Amazon HQ2 Bid

Adanya Lustig filed this request with the Mayor's office of East Providence, RI.
Submitted Nov. 11, 2017
Est. Completion None
Status
No Responsive Documents

Communications

From: Adanya Lustig

Subject: APRA Request: Amazon HQ2 Bid

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act ("APRA"), I hereby request the following records:

A copy of the bid submitted in response to Amazon's request for proposals for the site of its second headquarters, any contracts with third-party providers for services rendered regarding the Amazon HQ2 bid, and any marketing budgets regarding Amazon-related expenditures from September 1, 2017 to the date this request is received.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Adanya Lustig

From: Mayor's office

Subject: FW: APRA Request: Amazon HQ2 Bid

Email

Ms. Lustig,

It has come to my attention that you submitted another request for public records to Nicole Pollock, the Chief of Staff to the Mayor of the City of Providence.

As I mention you in my email dated November 2, 2017, the Access to Public Records Act (the "APRA") requires each public body to develop written procedures regarding access to public records. See R.I. Gen. Laws ยง 38-2-3(d). The City of Providence has published these procedures on its website: http://www.providenceri.gov/law-department/public-records-request/. The Attorney General for the State of Rhode Island has opined that requests not made through the processes established by a public body do not constitute a request for public records under the APRA. See DeWolf v. Town of Coventry, 2017 WL 2342547 (R.I.A.G.).

As such, your request was not submitted pursuant to the APRA. One way to submit a request to the City of Providence pursuant to the APRA would be to use the City's portal: https://providenceri.nextrequest.com/. The City has responded to many requests from MuckRock in the past using the NextRequest portal. Further, using the portal has proven useful in reducing redundant or duplicative requests. This is notable as this request below appears duplicative of the request you attempted to submit pursuant to the APRA on November 2, 2017.

Despite the fact that you have not submitted an APRA request, I can advise you that the City possesses no responsive records to your request for:

1. A copy of the bid submitted in response to Amazon's request for proposals for the site of its second headquarters;

2. Contracts with third-party providers for services rendered regarding the Amazon HQ2 bid; and

3. Any marketing budgets regarding Amazon-related expenditures from September 1, 2017 to the present.

This City of Providence did not submit a bid as described above. Your inquiry might best be directed to the State of Rhode Island, which upon information and belief, did submit a bid.

Although you have not submitted a formal request for records under the APRA, you may wish to appeal this response to the Chief Administrative Officer. In this instance, Nicole Pollock, Chief of Staff for the Mayor of the City of Providence, fulfills that role. You may also wish to file a complaint with the Department of the Attorney General or the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Regards,

[Etie-LeeZSchaubSignature]

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