OGIS Releases Compliance Assessment of U.S. Postal Service FOIA Program

We are happy to announce the publication of our compliance assessment report of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). USPS invited us to conduct this assessment as part of their ongoing efforts to strengthen their FOIA program. OGIS’s agency assessments are based on direct observation and review of USPS’s FOIA case files, analysis of applicable data … Continue reading OGIS Releases Compliance Assessment of U.S. Postal Service FOIA Program

Learn about Using FOIA to Access Immigration Records

Accessing immigration records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) does not have to be a confusing process. You can learn more about the types of immigration records held by various agencies and how to use FOIA to access these records by joining us for a special forum presented by OGIS and U.S. Citizenship and … Continue reading Learn about Using FOIA to Access Immigration Records

2017 FOIA Compliance Self-Assessment Survey Results Now Available

Yesterday we published our analysis and observations of FOIA compliance issues based on the responses to FOIA questions included in the 2017 Records Management Self-Assessment (RMSA). This report is the result of our continued collaboration with the Chief Records Officer (CRO) of the United States Government to gather government-wide information about FOIA policies and procedures. … Continue reading 2017 FOIA Compliance Self-Assessment Survey Results Now Available

OGIS Releases Advisory Opinion and Compliance Assessment on Communication with Requesters

We are very pleased to announce the publication of our first advisory opinion and a companion Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) compliance assessment on written communication with requesters. Both documents look specifically at the importance of clear communication to requesters: providing requesters with a clear understanding of the resources available to them as they navigate … Continue reading OGIS Releases Advisory Opinion and Compliance Assessment on Communication with Requesters

Agenda for July 19 Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting Published

Earlier this week we published the agenda for the upcoming July 19 meeting of the Chief FOIA Officers Council. The Chief FOIA Officers Council -- co-chaired by OGIS and the Department of Justice Office of Information Policy (OIP) -- was created by Congress to develop recommendations to increase agency compliance and efficiency and to share … Continue reading Agenda for July 19 Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting Published

Registration is Open: Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting and CDC FOIA Requester Webinar

Registration is now open for the upcoming Chief FOIA Officers Council meeting on July 19, 2018 beginning at 10 am (EST).  If you cannot join us in person, you can watch the livestream via the National Archives’ YouTube Channel. The Chief FOIA Officers Council is co-chaired by OGIS and the Department of Justice Office of Information … Continue reading Registration is Open: Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting and CDC FOIA Requester Webinar

OGIS Shares FOIA Tips at IRE Conference

Last week our Attorney Advisor, Sheela Portonovo, attended the 2018 Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Conference to share best practices for successfully navigating the FOIA process. Below is a brief summary of the major issues with the FOIA process we regularly hear about from reporters (and others), and some of the tips she shared. Issue … Continue reading OGIS Shares FOIA Tips at IRE Conference

FOIA and NARA’s Federal Records Centers

We sometimes hear from FOIA requesters and agency personnel who are confused about why a FOIA request for records at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is not processed by NARA. The answer has to do with whether the federal agency or NARA has legal custody of the records, and requires a brief explanation. … Continue reading FOIA and NARA’s Federal Records Centers