted to address unique
circumstances. In addition, the intake staff was trained and is fully knowledgeable about
how to respond to requesters and the USAOs in a timely and clear manner. Requesters are not
writing or calling as frequently because they are clearly aware of procedures, and the processors
are able to spend more time processing requests.
EOUSA has aggressively been working toward reducing its backlog. The FOIA office
does not house the majority of records the requesters seek. It is dependent upon receipt of
records from ninety-three USAOs. As a result, the FOIA office worked aggressively with the
USAOs that had very large backlogs and provided them with guidance on how to reduce the
backlog. The Southern District of New York had at one time a very large backlog, which is now
down to only one percent. The Central District of California and District of Massachusetts
reduced their backlogs by more than fifty percent. The District of Columbia has the largest
backlog. The FOIA office met with the
District of Columbia office to help it establish workable procedures and provided guidance on ways to
reduce its backlog dramatically. That district is now responding more promptly and consistently reducing its
backlog. It was able to close all 1999 requests and has closed ninety-three requests dated between
April 2006 and September 31, 2006. The FOIA office has also trained new FOIA contacts in its
facilities from the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Florida, the District of
South Carolina, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, and has designated
a staff member to work closely with the District of Columbia office. In addition to training the new
FOIA contact, the Northern District of Illinois contact helped to establish processing procedures,
and as a result that District cut its backlog by twenty-five percent, all in one week. Moreover, the
FOIA office has worked to more efficiently review responses from the districts and address
concerns with the districts immediately. As a result, it has been able to respond to requesters in a
more timely manner.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
EOUSA was unable to fully meet the milestones for one of its goals for this reporting
period. In the improvement area for reducing its backlog , EOUSA set very aggressive goals
with the desire of achieving a substantial percentage reduction in its backlog. It set a target for a
seventy-five percent reduction by September 1, 2007, with interval targets dates. Its first interval
target was to reduce the backlog by thirty-three percent by September 30, 2006. EOUSA did
achieve a substantial reduction, though it did not meet the reduction desired.
Throughout the year (beginning in February), the Staff was operating with one attorney
missing, since the Assistant Director had accepted a new position, but had not been replaced in
the FOIA Staff. EOUSA also lost one of its highest producing paralegals (who accepted an
attorney position elsewhere), and EOUSA had to dedicate the full time of both a senior attorney
and one of the highest-processing paralegals to a litigation effort for the rest of the year. Another
paralegal processor was committed to work closely with the Case Management Staff to assist
with generating a new annual report before the end of the fiscal year. In addition, this processor
had to work on a Federal Records Center Project. Finally, the senior attorney working on the
litigation effort was transferred to another office within EOUSA, resulting in a temporary loss of
that staff member. As a result, the processing team was reduced by a total of five full-time
members. These staff losses had a severe impact on EOUSA's processing. However, as noted
above, EOUSA took aggressive measures to reduce the backlog, with an almost continuous reduction
throughout the year. EOUSA believes it could have achieved the goal of thirty-three percent
reduction if it had had a full staff. EOUSA has been given the authority to fill the two vacant
positions and is working to fill them. Also, the Assistant Director position should be filled soon.
EOUSA expects to have a full complement of staff by the end of March 2007. Once these five
positions are again dedicated to full time processing, it expects to be able to reduce its backlog
further. As of September 30, 2006 its backlog had been reduced by about twenty percent. By
May 2007, EOUSA expects to finalize a plan for continued backlog reduction.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
December 30, 1999 to January 9, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR U.S. TRUSTEES (EOUST)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period. EOUST has successfully accomplished its
goals and milestones with deadlines through December 31, 2006, and expects to meet its two
January 31, 2007 deadlines.
In particular, EOUST highlights achievements in two areas of improvements, "Staff
training," and "Processing procedures and times."
With regard to the first area of improvement, the FOIA Public Liaison attended the
Department's training for all FOIA Public Liaisons, a paralegal and a secretary from the FOIA
staff attended the Department's Introduction to the Freedom of Information Act course, and the
new FOIA/PA Counsel attended the Department's FOIA Guide Seminar. Additionally, during
this time, all FOIA staff members received in-house training pertaining to: (1) the significance of
carrying out EOUST's duties under the Executive Order; (2) customer service; (3) the use of
REDAX, a software to redact records; and (4) the application of certain FOIA exemptions.
In addition, EOUST continued to successfully meet its milestones of holding staff
meetings to identify and consider remedies to case-specific problems.
The primary tracking mechanism utilized by the FOIA staff has been a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet. The FOIA staff identified a need to improve the overall efficiency of its tracking
system. Although the FOIA spreadsheet indicated all due dates, the system did not contain a
mechanism to alert the staff of due dates prior to, or contemporaneous with, the deadline dates.
