Website closures related to government shutdown (Department of Education)
| Tracking # |
14-00048-F |
| Submitted | Oct. 1, 2013 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Zack Sampson
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
Documents related to the operations of federal websites during the government shutdown. Specifically:
1) Memos and shutdown plans addressing the operation of this agency's websites during a government shutdown
2) Any cost-benefit analyses related to the operation of this agency's website during a government shutdown
3) Any security analyses related to the operation of this agency's website during a government shutdown
4) Annual budget documents showing the costs of operating of this agency's website
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,
Zack Sampson
From: ED FOIA Manager
[cid:image002.jpg@01CED169.B9345930]UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FOIA REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
FOIA Tracking Number: 14-00048-F
Name of Requester: Zack Sampson
E-mail Address: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Date of Request: October 1, 2013
Date Request Received: October 25, 2013
Your request (below) has been forwarded to the appropriate office within the Department to search for responsive documents. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the FOIA Requester Service Center at (202) 401–8365 or by e-mail at EDFOIAManager@ed.gov<mailto:EDFOIAManager@ed.gov> (please include the case tracking number).
Thank you.
From: ED FOIA Manager
[cid:image002.jpg@01CED16E.D48496F0]UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FOIA REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
FOIA Tracking Number: 14-00048-F
Name of Requester: Zack Sampson
E-mail Address: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Date of Request: October 1, 2013
Date Request Received: October 25, 2013
Your request (below) has been forwarded to the appropriate office within the Department to search for responsive documents. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the FOIA Requester Service Center at (202) 401–8365 or by e-mail at EDFOIAManager@ed.gov<mailto:EDFOIAManager@ed.gov> (please include the case tracking number).
Thank you.
From: Cook, Elise
Dear Mr. Sampson,
Please find attached to this email, the final response to your Fee Waiver request.
From: Wehausen, Robert
Dear Mr. Sampson:
This email is in regards to the FOIA request you submitted to the U.S. Department of Education ("Department") dated October 1, 2013. Because of the government shutdown, the Department was unable to acknowledge your request until October 25, 2013.
Due to the Department's pending FOIA backlog, we are unable to fulfill your request within the 20-day timeline. Your request is currently still being processed by the appropriate program offices.
Thank you for your cooperation and patience.
Robert Wehausen
Management & Program Analyst
FOIA Appeals Coordinator
FOIA Service Center
U.S. Dept. of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4510
202.205.0733
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 Oct. 1, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #14-00048-F.
Thank you for your help.
From: Wehausen, Robert
Dear Mr. Sampson:
This is the Department's final response to your request dated October 1, 2013, requesting information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, which was received in the FOIA Service Center (FSC) on October 25, 2014. Your request was forwarded to the appropriate offices within the Department of Education (the Department) for any responsive documents they may have.
You Requested:
Documents related to the operations of federal websites during the government shutdown.
Specifically:
1) Memos and shutdown plans addressing the operation of this agency's websites during a government shutdown.
2) Any cost-benefit analyses related to the operation of this agency's website during a government shutdown.
3) Any security analyses related to the operation of this agency's website during a government shutdown.
4) Annual budget documents showing the costs of operating of this agency's website.
In response to the first two items in your request, the staff in the Office of Communication & Outreach (OCO) provided the FOIA Service Center the following information:
The Department did not issue a formal shutdown memo about the agency's websites during a government shutdown. We referred to relevant parts of the government shutdown ED website plan that was prepared in 2011 (see attached).
No cost-benefit analysis was conducted. The central issue discussed was whether it was critical for the websites to remain up to facilitate the work of the excepted staff who would continue to work during shutdown.
In response to the last two items in your request, the staff in the Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO) provided the FOIA Service Center the following information:
The Department's Security Operations Center maintained steady state operations, 24x7, for the duration of the Government Furlough. The contractor staff, with oversight from the Chief Information Security Officer, continued to monitor the security status of networks and the Department's various websites. During the furlough, no significant security events were noted.
Annual budget content is available to the public on the Federal IT Dashboard: ED Web (ed.gov) https://www.itdashboard.gov/investment?buscid=820. Select the Current Exhibit 300 tab to review the latest update.
By letter dated November 4, 2013, the Department granted your request for a waiver of all fees, therefore, there are no processing fees associated with your FOIA request.
If you have any questions, please contact the FSC at (202) 401-8365 or EDFOIAMANAGER@ed.gov<mailto:EDFOIAMANAGER@ed.gov>.
Sincerely,
Robert Wehausen
Management & Program Analyst
FOIA Appeals Coordinator
FOIA Service Center
U.S. Dept. of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4510
202.205.0733
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