Rule of Three 1999-2019 (United States Agency for International Development)

USAID has implemented maximum telework to promote social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Priorities in many of our operating units have shifted, thus impacting processing response times. Please note that USAID is unable to conduct a search for physical records while teleworking.  As a result, all search requests will be limited to electronic records, unless you notify us that you want your request to remain open until USAID employees have physical access to their workspaces. We appreciate your understanding during this time.  If you have any questions, please email us at foia@usaid.gov .  Thank you.

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V/r, FOIA Specialist US AID - US Agency for International Development FOIA Office Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) | foia@USAID.gov

September 03, 2021 RE:  USAID FOIA No. F-00281-21 (Acknowledgment Letter) Dear Ms. North-Best: Thank you for your letter dated September 02, 2021, requesting information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552.  The tracking number for your request is F-00281-21.  Please use this number when corresponding with our office. At this time, we are in the process of perfecting your request.  A perfected request for records reasonably describes such records and is made in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any) and procedures to be followed.  This process includes reviewing the request for clarity and fee category determination and related commitment to pay, if applicable. Once your request is perfected, you will be notified of the FOIA Specialist assigned to process your case.  If you have questions, please contact us at .  Please cite the above-referenced number when corresponding with our office. (mailto:foia@usaid.gov) foia@usaid.gov Thank you. Sincerely, Diamond Johnson
FOIA Specialist
Bureau for Management
Office of Management Services
Information and Records Division

September 03, 2021 RE:  USAID FOIA No. F-00281-21 (FOIA Specialist Assignment Email) Dear Ms. North-Best: This acknowledges receipt of your September 02, 2021, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  Specifically, you requested records concerning copies of lists or indexes of frequently requested records under FOIA and other disclosure laws, including but not limited to those subject to the Rule of Three (see FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(2)(D) (2000)).I also request copies of emails, memos and letters discussing the handling of frequently requested records that are subject to the Rule of Three, including but not limited to the removal of any such records.You may limit this request to records generated between January 1, 1999 (or since your office's creation, whichever came later) and December 31, 2019. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/1999 To 12/31/2019). You also requested a fee waiver.
Fee Waiver
The FOIA provides that fees should be waived or reduced if disclosure of the information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations and activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.  As a member of the media, the only applicable fee is duplication.  Duplication is $0.10 per page, but the first 100 pages are free.  After review of the fee waiver criteria, your fee waiver request is moot.  Since the only applicable fee is duplication, and USAID routinely furnishes responsive records to FOIA requesters in electronic format, it's most likely there will be no duplication fees to assess.
FOIA Specialist
Your request has been assigned to Tiffanie Woodland, FOIA Specialist.  You may contact Tiffanie Woodland by email at twoodland@usaid.gov (mailto:twoodland@usaid.gov) .  Please reference the tracking number cited above in any future correspondence.
Extending the FOIA’s Time Limits due to Unusual Circumstances The FOIA provides that an agency  may extend its time limits when “unusual circumstances” occur in the processing of a request. See 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B)(i) (2016). Those “unusual circumstances” are set forth in the statute, 5 U.S.C § 552(a)(6)(B)(iii), and are described as: 1) The need to search for records from field facilities or other locations separate from the office processing the request; 2) The need to search, collect and examine voluminous records; and 3) The need for consultation with another agency. Based upon the records you have requested, we have determined that one or more unusual circumstances will occur during the processing of your request. Accordingly, your response time-limit has been extended beyond the 20 days required by statute; therefore, 10 additional processing days have been added to your request. To mitigate this action, you may limit the scope of the request so that it can be processed more quickly or to arrange an alternative time to respond. If you have any questions or wish to discuss reformulation or an alternative time frame for the processing of your request, you may contact the assigned FOIA Specialist noted above. You may also contact USAID’s FOIA Public Liaison, Christopher Colbow, at foia@usaid.gov. (mailto:foia@usaid.gov)

Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services offered: Office of Government Information Services National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001 E-mail: ogis@nara.gov Telephone: 202-741-5770; Toll Free: 1-877-684-6448 Fax: 202-741-5769 Thank you for your interest in USAID. Sincerely, Diamond Johnson
FOIA Specialist
Bureau for Management
Office of Management Services
Information and Records Division

Greetings,

My apologies for the delay in responding to your inquiry. I am currently
waiting on a response from the program office that will have the responsive
records. Once I receive them I will begin processing them.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,

*Tiffanie M. WoodlandGovernment Information SpecialistUSAID – US Agency for
International DevelopmentBureau for Management, Office of Management
Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) *
*Direct: 202-706-2421*

Greetings -

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office.

If you have an urgent FOIA matter, please forward a detailed message to
foia@usaid.gov. Otherwise, I will respond to you after my scheduled return
to the office on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

Thank you.

Have a great day,

*Tiffanie M. Woodland Government Information Specialist USAID – US Agency for
International Development Bureau for Management, Office of Management
Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD)
Direct: 202-706-2421*

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*Tiffanie M. WoodlandGovernment Information SpecialistUSAID – US Agency for
International DevelopmentBureau for Management, Office of Management
Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) *
*Direct: 202-706-2421*

Dear Ms. North-Best,

Attached is the final response memo and documents pertaining to your
September 2, 2021, Freedom of Information Act request to the U.S. Agency
for International Development.

Thank you,

*Tiffanie M. WoodlandGovernment Information SpecialistUSAID – US Agency for
International DevelopmentBureau for Management, Office of Management
Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) *
*Direct: 202-706-2421*