Beginning in July 2006, the members of the FOIA staff calendared all deadlines connected to all
requests with early or contemporaneous pop-up reminders for each deadline on their individual
Microsoft Outlook calendars. In December 2006 this procedure was further enhanced by the
creation of one master Microsoft Outlook FOIA calendar with deadlines, which permits all FOIA
staff members to be aware of all deadlines and alerts. EOUST expects the new calendaring practice is expected
to reduce lag times and improve processing procedures in the future.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
May 8, 2006 to December 14, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has successfully completed the milestones and
goals in several of the improvement areas established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006,
in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
Fiscal Year 2006 was highly successful for the FBI FOIA processing staff. Despite a forty percent
increase in FOIA requests, from 10,873 (Fiscal Year 2005) to15,349 (Fiscal Year 2006), the FBI
met or surpassed its primary goal of reducing the time required to process requests. The median
time for processing small requests (less than 500 pages) decreased ten percent (ten percent goal)
and the median time for processing medium requests (500 to 2499 pages) decreased sixteen
percent (ten percent goal). The overall median time for all pending requests decreased thirty-six
percent (twenty percent goal). Although not a specific goal, the number of pending requests
decreased from 1796 (Fiscal Year 2005) to 1750 (Fiscal Year 2006). Simultaneously, the
number of large pending requests (greater than 2500 pages) decreased fifty-eight percent from
122 (Fiscal Year 2005) to fifty-one (Fiscal Year 2006).
Furthermore, the FBI's Record Management Division continued its program to enhance
the FBI's record-keeping processes, including the development of the new Central Records
Complex in Winchester, VA. These initiatives will significantly improve the FOIA section's
search and record-retrieval capabilities by increasing search accuracy, by decreasing search time,
and by reducing lost files, missing serials, and the manual movement of files. When complete,
the overall impact will be to reduce dramatically the FBI's FOIA processing times. The FOIA
section completed its first phase of moving to the interim facilities in Winchester and began to
build and train a new work force.
The FOIA section established a FOIA/PA Process Board and an IT Change-Management
Board to improve existing processes, including the use of IT enhancements to the existing
automated processing system. Specifically, these Boards looked into areas of improving
customer service, handling of expedited and fee waiver requests, and developing meaningful
system and individual metrics.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
The FBI was unable to fully meet three goals in the "Human resources" improvement
area, three goals in the "FOIA process policies and design," one goal in the "Improvements in
customer ability to determine the status of a request," and one goal in the "Improvements to the
FBI's FOIA Web site reading room." These goals and their corresponding milestones are
identified and discussed below.
First, in the "Human resources" improvement area, three goals were not fully met:
Goal: Fill vacant employee positions. (This will improve ability to process requests more
quickly.) The original target completion date of September 30, 2006, is now moved to September
30, 2007.
Steps
• Fill sixty vacant positions. The original completion date of September 30, 2006 is now
moved to September 30, 2007.
A number of FOIA employees have chosen not to relocate to Winchester, VA. In anticipation of
this situation, the FBI began interviewing applicants in June, 2005 and continued this process
throughout 2006. In all, 333 applicants have been interviewed with 35 new employees entering
on duty. Also, 122 applicants are in the security-background check process. The FBI will
continue to seek new applicants throughout 2007.
Goal: Develop and implement formal, in-house training programs. (This will improve quality
and consistency of processing, and ability to process requests more quickly.) The original target
completion date of December 31, 2006 is now moved to March 31, 2007.
Steps
•Develop and implement formal training programs for search skills, declassification,
FOIA/PA redaction, and automated processing. The original completion date of
December 31, 2006 is now moved to March 31, 2007.
The FBI developed two out of three formal training programs: search skills and declassification.
(Automated processing was incorporated into each course.) These six-week courses were
developed by an outside contractor. The initial target dates were exceeded due to the complexity
of the courses. These courses have been highly successful in preparing employees for new
positions. The courses have been adapted to provide refresher training for existing employees.
The third course, FOIA/PA redaction, will be completed in March, 2007. A fourth course,
FOIA/PA litigation, will be developed for completion in June, 2007.
Goal: Develop individual production metrics. (This will improve ability to process requests more
quickly.) The original target completion date was July 31, 2006. This goal was completed on
November 1, 2006.
Steps
•Implement automated individual production metrics for FOIA/PA declassification review
teams. The original completion date was July 31, 2006. This goal was completed on
November 1, 2006.
This goal required modifying the software to the FBI's automated FOIA processing system. The
modifications took longer than expected. Individual production metrics are now automatically
captured in the system and collated into reports.
Second, in the "FOIA process policies and design" improvement area, three goals were
not fully met:
Goal: Develop within the automated processing system OCR capability parallel with scanned
images to identify duplicate documents. (This will improve quality and consistency of
processing.) The original target completion date of December 31, 2006 is now moved to August
1, 2007.
Steps
•Submit proposal before the IT Change-Management Board. The original completion date
was July 1, 2006. This milestone was completed on December 15, 2006.
•Develop prototype process for testing. The original completion date of October 31, 2006
is now moved to July 1, 2007.
•Implement OCR capability. The original completion date of December 31, 2006 is now
moved to August 1, 2007.
The FBI developed a process by which the FOIA data processing system can convert scanned
images into the OCR format. The information then can be manipulated to identify duplicate
documents. This capability is particularly useful in identifying duplicate e-mails embedded in
different e-mail chains; however, it is only available on a case-by-case basis and is currently
being used for large cases in litigation. The goal was modified to have this capability for all large
and medium sized requests. This goal was rolled into a larger phased modification of the FOIA
Data Processing System that was approved by the IT Change Management Board on December
15, 2006. The goal requires substantial modification to the software of the FBI's automated
FOIA processing system.
Goal: Develop within the automated processing system enhanced recognition of similar requests.
(This will improve quality and consistency of processing, and thus ability to process requests
more quickly.) The original target completion date of March 31, 2007 is now moved to
September 30, 2007.
