1. FOIA/PA request - - Freedom of Information
Act/Privacy Act request. A FOIA request is generally
a request for access to records concerning a third
party, an organization, or a particular topic of interest.
A Privacy Act request is a request for records concerning
oneself; such requests are also treated as FOIA requests.
(All requests for access to records, regardless of
which law is cited by the requester, are included
in this report.)
2. Initial Request - - a request to a federal agency
for access to records under the Freedom of Information
Act.
3. Appeal - - a request to a federal agency asking
that it review, at a higher administrative level,
a full denial or partial denial of access to records
under the Freedom of Information Act, or any other
FOIA determination such as a matter pertaining to
fees.
4. Processed Request or Appeal - - a request or
appeal for which an agency has taken a final action
on the request or the appeal in all respects.
5. Multi-track processing - - a system in which
simple requests requiring relatively minimal review
are placed in one processing track and more voluminous
and complex requests are placed in one or more other
tracks. Requests in each track are processed on a
first-in/first-out basis. A requester who has an
urgent need for records may request expedited processing
(see below).
6. Expedited processing - - the agency will process
a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a requester
has shown an exceptional need or urgency for the records
which warrants prioritization of his or her request
over other requests that were made earlier.
7. Simple request - - a FOIA request that is placed
in its fastest (nonexpedited) track based on the volume
and/or simplicity of records requested.
8. Complex request - - a FOIA request that is placed
in a slower track based on the volume and/or complexity
of records requested.
9. Grant - - an agency decision to disclose all
records in full in response to an FOIA request.
10. Partial grant - - an agency decision to disclose
a record in part in response to a FOIA request, deleting
information determined to be exempt under one or more
of the FOIA’s exemptions; or a decision to disclose
some records in their entireties, but to withhold
others in whole or in part.
11. Denial - - an agency decision not to release
any part of a record or records in response to a FOIA
request because all the information in the requested
records is determined by the agency to be exempt under
one or more of the FOIA’s exemptions, for some procedural
reason (such as because no record is located in response
to a FOIA request).
12. Time limits - - the time period in the Freedom
of Information Act for an agency to respond to a FOIA
request.
13. "Perfected" request - - a FOIA request
for records which adequately describes the records
sought, which has been received by the FOIA office
of the agency or agency component in possession of
the records, and for which there is no remaining question
about the payment of applicable fees.
14. Exemption 3 statute - - a separate federal statute
prohibiting the disclosure of a certain type of information
and authorizing its withholding under FOIA subsection
(b)(3).
15. Median number - - the middle, not average, number.
For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median number is
7.
16. Average number - - the number obtained by dividing
the sum of a group of numbers by the quantity of numbers
in the group. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average
number is 8. |
