Contracts With Delta Crescent LLC (Defense Contract Management Agency)
| Tracking # |
20-171 |
| Multi Request | Contracts With Delta Crescent LLC |
| Submitted | Aug. 3, 2020 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Matthew Petti
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Any and all contracts or memoranda of understanding signed between your agency and Delta Crescent Energy, LLC, a limited liability corporation incorporated in the state of Delaware on February 8, 2019.
Please also include any grant applications, award letters, budget requests, project/equipment budgets, cost allocations or reimbursements for services provided by Delta Crescent Energy, LLC.
On July 30, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that an unnamed American company was "in implementation" of a deal to work on northeastern Syria's oil industry. (https://nationalinterest.org/blog/skeptics/take-oil-american-oil-company-finally-gets-syrian-oil-deal-165902) Soon after, it was reported that Delta Crescent Energy, LLC was the company in question. (https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/07/us-oil-company-deal-syria-kurds-kobani-turkey-russia-sdc-sdf.html)
The company is registered at the following address: CORPORATION TRUST CENTER 1209 ORANGE ST, WILMINGTON, DE 19801.
I am seeking expedited processing of my request pursuant to 5 U.S.C.§ 552(a)(6)(E) because there is an urgency to inform the public concerning actual or alleged Federal Government activity.
President Donald Trump had stated in October and November 2019 that U.S. military forces are remain in Syria "only for the oil" and that they "may have to fight for the oil." At least two U.S. service members have died in Syria since he made these statements.
Foreign countries have condemned the U.S. presence since Secretary Pompeo's July 30 statement. The Turkish foreign ministry called any U.S. move to extract Syrian oil "utterly unacceptable" (https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-slams-us-over-oil-deal-with-ypg-in-syria-157090), while the Syrian government denounced the rumored deal as "an assault against Syria’s sovereignty" and "a continuation of the U.S. hostile approach towards Syria" (http://www.sana.sy/en/?p=198923).
Furthermore, it was reported on August 3, 2020 that the Syrian Kurdish administration were claiming not to have signed any contracts with an American company, calling into question the accuracy of Secretary Pompeo's claims. (https://nationalinterest.org/blog/skeptics/did-mike-pompeo-mislead-congress-about-syrias-oil-166158)
Therefore, this request concerns a Federal government activity in a matter of current exigency to the American public because U.S. troops are risking life and limb to protect Syrian oil and because U.S. Government officials may have misled Congress about the situation of said oil. The public has an urgent need to know as much as possible about Delta Crescent Energy, LLC's relationship with the U.S. Government and with U.S. Government activities in Syria.
Federal courts have recognized the public's interest in breaking news, which "conveys information the public wants quickly,” “would lose value if it were delayed" (Am. Civil Liberties Union of N. Cal., 2006 WL 1469418 at *6.), and may have an "impact" on the public's political decision-making (Id. at *7).
Syria policy certainly could impact the public's political decision-making process. The Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria in October 2019 caused several congressional hearings and an high volume of news coverage. The public would undoubtedly have an interest in understanding further developments in U.S. policy in the same region of Syria, especially before the November 2020 elections.
I am a reporter for the National Interest, and I am requesting this information in that editorial capacity. In addition to expedited processing, I request that I be properly classified as a news media requester.
The National Interest is widely recognized for its reporting, publishing regular features on issues of public interest and importance. In addition, I have covered areas related to this request, and plan to use my editorial skills to analyze and produce original reporting work for millions of monthly readers at NationalInterest.org.
If you have any questions about my media status, please contact me.
I am willing to pay up to $100 in fees, but I also believe that I qualify for a fee waiver.
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,
Matthew Petti
From: Defense Contract Management Agency
Mr. Matthew Petti,
The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office acknowledges receipt of your below FOIA request. We have assigned control number 20-171 to your request for administrative purposes. Please refer to this number when inquiring about this request.
The minimum requirements of a FOIA request include: a request in writing, detailed description of the records being sought so that a knowledgeable official of the agency can conduct a reasonable search, a statement regarding willingness to pay all fees or those up to a specified amount, and requester contact information.
Be advised that DCMA's mission is to administer contracts assigned to this agency by various DoD services in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), part 42. This administrative responsibility does not allow release authority for DoD contracts that are not funded by DCMA. There is no "all encompassing" agency that maintains all DoD contracts. Please direct requests related to the Military Services, Combatant Commands, or other Defense Agencies to the appropriate organization/component that maintains the record(s) of interest. (see access http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/ for further guidance). If you believe that DCMA funded a contract for requested documents please provide more detail about the records being sought (contract number(s) and dates of document(s)) to facilitate a proper search.
DCMA is not obligated to create, compile, or obtain a record to satisfy a FOIA request, nor is the FOIA a research service.
This FOIA request has been designated as a (media) request and as such the following fees apply:
Media outlet: Fees are charged for more than two (2) hours of search and 100 pages of duplication; therefore, it is unlikely that there will be any fees assessed for the processing of your request.