Steps
•Submit proposal before the IT Change-Management Board. The original completion date
was July 1, 2006. This milestone was completed on December 15, 2006.
•Develop prototype for testing. The original completion date of December 31, 2006 is
now moved to June 30, 2007.
•Implement enhanced recognition of similar requests. The original completion date of
March 31, 2007 is now moved to September 30, 2007.
This goal was rolled into a larger phased modification of the FOIA data Processing System that
was approved by the IT Change Management Board on December 15, 2006. This goal required
substantial modification of the software to the FBI's automated FOIA processing system. The
complexity of the modification required its inclusion in the phased modification of the data
processing system.
Goal: Continue emphasis on completing requests over two years old. (This will improve ability
to process requests more quickly.) The original target completion date of August 15, 2007 is
now moved to January 1, 2008.
Steps
•Identify, develop, and implement processing plans for all requests between August 15,
2003 and August 15, 2004. Completed as planned on August 15, 2006.
•Complete all requests older than August 15, 2003. The original completion date of
December 31, 2006 is now August 15, 2007.
•Complete all requests older than August 15, 2004. The original completion date of April
15, 2007 is now August 15, 2007.
•Complete all requests older than August 15, 2005. The original completion date of
August 15, 2007 is now January 8, 2008.
On August 15, 2005, the FBI identified seventy-four requests with an estimated 288,510 pages that had
been received prior to August 15, 2003. As of November 30, 2006, sixty-five of these requests had been
closed by reviewing 207,760 pages.
On August 15, 2006, the FBI identified thirty-six pending requests with an estimated 72,000 pages that
had been received between August 15, 2003 and August 15, 2004. As of December 31, 2006, fourteen
of these requests had been closed.
Almost all of these requests are large requests (greater than 2,500 pages), most require
declassification review and consultation with other agencies or foreign governments. Because of
these factors, the FBI is processing the requests simultaneously with interim releases being made
in all of the remaining open requests.
Third, in the "Improvements in customer ability to determine the status of a request"
improvement area, one goal was not fully met:
Goal: Determine feasibility of automatic generation of status letters as requests move through
FOIA/PA sub-processes. The original target completion date of December 31, 2006 is moved to
July 31, 2007.
Steps
•Discuss feasibility of automatic generation of status letters at the bi-monthly FOIA/PA
Process Board. The original completion date was July 1, 2006. This milestone was
completed on December 15, 2006.
•Develop prototype process for testing. The original completion date of October 31, 2006
is now March 31, 2007.
•Implement automatic generation of status letters. The original completion date of
December 31, 2006 is now July 31, 2007.
The FBI was unable to begin revision of its automated processing system due to litigation
deadlines and other priorities. Approved by the December 2006 IT Change Management Board,
this project is now on-going.
Lastly, regarding the "Improvements to the FBI's FOIA Web site reading room"
improvement area, one goal was not fully met.
Goal: Update the FBI's general reading room and its FOIA/PA Web site's electronic reading
room. The original target completion date of December 31, 2006 is now December 31, 2007.
Steps
•Review reading room and electronic reading room materials that "begin with A to C."
The original completion date of July 1, 2006 is now July 1, 2007.
•Delete seldom-visited items (if not required to be posted under subsection (a)(2)) and add
more recent/topical requests. The original completion date of December 31, 2006 is now
December 31, 2007.
The FBI was unable to begin revision of the materials in its electronic reading room due to litigation deadlines and other
priorities. In December 2006, the FBI began a complete
rewrite of the FBI's FOIA Web site. Work on revising the electronic reading room will begin
after completion of the new Web site.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
With the high volume of requests received by the FBI
and the complexity of processing FBI records, maintaining consistent high quality processing is
challenging. This past year, with the knowledge loss resulting from relocation of the division to
Winchester, it has been an even greater challenge. To meet this challenge, the FBI has
established promotional opportunities for the most skilled analysts to become "experts." Experts
review work, mentor other employees, and conduct spot checks on the quality of processing. In
2006, the FBI twice posted for these expert positions to fill existing vacancies, ensuring there
were experts for each processing team.
In 2006, the FBI also began a multilayered program to enhance quality processing. This
program included: (1) emphasis on coordination with the divisions responsible for a particular
type of investigation; (2) a quality review panel consisting of members of the FOIA section and
the FBI's Office of General Counsel; and (3) analysis of certain appeal remands. The latter
initiative will be developed in 2007 into a systematic review of all appeal remands. To capture
the knowledge of experienced employees, the section has documented "best practices" of the
most experienced employees, and with the knowledge gained from other initiatives, incorporated
the information into the development of formal training programs. Additionally, the section
inaugurated a series of presentations to enhance the understanding of the historical and
investigatory context of FBI records. The first presentation was on organized crime
investigations and the records associated with such investigations. This series will continue in
2007.
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
December 18, 1992 to January 9, 2007 (Oldest request is 21,000 pages, required
100% declassification review, and consultation with other agencies. Over 9,000
pages have been reviewed for release, the last interim release was made on
December 29, 2006. It is estimated to be completed by March 31, 2007.)
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
January 8, 2002 to January 9, 2007
FOREIGN CLAIMS SETTLEMENT COMMISSION (FCSC)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission (FCSC) has met all of the goals and
milestones established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that
were to be completed for this reporting period. Specifically, the FCSC has trained its staff on the
customer service requirements under the Executive Order and made improvements to its FOIA
Web site.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
None pending
JUSTICE MANAGEMENT DIVISION (JMD)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Justice Management Division (JMD) has met nearly all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In particular, JMD has reached its goal of improving JMD
FOIA Web pages to provide updated information to the public in a more user-friendly format.
