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NHLBI Freedom of Information Act Office

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, provides individuals with a right to access to records in the possession of the Federal government. The government may withhold information pursuant to the nine exemptions and three exclusions contained in the Act.

NHLBI FOIA Staff

Suzanne A. Freeman, FOIA Coordinator, NHLBI
Sheri A. Hicks, FOIA Specialist, NHLBI
Meg Scofield, FOIA Specialist, NHLBI

Contact Us
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Building 31, Room 5A33
31 Center Drive MSC 2490
Bethesda MD 20892-2490
301-496-9737
Fax: 301-402-3604

How to Submit a FOIA Request

If the information you are interested in is not in the public domain, please follow the suggestions listed below when preparing your FOIA request:

  • Identify specific records requested (as applicable--grant number and principal investigator's name, subject matter of the records, dates, originating office, etc)

  • State that the records are requested under the Freedom of Information Act

  • Include contact information (address, telephone number, e-mail address) in case our office needs additional information

  • Sign the request

  • Mail or fax the request to the FOIA Coordinator:

    Suzanne A. Freeman, NHLBI FOIA Coordinator
    Building 31, Room 5A33
    31 Center Drive MSC 2490
    Bethesda MD 20892-2490
    Fax: 301-402-3604

What You Need to Know about FIOA

Grant Applicants

If your grant application is funded, you should be aware that some or all of this application as well as documents (such as correspondence) contained in the grant file may be requested under FOIA.

“…The Freedom of Information Act and implementing DHHS regulations (45 CRF Part 5) require the release of certain information about grants, upon request, irrespective of the intended use of the information. Trade secrets and commercial, financial, or otherwise intrinsically valuable information that is obtained from a person or organization and that is privileged or confidential information may be withheld from disclosure. Information, which, if disclosed, would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, may also be withheld from disclosure. Although the grantee institution and the principal investigator will be consulted about any such release, the PHS will make the final determination. Generally available for release, upon request, except as noted above, are: all funded grant applications including their derivative funded noncompeting supplemental grant applications; pending and funded noncompeting continuation applications; progress reports of grantees; and final reports of any review or evaluation of grantee performance conducted or caused to be conducted by the DHHS. Generally, not available for release to the public are: competing grant applications (initial, competing continuation, and supplemental) for which awards have not been made; evaluative portions of site visit reports; and summary statements of findings and recommendations of review groups...”

—Grant Application (PHS 398, rev. 05/2001)

If you have questions regarding financial disclosure FOIA requests, please contact Suzanne A. Freeman, NHLBI FOIA and Privacy Act Coordinator, by phone (301-496-9737) or E-mail (freemans@mail.nih.gov).

 

Customer Service

Please help us evaluate the service you received during your interaction with the NHLBI FOIA staff. Access our customer service form (PDF) to return via fax or mail.

PDF file Customer Satisfaction Survey

More Information
For additional information, visit the National Institutes of Health FOIA Page

 

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