Agency predictive model documentation (Department of Labor and Economic Growth)

Dear Todd Feathers:
Thank you for your interest in public records of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs of Michigan. Your 10/26/2021 request has been received in this office and given the reference number R078146-102621 for tracking purposes. A written request made by facsimile, electronic mail, or other electronic transmission is not received by a public body's FOIA coordinator until one (1) business day after the electronic transmission is made. (MCL15.235(1))
Records Requested: "To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1) Executive summaries, algorithmic impact reports, predictive model reports, and/or model validation studies dating from Jan. 1, 2017 until the present for all predictive analytics tools and automated decision systems (ADS) used by the agency. This includes predictive models and ADSs built in-house as well as those built by vendors for the agency or those used by agency employees through third-party software.

2) All contracts and statements of work regarding the purchase and/or creation of tools identified in response to part one of this request.

2) A data dictionary/library for each predictive model and ADS identified in response to part one of this request. Please note: Data dictionaries list the names of data fields (i.e. column headers in a spreadsheet), they do not contain the actual data analyzed by models.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please don't hesitate to contact me for further clarification.

I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest. In the event you choose to impose fees, I request a detailed breakdown of the fees, including the hourly wage of each employee involved and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to fulfill the request.

Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portions from public review.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

In accordance with the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MI LARA provides copies of its public records. Records which are exempt from disclosure by state or federal law will not be provided.


The FOIA does not require governmental bodies to create new records or answer questions. A request must ask for records or information already in existence. A person has the right to subscribe to future issuance of public records that are created, issued or disseminated on a regular basis.

Michigan LARA will respond within five business days to a request. If needed, the agency may issue a notice extending for up to 10 additional business days the time it has to respond to your request.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed.
FOIA Request Center (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HRRDUyJKMck8CnS5-2FT3nJ2fROqV-2FDqw20Wu4P-2BXhrWuiOCMIZEQivrcvldTxMGCUgUFJGIDAy354vhN3MCX9nj8-3DRRSV_f61kumhrIWzm-2BnyX4WFpHHwQP94LieW3P948NlocSntia3sbZzHWl1iDCrjipFPhrR5fg5HC9vk7dE6edP4b5ngyLzJrSjvw8Z0yUQC5GeAWBJbmkvh3fXF5mqthP86ZqjrqScNFvUEKvLk8E1zTwTyxQfJG80Iw-2FoMS852B28a8mFRvatQjwWwIPaGQvkWW-2Bd3nBo69bq9LT8hLYOwsVYFxE7q8SZFuz7gLf4jutvxl4NhBDriS4mjlVLAWEFc-2FA9UmKccplZI-2FqBBB21oRwODUJJ9foj7QZQbeehdDaMVigCdgILFg069BReCdMrS-2B4B-2Fz2Q6Exk3BejmRrylOedLw7aAYT4gvMe6-2BKLdVSbzAtNylpxBlzBNrlu-2BxMTWpyWHFwfYOM-2BNrAf0q-2BH8ATg-3D-3D)
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

November 02, 2021
Subject: FOIA Request
Dear Todd Feathers,
Your 10/26/2021 request has been received in this office and given the reference number R078146-102621 for tracking purposes. A written request made by facsimile, electronic mail, or other electronic transmission is not received by a public body's FOIA coordinator until one (1) business day after the electronic transmission is made. (MCL15.235(1))
In order to determine the existence of any records/information that might be responsive to your request we require additional time to search for and retrieve records; review and examine any found records to separate exempt from nonexempt material; and to determine any allowable processing costs.  For these reasons, it is necessary to extend the time for response to 11/17/2021.
If you have questions concerning this matter, please feel free to contact the LARA FOIA Office at LARAFOIAInfo@michigan.gov.
To review a copy of the LARA’s written public summary, procedures, and guidelines, go to www.michigan.gov/lara. (www.michigan.gov/lara)
Sincerely,
LARA FOIA Office
NG

--- Please respond above this line ---

November 17, 2021
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of 10/26/2021, Reference # R078146-102621.
Dear Requester:
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has received your October 26, 2021 request for records and has processed it under the provisions of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 et seq.
You requested the following, in summary:
“To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1) Executive summaries, algorithmic impact reports, predictive model reports, and/or model validation studies dating from Jan. 1, 2017 until the present for all predictive analytics tools and automated decision systems (ADS) used by the agency. This includes predictive models and ADSs built in-house as well as those built by vendors for the agency or those used by agency employees through third-party software.

2) All contracts and statements of work regarding the purchase and/or creation of tools identified in response to part one of this request.

2) A data dictionary/library for each predictive model and ADS identified in response to part one of this request. Please note: Data dictionaries list the names of data fields (i.e. column headers in a spreadsheet), they do not contain the actual data analyzed by models.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please don't hesitate to contact me for further clarification.

I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest. In the event you choose to impose fees, I request a detailed breakdown of the fees, including the hourly wage of each employee involved and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to fulfill the request.

Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portions from public review.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request has been denied. Please see comments below. Comments:
We have made multiple attempts to reach you regarding your request.  LARA certifies that, to the best of the LARA’s knowledge, information, and belief, the requested information does not exist within LARA under the description given or another reasonably known to LARA.  MCL 15.235(5)(b).  You may wish to consider consider contacting the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget to see if they have what you are seeking. As to the denial of your request, under section 10 of the FOIA, MCL 15.240, LARA is obligated to inform you that you may do the following: 1) Appeal this decision in writing to Appeals Officer Adam Sandoval, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, P.O. Box 30004, Lansing, MI 48909. The writing must specifically state the word “appeal” and must identify the reason or reasons you believe the denial should be reversed. The head of the Department or her designee must respond to your appeal within 10 business days of its receipt. Under unusual circumstances, the time for response to your appeal may be extended by 10 business days.

2) Commence an action in the Court of Claims within 180 days after the date of the final determination to deny the request. If you prevail in such an action, the court is to award reasonable attorney fees, costs, and disbursements, and possible damages.
If you have questions concerning this matter, please email us at larafoiainfo@michigan.gov
To review a copy of LARA’s written public summary, procedures, and guidelines, please visit www.michigan.gov/larafoia
Sincerely, Nicholas Gobbo
LARA FOIA Office