JMD removed obsolete records and consolidated or cross-referenced information
via links. JMD also educated its staff via memorandum and briefings regarding Executive
Order 13,392.
JMD has taken an important step towards its goal of increasing efficiency by using better
information technology to track, process, and report on FOIA requests. JMD developed an automated system
that allows the electronic tracking and reporting of FOIA requests and JMD
actions regarding such requests. JMD formerly used manual tracking sheets to generate annual
report statistics. Now, relevant data for each FOIA request handled by JMD is entered into an
electronic database so that the annual report statistics for JMD are automated, including
calculating the work days and hourly rates. In addition to generating the annual report
more quickly and accurately, the new system improves JMD's ability to track FOIA requests.
Annual report statistics were successfully generated using the new system. New FOIA request
data are now entered in the system as requests are received and the responsible JMD staffs enter
up-to-date tracking and processing information for each FOIA request they receive. The system
has also already been used to increase efficiency and further JMD's goal of backlog reduction by
allowing JMD to monitor the progress of pending FOIA requests and assist in their resolution.
JMD has also taken steps towards backlog reduction. JMD identified the oldest FOIA
requests (pending for more than 100 business days), and considered whether reassigning and
prioritizing work was possible to alleviate the delay. As a result of this step, twenty-one of the twenty-six
requests identified have been resolved, and staff members are actively working to resolve the
remaining requests. JMD also reviewed a representative number of referrals and "no record"
decisions to ensure that the appropriate components are receiving referrals and provided
feedback to staff.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
JMD was unable to meet three milestones as originally planned, but it subsequently
completed those milestones during this reporting period. The milestone "Input FOIA tracking
sheets electronically so that the annual report statistics for the JMD offices will be automated"
was to be completed by September 30, 2006, as originally planned, but was actually completed
on November 6, 2006. The new FOIA tracking system was in fact developed and set up, and test
data was entered into the system by the originally planned date. During testing, however, JMD
determined that it would be beneficial to make additional improvements and adjustments to the
system before entering actual data. By October 5, 2006, real data was entered into the system for
the purpose of training. On October 16, 2006, training on the use of the system began for eighty-six
JMD staff members. Staff members practiced for one week using the actual
computer systems that they would use on the live FOIA System. On November 6, 2006, JMD staff
began utilizing the new system and entering relevant data into it.
The milestone "Check status of those requests identified and re-examine any requests not
yet resolved" was to be completed by October 31, 2006. This milestone was actually completed
on November 29, 2006, as it was delayed until after the new automated system was fully
functional. Finally, the milestone "Provide in-house training to Procurement Services Staff
(PSS) on FOIA legal issues" was to be completed by September 30, 2006, but it was actually
completed on December 6, 2006. It was rescheduled in order for PSS to meet other pressing
fiscal year deadlines and in order to allow the maximum number of staff to benefit from the
training.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
March 7, 2005 (second oldest is October 20, 2005) to December 16, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
NATIONAL DRUG INTELLIGENCE CENTER (NDIC)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that
were to be completed for this reporting period.
NDIC does not receive a significant number of
FOIA requests during any one year and for Fiscal Year 2006, the median response
time for all requests at NDIC was twenty days. From a customer service standpoint, NDIC
focused on paying closer attention to the NDIC FOIA Web site, placing more emphasis on
getting acknowledgment letters in the mail as soon as possible, and ensuring that applicable staff
were well versed in being courteous and professional when dealing with customers.
One of the primary accomplishments within the FOIA process that is ongoing are efforts
to move each request through the approval process as quickly as possible. To accomplish that,
the FOIA staff now provides a brief summary of the request and, when necessary, a memorandum
with each case file, which facilitates review by the reviewing official.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
NDIC did not meet one goal for this reporting period. After careful consideration of
Improvement Area 9, "Chain-of-command review process," NDIC determined that it was preferable to keep the current supervisory review system in place. NDIC originally planned to implement a
system under which the first-line supervisor would sign off on "no records" responses, instead of
such responses having to go up the chain of command for review and approval. This milestone
was originally scheduled to be completed by September 1, 2006. However, after further
discussion with the FOIA Team, NDIC reached the judgment that the existing
procedure was preferable because it incorporated a review by the NDIC general counsel.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
December 15, 2006 to January 11, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES (COPS)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has met all of the goals and
milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive
Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
One noteworthy improvement,
the initiative in the area of proactive disclosure, more than tripled the types and total volume of
documents made available through the FOIA electronic reading room. COPS anticipates that many
potential FOIA requests will no longer need to be filed as the information is now
in the public domain via the COPS Web site.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time
None pending
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL DETENTION TRUSTEE (OFDT)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of the Federal Detention Trustee (OFDT) has met all of the goals and
milestones established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
Most notably, OFDT has begun the
process to improving its FOIA Web site. OFDT consulted with a contractor regarding the Web
design of its FOIA Web site and has received advice from that contractor. OFDT determined that
the design of OFDT's Web site is straight-forward and simple and that the format, which is
consistent with other DOJ components, will enhance familiarity and use. However, OFDT
continues to explore options regarding layout and design that will make the Web site more
prominent and user-friendly.
