FSIS/IBM Blockchain Proof of Concept

Dear Sam Reynolds, This email acknowledges receipt of your attached Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Your request was received by this office on December 14, 2020. The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(i), requires USDA to make a determination in response to a FOIA request within 20 business days from its date of receipt. The Federal agency time limit may be extended by 10 business days as stated in 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B). If your request seeks numerous records that will necessitate a wide-ranging search including searches with components and possible consultations with components that have a substantial interest in the determination of this request, USDA will invoke a 10 business day extension for determination of your request. You have the option to narrow the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive records. Due to the increasing number of FOIA requests received by this office, we may encounter some delay in processing your request. Pursuant to USDA FOIA Regulations, Title 7 CFR §1.6(a), the USDA processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt. Provisions of the FOIA allow USDA to recover part of the cost of complying with your request. For purposes of fee assessment, you were categorized as a " news media" requester, pursuant to 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section (2)(b)(5)(i). For your review and information, a copy of the USDA FOIA Fee Schedule is attached. In accordance with 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section 3(b), your fees shall be waived where the amount of the fee is $25.00 or less. If you requested a fee waiver, please note that it is currently under consideration. A search will be conducted for records responsive to your request. If any responsive records are located, they will be reviewed for determination of releasability. A FOIA specialist will respond to your request as expeditiously as possible. We appreciate your patience as we proceed with your request. Your request has been assigned FOIA Case No. . Please refer to this case number in any future correspondence. If you have any questions regarding the processing of this request, please reply directly to this message or contact 2021-FSIS-00104-F FSIS.FOIA@usda.gov or FOIA specialist Mr. Tim Poe at 202-205-3828. For additional information regarding USDA FOIA regulations and process, please refer to the information available online at www.fsis.usda.gov/foia . Sincerely, USDA FSIS FOIA Office

Mr. Sam Reynolds:

Thank you for your status update request. We apologize for the delay. Your Freedom of Information Act request, 2021-FSIS-00104, is currently assigned to Tim Poe. Please note that we will continue to process your request as expeditiously as possible.” Mr. Tim Poe will follow-up with additional information.

Mary Frances Sharpe
Management Analyst, Freedom of Information Act Staff
Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Room 1175 - South Building
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: (202) 720-2109
Fax: (202) 690-3023
Maryfrances.sharpe@usda.gov

Hi Mr. Reynolds - updating on your request. We are still waiting for a program area to respond to the search request. Please also note that I currently have approximately 65 FOIA requests ahead of this request.  We generally process requests in the order they arrive, however, sometimes we can move a request forward if it can be completed quickly. I'll update again in approximately one month. Tim Government Information Specialist FSIS

Hi Mr. Reynold – I am checking on a missing program area records search response.

I’ll update you when I hear back from the program area (hopefully later today).

Tim

Hi – I’ll check the status and respond ASAP.

Tim

Hi Mr. Reynolds:

The remaining program area is searching for records. I'll update again when I hear more.

I loaded another program area's records into our review system and there are a substantial number of pages (about 850). I haven't looked at them yet to see if they are all responsive. There might be a lot hits that you are not interested in and I'll update when I have a chance to see more.

Tim

Timothy Poe
Government Information Specialist (Privacy Officer)
Freedom of Information Act Staff
Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Room 1170 South Building
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: (202) 205-3828
Timothy.poe@usda.gov

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Hi Mr. Reynolds:

I recently received records from the last remaining program area to respond.

There are approximately 900 pages of records in the set for review and likely it won’t be delivered for some time as I currently have 47 older requests in front of it. We generally process requests in the order received, however, if there are a small number of records to review it’s possible to move a request ahead.

If you can think of narrowing terms to bring the request to under 100 pages I can try to move it ahead. Interim releases are possible too, however, that won’t help much in that there are so many older requests.

Tim

Hi Sam – thanks for the narrowing information.

I think your narrowing points likely won’t do much to reduce the set because I will have to go through the set to find that information.

The most likely path to narrowing the set is tightening the time frame, or introducing key words, or focusing on fewer persons.

Tim

Hi - we can try to narrow the range and see if it makes smaller set.

Making sure I understand the narrowing request.

The original request was:

1) Emails between Lisa K Yarbough (lisay@us.ibm.com<mailto:lisay@us.ibm.com>), Joe Marm (walter.marm@usda.gov<mailto:walter.marm@usda.gov>) and Carl Mayes (carl.mayes@usda.gov<mailto:carl.mayes@usda.gov>) DATE: Jan 1 2020 to Dec 11 2020
2) Emails between the domain @linkages-b2b.com and Joe Marm (walter.marm@usda.gov<mailto:walter.marm@usda.gov>) + Carl Mayes (carl.mayes@usda.gov<mailto:carl.mayes@usda.gov>) DATE: Jan 1 2020 to Dec 11 2020
3) Copies of proposals, marketing materials, and documentation prepared by IBM for FSIS re: blockchain export certificates
4) Memos prepared by FSIS staff regarding the decision to accept or decline IBM's proposal to move from a proof of concept to a pilot for its food export certificates blockchain platform DATE: Jan 1 to Dec 11 2020
5) Meeting minutes/notes/documentation re: a meeting between Paul Kiecker and Carl Mayes regarding IBM's blockchain proof of concept Date: May 1 2020 to June 2 2020

And the updated request will be:

1) Emails between Lisa K Yarbough (lisay@us.ibm.com<mailto:lisay@us.ibm.com>), Joe Marm (walter.marm@usda.gov<mailto:walter.marm@usda.gov>) and Carl Mayes (carl.mayes@usda.gov<mailto:carl.mayes@usda.gov>) and key words IBM, blockchain , DATE: January 1, 2020, to March 31 2020, and June 1, 2020 to October 31 2020.
2) Emails between the domain @linkages-b2b.com and Joe Marm (walter.marm@usda.gov<mailto:walter.marm@usda.gov>) + Carl Mayes (carl.mayes@usda.gov<mailto:carl.mayes@usda.gov>) and key words IBM, blockchain, DATE: January 1, 2020, to March 31 2020, and June 1, 2020 to October 31 2020.
3) Copies of proposals, marketing materials, and documentation prepared by IBM for FSIS re: blockchain export certificates
4) Memos prepared by FSIS staff regarding the decision to accept or decline IBM's proposal to move from a proof of concept to a pilot for its food export certificates blockchain platform DATE: : January 1, 2020, to March 31 2020, and June 1, 2020 to October 31 2020.
5) Meeting minutes/notes/documentation re: a meeting between Paul Kiecker and Carl Mayes regarding IBM's blockchain proof of concept Date: May 1 2020 to June 2 2020

Is that updated version correct?

Tim

Hi – I haven’t had the chance to use the key terms on the corpus of records to narrow, but it’s on my to-do list.

I’ll update in the next week.

Tim

Hi – I’m still trying to fit working on this request in my schedule.

I’ll put it at the top of my to-do list for tomorrow and try to update by Wednesday on what I’m seeing.

Tim

Hi – I completed a key word search using a search tool in our document review system. The results are a bit smaller batch of records, but I haven’t looked at the documents yet.

I will try to start this week.

Tim

Goodday, Pleasesee the attached regarding your 2021-FSIS-00104-F Freedom of Information Actrequest. Sincerely, Freedomof Information Act Staff Office of PublicAffairs and Consumer Education Food Safety andInspection Service, USDA