Email system documentation (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives)
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
FDA1844265 |
| Submitted | May 30, 2018 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.
I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities. I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the Internet Archive and MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance.
Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross- section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media.
Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category. As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available, I request that fees be waived.
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 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Emma Best
From: Food and Drug Administration
Good afternoon,
Please use our online portal when making a request or fax it to us at 301-827-9267.
Thank you,
Wilson M. Russ
Program Support Specialist
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8981
wilson.russ@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:wilson.russ@fda.hhs.gov>
[cid:image001.png@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<http://www.fda.gov/>
[cid:image002.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<https://www.facebook.com/FDA> [cid:image003.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <https://twitter.com/US_FDA> [cid:image004.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin> [cid:image005.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/> [cid:image006.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm>
From: Food and Drug Administration
Dear Requester,
21 CFR 20.40 provides the acceptable methods for submitting an FOIA request to FDA. Emailing requests to Wilson Russ is not one of the options provided in the regulation. Please resubmit your request through one of the methods referenced in the regulation.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=20.40
The online submission portal is available at:
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/foi/FOIRequest/index.cfm
Thank you,
Sarah Kotler
From: Food and Drug Administration
*** This is an automated message. Please do not reply to this email. ***
Reference: FDA1844265
Dear Requester,
This is to confirm that you submitted a request for record(s) from the Food and Drug Administrationpursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
FOIA staff will review your request to determine whether it has sufficient information to be processed;if so, you will receive another email as a formal acknowledgement of your request, with a control number for your request. If your request is not sufficiently described,or if there are any other deficiencies with your submission, FOIA staff will contact you via telephone or email.
From: Food and Drug Administration
Note: Do NOT reply directly to this E-mail
MUCKROCK Emma Best
Re: Confirmation # FDA1844265
In Reply refer to: 2018-4719
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records regarding:
RECS RE EMAIL SYSTEM, SEARCH PROCEDURES
Original Subject: Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system. I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities. I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the Internet Arch...
We will respond as soon as possible and may charge you a fee for processing your request. If your informational needs change, and you no longer need the requested records, please contact us to cancel your request, as charges may be incurred once processing of your request has begun. For more information on processing fees, please see
http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/FOI/FOIAFees/default.htm. If you have any questions about your request, please call Sarah B. Kotler, Director, Division Of Freedom Of Information at (301) 796-8976 or write to us at: (http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/FOI/FOIAFees/default.htm)
Division of Freedom of Information, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1035
Rockville, MD 20857
Fax:(301)827-9267
You also have the right to seek dispute resolution services from:
FDA FOIA Public Liaison
Office of the Executive Secretariat
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1050
Rockville, MD 20857
E-Mail: FDAFOIA@fda.hhs.gov and/or:
Office of Government Information Services
National Archives and Administration
8601 Adelphi Road ? OGIS
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: 202-741-5770
Toll-Free: 1-877-684-6448
E-mail: ogis@nara.gov
Fax: 202-741-5769
From: Food and Drug Administration
Dear Requester,
I am writing regarding your request for:
Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.
FDA uses Outlook for email. With regard to the second part of your request ("including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system"), FDA employees routinely search their email for a variety of reasons. For example, one might search email to find a particular item that is needed for job-related purposes, such as writing a report or documenting employee conduct. Or one might search email to respond to a Congressional inquiry, GAO study, or litigation document request. Or one might search email to locate records responsive to a FOIA request. There are likely many other reasons why an FDA employee would search for email, and in order to determine whether we have records regarding "procedures and methods" for such searches, we would need more information from you as to what you mean by "performing searches."
We will place your request on hold while we await this clarification from you.
Sincerely,
Sarah B. Kotler, J.D.
Director
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8976
Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov>
[cid:image001.png@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<http://www.fda.gov/>
[cid:image002.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<https://www.facebook.com/FDA> [cid:image003.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <https://twitter.com/US_FDA> [cid:image004.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin> [cid:image005.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/> [cid:image006.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm>
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 30, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #FDA1844265.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Emma North-Best
Thank you for your initial response, however the purpose of the searches are irrelevant to the methodology for the searches. Even if they aren't, the request is deliberately inclusive of all such reasons, and thus would include all email search procedures for all purposes.
From: Food and Drug Administration
We do not understand what you are asking us to look for you. It would help for you to explain what you are trying to establish, and then we can work with you to articulate a FOIA request most likely to result in those records being located. Would you be available to discuss this week by telephone? I can assure you that any telephone conversation will be memorialized in writing, with your input, if you are concerned about a telephone conversation.
Thanks,
Sarah B. Kotler, J.D.
Director
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8976
Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov>
[cid:image001.png@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<http://www.fda.gov/>
[cid:image002.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<https://www.facebook.com/FDA> [cid:image003.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <https://twitter.com/US_FDA> [cid:image004.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin> [cid:image005.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/> [cid:image006.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm>
From: Food and Drug Administration
Perhaps I am misunderstanding this. In Outlook, there is a feature called “search current mailbox” at the top. That is how one would search for emails. If your question is related to what additional methods one might use to search Outlook, I’d direct you to the manufacturer of the product.
Sincerely,
Sarah B. Kotler, J.D.
Director
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8976
Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov>
[cid:image001.png@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<http://www.fda.gov/>
[cid:image002.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<https://www.facebook.com/FDA> [cid:image003.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <https://twitter.com/US_FDA> [cid:image004.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin> [cid:image005.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/> [cid:image006.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm>
From: Emma North-Best
So your agency doesn't take advantage of the far simpler, and more comprehensive eDiscovery tools?
From: Food and Drug Administration
We are currently working toward that goal, but are not yet operational. FOIA searches are primarily conducted through self-guided collection of each custodian.
Sarah B. Kotler, J.D.
Director
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8976
Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov>
[cid:image001.png@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<http://www.fda.gov/>
[cid:image002.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0]<https://www.facebook.com/FDA> [cid:image003.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <https://twitter.com/US_FDA> [cid:image004.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin> [cid:image005.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/> [cid:image006.jpg@01D1C57E.DFA022A0] <http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm>