Further, OFDT concentrated on affirmative and proactive disclosure. Many documents
were "coded" and posted on OFDT's Web site. These documents include OFDT's 2007 - 2010
Strategic Plan and a frequently-requested study on detention trends. Links to the documents and
OFDT's FOIA Web site were also created at appropriate places throughout OFDT's home Web
site.
In addition to OFDT's affirmative disclosure of these documents on its Web site, on
September 26, 2006, OFDT went "live" with an electronic FOIA request form also found on its
FOIA Web site. By completing a form available online, and electronically submitting it, a
request that previously was required to be delivered manually through the Department
classification unit and mail room, now can be delivered to OFDT in a matter of seconds.
Additionally, for most of these requests, OFDT is electronically responding and delivering the
requested documents. This represents a sixty-six percent decrease in response time compared to
the response time for FOIA requests which are manually received.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (OIG)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period. OIG implemented several practices that have
produced positive results.
For example, in the area of automated tracking, OIG enhanced the capabilities of its
FOIA tracking system by expanding the number of searchable fields. This enhancement provides
OIG with broader search capabilities when attempting to retrieve data from the database.
In the area of Customer Communications, OIG now includes its telephone number in its
acknowledgment letters. And, it now provides FOIA requesters with the option of submitting
requests by e-mail and facsimile. This option is particularly noteworthy. Given the frequent
delays in regular mail delivery, OIG expects that this effort will enhance its ability to more
quickly respond to FOIA requests.
OIG also created a separate system to track referrals and consultations. With this system
OIG is now able to communicate more effectively with other agencies regarding the status of
referrals and consultations. Another benefit of using this system is that it will help OIG avoid
duplication of FOIA responses, a problem that can sometimes arise when processing a referral
that duplicates a request received directly by OIG.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
December 28, 2005 to December 21, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
June 15, 2006 to September 11, 2006
OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE POLICY AND REVIEW (OIPR)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR) has met the majority of the goals
and milestones established in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive
Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
Most notably, OIPR installed
a "tickler" system to track and update the status of pending referrals and consultations and
implemented a routine review of access community comments to ensure customer satisfaction.
OIPR made these improvements as it continued to provide outstanding service to the
requester community. Each of these initiatives has improved overall operations and reduced the
number of pending requests. Specifically, through the use of OIPR's "tickler" system and as a
result of consistent contact with FOIA liaisons at other agencies, OIPR has closed a
number of backlogged requests.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
OIPR did not meet one milestone for one goal. OIPR's plan established a goal of reducing its
backlog of ten requests by two requests quarterly, with a first milestone deadline of September
30, 2006, which OIPR was unable to meet. OIPR operations were severely hampered in August
and September because of flooding in the Department of Justice's Robert F. Kennedy Building. OIPR was relocated to temporary
offices and its databases were not fully operational.
Since then, OIPR has concentrated on reducing its backlog. OIPR has now met its goal of
reducing its backlog of ten requests by two requests quarterly. As of January 9, 2007, OIPR has
six pending requests and will continue to monitor the backlog on a quarterly basis.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
February 21, 2006 to January 3, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
March 24, 2006 to January 5, 2007
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS (OJP)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has met nearly all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In particular, OJP is pleased to report that it
achieved its backlog reduction goal of responding to all requests that were submitted during
calendar years 2004 and 2005. These requests were fairly complicated and the processing of
them required coordination with subject-matter experts in the fields of science and research. OJP
completed the processing of, and closed all thirty-seven requests from 2005 and all four requests
from 2004.
OJP also has improved its communications with requesters by calling them to discuss
their requests. These additional outreach efforts have successfully resolved a number of requests.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
OJP was unable to fully achieve two of its goals for this reporting period, one of which is
the aggressive goal of reducing request processing time to twenty days. While OJP regularly
responds to simple requests within twenty working days, some of OJP's more complex requests
do take longer to process. Due to the highly-sensitive and
oftentimes highly-technical nature of the programs and activities of OJP, some complex requests
require assistance from subject-matter experts.
Additionally, for a number of reasons, OJP was not fully able to utilize the part-time law
student interns as originally planned. First, OJP had fewer interns than usual, so the available
interns had a greater workload. Second, OJP's Office of General Counsel (OGC) experienced the
loss of two attorneys through attrition, and at least three attorneys were out on extended leave for
considerable periods of time. This situation resulted in an even higher degree of reliance on the
interns to provide support for other aspects of OGC's operations during its very busy grant
season. OJP's continuing efforts to reduce processing time include: 1) OJP's Senior Counsel
continuing to closely monitor the FOIA operation, at the behest of the OGC, to determine what,
if any, additional resources are needed to meet the time provisions of the statute; 2) OJP's Senior
Counsel making recommendations by April 2007 regarding the optimum mixture of FTEs
and/or contract personnel to complete OJP's FOIA work; 3) OJP's Senior Counsel continuing to
participate in the selection of contract personnel to ensure that the most qualified individuals are
hired; 4) OJP FOIA staff continuing to work with the subject-matter experts for highly-technical documents, and
reviewing progress in this area by May 2007 and on-going thereafter; and 5) OJP FOIA staff maintaining the
assistance of the temporary contract paralegal on a full-time basis to assist with processing
requests until approximately March 2007.