This FOIA request has been reviewed and can now be assigned and designated for processing. Your request will be assigned into either our simple or complex queue, and a request for document search will be initiated. We will notify you of the status of your request, as necessary, to keep you informed of the progress. Currently, we are experiencing an unusually high demand for records which has created a backlog in our FOIA responses.
If you have any questions, please contact the DCMA FOIA Officer at dcma.lee.hq.mbx.dcma-foia@mail.mil<mailto:dcma.lee.hq.mbx.dcma-foia@mail.mil>.
If you have any concerns about your request that have not been addressed by the DCMA FOIA Officer, you may contact the DCMA FOIA Public Liaison for assistance. The DCMA FOIA Public Liaison is available to assist in reducing delays, increasing transparency; increasing understanding of the status of requests and assists with resolving disputes. To ask a question, express a concern, file a complaint or resolve a dispute, contact the DCMA FOIA Public Liaison either by email (dcma.lee.hq.mbx.dcma-foia@mail.mil<mailto:dcma.lee.hq.mbx.dcma-foia@mail.mil>) or by phone at 804-734-0202.
Additionally, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) offers mediation services to FOIA requesters. If you wish to discuss the possibility of mediation on a FOIA matter, you may contact OGIS directly at the address, email or phone numbers listed on its Web site. (https://ogis.archives.gov/)
Sincerely,
Raul A. Roman Beltran
FOIA Manager
Defense Contract Management Agency
Strategic and Communication Division, DCMA-DCC
3901 A Avenue, Building 10500
Fort Lee, VA 23801
Office: 804.734-2346
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail may contain CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION in the form of FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, unclassified information that may be withheld from the public because disclosure would cause foreseeable harm to an interest protected by one or more of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemptions 2 through 9 identified in 5 USC 552(b).
This message may contain PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, protected by the PRIVACY ACT OF 1974. Access to this e-mail by anyone other than the intended addressee is unauthorized and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or retention of the same is strictly prohibited and also may violate statutory and regulatory requirements. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender. Do not forward this message or any attachments without express permission of the sender.
From:
Mr. Matthew Petti,
This email is to acknowledge processed of your FOIA request. In my first email I forgot to check Delivery and Read receipt; Please acknowledge received of this email.
V/r
Raul A. Roman Beltran
FOIA Manager
Defense Contract Management Agency
Strategic and Communication Division, DCMA-DCC
3901 A Avenue, Building 10500
Fort Lee, VA 23801
Office: 804.734-2346
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail may contain CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION in the form of FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, unclassified information that may be withheld from the public because disclosure would cause foreseeable harm to an interest protected by one or more of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemptions 2 through 9 identified in 5 USC 552(b).
This message may contain PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, protected by the PRIVACY ACT OF 1974. Access to this e-mail by anyone other than the intended addressee is unauthorized and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or retention of the same is strictly prohibited and also may violate statutory and regulatory requirements. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender. Do not forward this message or any attachments without express permission of the sender.
From: Matthew Petti
Hello Raul,
Thanks for your message! I acknowledge receipt.
Best,
Matthew
From: Defense Contract Management Agency
Thank you.
V/r
Raul A. Roman Beltran
FOIA Manager
Defense Contract Management Agency
Strategic and Communication Division, DCMA-DCC
3901 A Avenue, Building 10500
Fort Lee, VA 23801
Office: 804.734-2346
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail may contain CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION in the form of FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, unclassified information that may be withheld from the public because disclosure would cause foreseeable harm to an interest protected by one or more of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemptions 2 through 9 identified in 5 USC 552(b).
This message may contain PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, protected by the PRIVACY ACT OF 1974. Access to this e-mail by anyone other than the intended addressee is unauthorized and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or retention of the same is strictly prohibited and also may violate statutory and regulatory requirements. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender. Do not forward this message or any attachments without express permission of the sender.
-
~WRD364
From: Defense Contract Management Agency
Mr. Petti,
The attached document is in response to DCMA FOIA 20-171.
Sincerely,
James H. Hobbs
FOIA/Privacy Act Analyst
Defense Contract Management Agency (DCC)
3901 A Avenue, Bldg. 10500
Ft. Lee, VA 23801
Office ☎ (804) XXX-XXXX
iPhone (804) 928-9437
E-mail address: james.h.hobbs.civ@mail.mil
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail may contain CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED
INFORMATION in the form of FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, unclassified information
that may be withheld from the public because disclosure would cause
foreseeable harm to an interest protected by one or more of the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) Exemptions 2 through 9 identified in 5 USC 552(b).
This message may contain PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, protected by
the PRIVACY ACT OF 1974. Access to this e-mail by anyone other than the
intended addressee is unauthorized and may be unlawful. If you are not the
intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying,
distribution, or retention of the same is strictly prohibited and also may
violate statutory and regulatory requirements. If you are not the intended
recipient, please immediately notify the sender. Do not forward this
message or any attachments without express permission of the sender.
From: Matthew Petti
Dear Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Beltran,
Thank you so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Matthew Petti
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