Email system documentation (Department of Commerce)
| Tracking # |
DOC-OS-2017-000680 |
| Submitted | Feb. 22, 2017 |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Michael Best
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under 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 for AND Magazine, MuckRock and Glomar Disclosure and have an open arrangement with each. My articles have been widely read, with some reaching over 100,000 readers. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through the non-profit Internet Archive, 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 such, my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available and I therefore 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,
Michael Best
From: efoia@doc.gov
This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://foiaonline.regulations.gov:443/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d281192ddb)
* Tracking Number: DOC-OS-2017-000680
* Requester Name: Michael Best
* Date Submitted: 02/23/2017
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.
From: efoia@doc.gov
02/24/2017 03:52 PM FOIA Request: DOC-OS-2017-000680
Dear Mr. Best:
The Department of Commerce acknowledges receipt of your Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request with Tracking Number DOC-OS-2017-000680, for:
Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.
Please submit a clarification of your request with additional details to address the following:
“… procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.” Indicate if this is procedures and methods for performing searches for emails in response to a Freedom of Information Act Request.
Please respond within 30 calendar days to clarify your request. The Department will close your request if you do not respond in 30 days.
Sincerely, Harriette Boyd
Freedom of Information Act Specialist
DOC/OS/OPOG/FOIA
hboyd1@doc.gov (mailto:hboyd1@doc.gov)
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: FOIA, Electronic
Dear Mr. Best, on February 24, 2017 an email was sent to you requesting clarification for your FOIA request. The request for clarification asked to:
Please submit a clarification of your request with additional details to address the following:
“… procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.” Indicate if this is procedures and methods for performing searches for emails in response to a Freedom of Information Act Request.
We did not received a response. Please respond to our previous request. Thank-You
Harriette Boyd
Freedom of Information Act Specialist
U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of Privacy and Open Government
Office: (202) 482-1485
Email: hboyd1@doc.gov
From: Michael Best
Please submit a clarification of your request with additional details to address the following:
“… procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.” Indicate if this is procedures and methods for performing searches for emails in response to a Freedom of Information Act Request.
For all contexts, including searches in response to FOIA as well as any other technical documentation or support materials for users describing the process.
From: Michael Best
If it helps, you may interpret the request to mean “Any official Department policies, memoranda, manuals, guidance, etc describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.”
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #DOC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: efoia@doc.gov
DOC-OS-2017-000680 has been approved for an interim release.
Records were released to the public as a result of this request. You may retrieve these records immediately using the following link: View Records.Over the next 2 hours, these records are also being added to FOIAonline's search pages, further enabling you to retrieve these documents associated with your FOIA request at any time. (https://foiaonline.regulations.gov:443/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d281192ddb)
From: Alpha Assistance
Documents provided by Agency.
-
DOC-OS-2017-00068020Records.zip
From: Department of Commerce
Your request for Fee Waiver for the FOIA request DOC-OS-2017-000680 has been fully granted. Additional details for this request are as follows:
* Request Created on: 02/23/2017
* Fee Waiver Disposition Reason: N/A
* Request Long Description: Documentation describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.
clarification: “Any official Department policies, memoranda, manuals, guidance, etc describing the email system(s) used by your agency, including the procedures and methods for performing searches of the email system.”
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #OC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Commerce
Good Morning,
I am in receipt of your message seeking a status update for your request, DOC-OS-2017-000680. We have received records from some Department bureaus, and are currently waiting for the remaining bureaus to conclude their search and provide responsive records. I have given the delinquent bureaus one week to respond. If they do not respond by then, I will issue you an interim release of the records we do have. Please feel free to contact me at skhalid@doc.gov<mailto:skhalid@doc.gov> if you have further questions.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Regards,
Sulma Khalid
FOIA/PA Analyst (Contractor)
U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of Privacy and Open Government
Phone Number: (202) 482-7432
Email: skhalid@doc.gov<mailto:skhalid@doc.gov>
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 22, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #OC-OS-2017-000680.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Commerce
DOC-OS-2017-000680 has been processed with the following final disposition: Full grant.
Please see the attached letter for more information.
Records were released to the public as a result of this request. You may retrieve these records immediately using the following link: View Records.Over the next 2 hours, these records are also being added to FOIAonline's search pages, further enabling you to retrieve these documents associated with your FOIA request at any time. (https://foiaonline.regulations.gov:443/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d281192ddb)
Files
pages