The second goal OJP was unable to fully meet as planned is the goal of obtaining
responses from the internal OJP bureaus and offices within five days of receipt of the OGC
search letter. OJP has achieved significant improvement in obtaining internal responses within
five days. A small number of offices, however, respond outside of the five-day time-frame due
to the voluminous nature of the requested documents and/or staff shortages. To address this, OJP
will continue to monitor late internal responses and will continue to offer assistance to the offices
so that they can respond within the five-day time-frame. OJP will review progress in this area by
May 2007 and on-going thereafter. Additionally, OJP's Senior Counsel and Paralegal Specialist
have been added to the agenda for the upcoming January 2007 OJP Managers and Supervisors
meeting to reiterate the importance of adhering to OJP's five-day deadline in providing
documents to the FOIA office, and to highlight the President's emphasis on improving
compliance with the FOIA.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date or
referral from another agency)
January 26, 2006 to January 11, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date or initial interagency
communication
One consultation initiated on December 15, 2006
OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL (OLC)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) has met all of the goals and milestones established in
the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be
completed for this reporting period. Overall, these initiatives have improved OLC's FOIA
operations and its interaction with the requester community.
In particular, OLC focused on its tracking capabilities. OLC has improved the log used
to track the status of FOIA requests and has placed the log on the shared "G drive" so that it will
be available to individuals monitoring the FOIA Requester Service Center. OLC will
periodically update and revise the log to reflect any changes or developments in the office's FOIA
practice.
In addition, OLC increased by one attorney the staff permanently assigned to work on FOIA
requests. During the past year, it also occasionally enlisted paralegals and support staff to assist
in processing larger FOIA requests. Should OLC's FOIA workload increase substantially in
2007, it will assess whether additional staffing might be necessary.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
In addition to achieving its planned goals for 2006, OLC took several further steps
aimed at improving its processing of FOIA requests. More regularly than in the past, OLC has
contacted requesters by phone or letter in an effort to narrow particularly broad
requests. To date, OLC has narrowed two potentially overwhelming requests through this
outreach approach. In part due to the improved tracking log, OLC is also managing its FOIA
workload more efficiently. Thus, although OLC still receives complex and time-consuming
FOIA requests, during 2006 it reduced the processing backlog by approximately fifty percent.
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
May 20, 2005 to December 21, 2005
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
OFFICE OF THE PARDON ATTORNEY (OPA)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392,
that were to be completed for this reporting period. OPA chose to concentrate on four areas in
order to provide the public with improved access to clemency-related records and information.
The first project was to provide up-to-date and accurate information on OPA's Web site.
OPA satisfied the initial target date, and held meetings on a quarterly basis to ensure that
information on the Web site is updated as appropriate.
The second project was to establish an e-mail account, accessible through OPA's Web
site, that would allow the public to submit FOIA requests electronically, as well as providing an
avenue for follow-up. OPA is utilizing a form letter that is sent out via e-mail, fax, or hard copy
as appropriate to acknowledge having received the FOIA request. Additionally, the publicly
available information that is accessible on OPA's Web site was added to the Pardon
Attorney FOIA page.
The third project is customer service. OPA's FOIA personnel will continue to receive
training as appropriate to ensure that the customer service provided with respect to requests for
records from the public is accomplished in a timely and accurate manner.
The fourth project selected for review and improvement was the timeliness of our
responses to FOIA requesters. In this regard, OPA has implemented a system in which the
acknowledgment to the requester that his request was received is prepared within five
workdays and mailed out within seven workdays. In addition, OPA uses electronic notification
whenever possible to ensure that the acknowledgment is sent in a timely manner.
Finally, when a FOIA request seeks access to records in a clemency file being housed in OPA's
off-site storage facility, those files are being obtained in a timely manner to ensure that the
requests are responded to within the statutory time-frame.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication.
None pending
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (OPR)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has met nearly all of the goals and
milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period. OPR has implemented Executive Order
13,392 by improving the public's access to information, reviewing internal processing procedures,
and improving communications with requesters.
The most important aspects of OPR's Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) program are making information available to the public, improving communications, and conducting reviews of OPR's FOIA processing procedures.
In particular, OPR used its FOIA improvement plan to review its records to identify (a)(2) material and
other information that would be of interest to both FOIA requesters and the general public. OPR
identified and posted two investigative reports that qualified as frequently requested records. In
addition, OPR identified eleven statutes, regulations, and orders that OPR routinely utilizes in
carrying out its mission and responsibilities and completed the posting of the text of, or links to, the
eleven resource documents. OPR will continue to monitor its program activities to identify (a)(2)
material on a quarterly basis and any other pertinent information appropriate for proactive disclosure
on a semiannual basis.
OPR also utilized its FOIA improvement plan to implement several improvements in
communications with FOIA requesters. These areas included adding a status field to the current
database, creating a database to track information about FOIA calls, and adding the internal
tracking/file numbers and OPR telephone number in routine FOIA correspondence. The adoption
of these changes will help OPR staff to provide important information to FOIA requesters and will enable
OPR to collect valuable information about FOIA calls from requesters or the general public.
Finally, OPR utilized the FOIA improvement plan to conduct studies of two important
aspects of FOIA processing: its handling of requests for expedited processing and the processing of
complex requests. While OPR determined that it was not necessary to modify its processing
procedures, the Office will continue efforts to achieve improvements in information technology
systems to quicken and improve FOIA processing, and, as staff resources permit, train administrative
staff to provide some limited processing support.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
OPR was unable to complete one of the milestones for improvement area six which was to
conduct FOIA Service Center training for OPR staff by July 31, 2006. OPR's inability to meet this
goal was caused by the severe flooding of the Department of Justice's Robert F. Kennedy
Building on June 26, 2006. The flooding forced the closure of the building and
suspended access to OPR records and files. The Office was able to continue essential operations in
borrowed space off-site. On July 21, 2006, OPR returned to the RFK Building, but the lack of
electrical power to one-third of OPR's offices further complicated efforts to reschedule the training.
Nevertheless, OPR conducted the FOIA Service Center training on September 29, 2006.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
December 7, 2006 to December 20, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (OSG)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting milestones,
with respect to each improvement area
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has met all of the goals and milestones established
in the report submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be
completed for this reporting period.
Specifically, OSG concentrated on customer service and the
availability of information found on its FOIA Web site. OSG was also able to hire a volunteer intern
to assist in these improvement areas.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not pplicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of referral from another agency)
October 6, 2006 to January 9, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
November 27, 2006 to December 18, 2006
OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (OVW)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has met the Web site improvement goal
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that
was to be completed for this reporting period.
Specifically, OVW redesigned its Web site to make
information more accessible and to enable users to obtain information directly from the site. The
new Web site makes it easy for users to navigate between various categories and subcategories to
find the information they are seeking. As part of the improvement process, OVW evaluated and
updated all of the information on the Web site. The new site was launched on the scheduled date
of July 31, 2006. OVW has a designated an employee to regularly update the Web site, including
identifying information that is frequently requested and adding this information to the site.
OVW also planned to develop FOIA acknowledgment postcards to send to anyone making
a FOIA request. In the interest of politeness and courtesy, as well as improved communications with
requesters, and in light of the small annual volume of FOIA requests OVW receives (twenty-one in
Fiscal Year 2006), OVW determined that it is more appropriate to send individual letters to each
requester. OVW began using the individual acknowledgment letters in December 2006, and has
substituted this practice in place of the postcard item mentioned in the plan.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
OVW was unable to meet one goal related to training. OVW planned for two staff members
to receive FOIA training. Because the two previously identified staff members left OVW prior to
receiving this training, this step will be completed later than planned. Two other staff members have
been recently designated to process FOIA requests. Both of these employees will attend training
offered by OIP on January 23-24, 2007.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
November 16, 2006 to December 18, 2006
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time
None pending
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ADVISORY OFFICE (PRAO)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The Professional Responsibility Advisory Office (PRAO) has met nearly all of its goals and
milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392 that were to be completed for this reporting period.
Specifically, PRAO has established the
capability to process FOIA request records electronically, improved politeness and courtesy when
interacting with FOIA requesters, and increased awareness of the appropriate use of "safeguarding
labels" and their relationship to FOIA-processing decisions. In addition, the current PRAO FOIA
staff has taken advantage of available FOIA training.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
PRAO was unable to fully meet one goal for this reporting period.
PRAO's FOIA improvement plan contained the following goal: "Ensure that
PRAO is taking full advantage of the government-wide FOIA training that is available." To attain
this goal, PRAO established a milestone that "PRAO's FOIA staff will attend 'The Freedom of
Information Act for Attorneys and Access Professionals' training provided by the Department of
Justice's Office of Information and Privacy." This step was to be completed by August 31, 2006.
When PRAO completed its FOIA improvement plan, two staff members shared PRAO's FOIA
duties. PRAO subsequently assigned its limited FOIA tasks to a single staff member. This staff
member had already completed the training course entitled "The Freedom of Information Act for
Attorneys and Access Professionals" that was held in January 2006. As a result, the milestone
to attend the same course offered in August was inapplicable to this staff member, as the training
requirement had already been met.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
TAX DIVISION
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting milestones,
with respect to each improvement area
The Tax Division has met all of the goals and milestones established in the report submitted
on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that were to be completed for this
reporting period.
Most notably, the Tax Division has completed
the goals and milestones concerning the processing of complex requests. One review level of
requests for certain types of form documents has been eliminated. Furthermore, time limits have
been set for processing complex requests.
The Tax Division also completed the milestones and
goals in the improvement area of training. The Division's FOIA paralegal attended OIP's seminar
"The Freedom of Information Act for Attorneys and Access Professionals" and the Division's FOIA
Requester Service Center staff received training on how to respond to phone calls by viewing a
training tape entitled "Professional Telephone Skills."
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of referral from another agency)
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
None pending
UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE (USMS)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting milestones,
with respect to each improvement area
USMS completed the majority of the goals and milestones established in the report submitted
on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392 that were to be completed for this reporting
period. USMS has made significant progress in the past six months primarily by improving
customer service, reducing the backlog, and reducing the processing time for requests.
Most notably,
USMS has reduced its backlog by fifty-two percent. Furthermore, the median processing times for
both simple and complex requests have been significantly reduced. USMS also met its goals regarding the improvement of search procedures. Specifically,
by using e-mail to send search requests to USMS FOIA Liaisons in the various district offices and by
encouraging liaisons to send responsive records electronically USMS has reduced its FOIA processing times. In
furtherance of this effort, USMS rewrote the FOIA/PA guidance given to the USMS FOIA liaisons
and program managers resulting in a more user friendly guide to procedures and applicable FOIA/PA
standards.
In the past six months USMS has made it a priority to improve its correspondence with
requesters. USMS specialists regularly call requesters regarding their requests, to update them on the
status, discuss search fees, or identify ways to narrow the scope of their request. USMS has also
increased the use of e-mail, where appropriate, to respond to inquiries or to send forms and other
USMS documents. In addition, USMS continues to have discussions regarding possible customer
service improvements as a regular part of its monthly FOIA staff meetings.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
USMS was unable to fully meet the milestones in the time frame anticipated for two of its
goals for this reporting period.
While USMS has been receiving requests via e-mail through the USMS Public Affairs e-mail
box and through individual requesters, in particular from media requesters, there was a delay in
establishing an e-mail address for the USMS FOIA staff on the USMS FOIA Web site. This
milestone is now completed and the USMS contact information has been posted on the USMS Web
site.
Other Web site milestone improvements were delayed, due to resource limitations within the IT department resulting from required staff leave. Several of these were completed in December
2006. Specifically, links were established for Department of Justice FOIA material, forms, and references; for the Department of Justice Office of the Detention Trustee; and for historical documents.
The one outstanding milestone is the posting of processed awarded contracts and policy material
on USMS's Web site, which was to be completed by September 15, 2006. Currently, the USMS
FOIA/PA team is working with the USMS information technology staff to compress the scanned
files for posting on the USMS Web site. The target completion date is February 15, 2007.
D. Additional narrative statement regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of referral from another agency)
April 20, 2005 to January 9, 2007
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies, by date of initial interagency
communication
August 4, 2003 to September 11, 2006
INTERPOL-U.S. NATIONAL CENTRAL BUREAU (USNCB)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The INTERPOL-U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB) has met all of the goals and
milestones established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order
13,392, that were to be completed for this reporting period.
In particular, the USNCB has achieved
positive results in the areas of customer relations/communications and in multi-track processing.
USNCB has successfully utilized telephone contact with requesters to clarify requests. This practice
has eliminated mail-related delays and helps to ensure a more timely response to the requester.
Similarly, when the USNCB receives requests which seek records that it does not maintain, it calls
the requester and
directs them to the appropriate agency, if that information is known. The USNCB also created a log
to track the customer relations/communication activities within the USNCB's FOIA Requester
Service Center.
Another area in which the USNCB achieved positive results is in the refinement of its multi-track processing system. Formerly, one FOIA Specialist was handling everything involved in
processing all FOIA requests. Now, the responsibility for all requests in the simple track, and the
retrieval of responsive records and photocopying are delegated to additional component personnel.
This delegation has permitted the USNCB's primary FOIA Specialist to concentrate
on processing the more complex and expedited requests, thus creating a shorter response time.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Although an area relating to the redesign of the USNCB Web site was included in the
USNCB FOIA improvement plan, the redesign of the Web site, in fact, does not relate to USNCB's FOIA practice. Still, the content
of the FOIA portion of the USNCB Web site was reviewed to ensure its accuracy and to explore any
possible areas of improvement. This review was completed on October 30, 2006, and the Web site
will continue to be reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure that the information posted is current.
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
None pending
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
UNITED STATES PAROLE COMMISSION (USPC)
A. Description of supplementation/modification of agency improvement plan (if applicable)
Not applicable
B. Report on agency implementation of its plan, including its performance in meeting
milestones, with respect to each improvement area
The United States Parole Commission (USPC) has met all of the goals and milestones
established in the report it submitted on June 14, 2006, in response to Executive Order 13,392, that
were to be completed by December 31, 2006, and fully expects to meet the last milestone for this
reporting period, as planned by January 31, 2007.
In particular, in the area of recruitment, the USPC had great success in meeting its goals, both
through the hiring of three students to assist with FOIA processing, and the hiring of a FOIA officer
at a higher pay grade. The new FOIA officer officially joined the Commission in November 2006.
In the area of technology improvements, the USPC established the goal of exploring
improvements in the software to allow for clearer statistical reports and ways to make the system
more user friendly. After discussions with the FOIA unit, the IT staff installed a new software
program that allows the FOIA unit to obtain monthly statistics by fiscal year. The report also
includes a list of pending cases by name, which the FOIA staff members can use to verify the
accuracy of the statistical reports each month.
In the area of customer relations/communications, the USPC began communicating more
frequently with requesters and worked on improving the quality of telephone interactions. Also in
the area of customer relations/communications, the USPC made more frequent use of
communicating with requesters who were awaiting parole hearings to explain to them that there was
no need to submit a FOIA request since they would be automatically receiving documents prior to
their hearing as outlined in the parole statute.
In regard to improving multi-track processing, the USPC has already changed to a three-track
system for sorting requests. Finally, in regard to backlog reduction, the USPC has recently hired a
new FOIA Specialist who is working very hard to reduce the outstanding backlog. The USPC is also
hoping to retain several students to assist with its backlog reduction goals.
C. Identification and discussion of any deficiency in meeting plan milestones (if applicable)
Not applicable
D. Additional narrative statements regarding other executive order-related activities (optional)
Not applicable
E. Concise descriptions of FOIA exemptions
See section E of the OIP portion of this report, above.
F. Additional Statistics:
1. Time range of requests pending, by date of request (or, where applicable, by date of
referral from another agency).
February 7, 2006 to the present
2. Time range of consultations pending with other agencies at this time.
None pending
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