How To Make A FOIA Request For USAID Records
Submitting Your Request
The Information and Records Division (IRD) is the central processing point for requests for USAID records in Washington and overseas.
Your request must be submitted in writing, by fax, or by e-mail. While our FOIA Specialists are happy to answer questions about our FOIA program or help you formulate your request over the phone, we do not accept FOIA requests over the phone.
Mail your request to the following address:
JM Paskar, Chief
Information & Records Division
Office of Administrative Services
United States Agency for International Development
Room 2.07C, RRB
Washington, D.C. 20523-2701
Please mark your envelope with the notation, "FOIA REQUEST."
You may fax your request. Our fax number is (202) 216-3070.You may e-mail your request to our FOIA Mailbox at foia@usaid.gov.
If you fax your request, you normally do not have to mail us the original copy. However, there are some cases in which we need both the faxed version and the signed original version. You should send both versions if your request is both a FOIA request and a Privacy Act request for records about you. We also need both versions if a third-party (an attorney, for example) requests records about you on your behalf. When a third-party makes such a request on your behalf, we need an original consent letter signed by you which gives us authorization to release records about you to the third-party.
If you have your request delivered by a commercial courier service, the address and phone number that you should give to the service is as follows:
U.S. Agency for International Development
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Room 2.07C
Washington, D.C. 20534
Telephone: (202) 712-0960
Although, we are accepting Freedom of Information requests by e-mail, we're sorry, but we are unable to accept Privacy Act requests by e-mail.
Formulating Your Request
Our ability to respond expeditiously and responsively to your request is dependent upon the clarity of your request. Please provide as much descriptive information as possible. List the types of documents that you want and the timeframe of the documents that should govern our search. If you know which USAID offices have the documents that you are looking for, please identify the offices.
We receive many requests for procurement documents: solicitations, proposals, and contracts. Sometimes our requesters only provide us with the solicitation number. If possible, when you are requesting winning proposals and resulting awards please provide the following additional information: the office that issued the solicitation, the title of the solicitation, the name of the successful bidder, and the number of the resulting award.
The FOIA allows agencies to charge requesters for FOIA search, review and copying services. In your request letter, please indicate your willingness to pay processing fees and the dollar amount you are willing to pay.
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON USAID'S FOIA PROCESSING FEES
Please remember to give us a phone number in your request letter that we can use if we have questions about your request.
Several characteristics of the FOIA should be kept in mind. As a general rule, agencies are not required to create records in order to respond to FOIA requests. Nor are agencies required to answer questions posed as FOIA requests. Please remember that the FOIA pertains only to existing records and that requests cannot be made for "future" records not yet created.
Expedited Processing
Under certain conditions you may be entitled to have your request processed on an expedited basis if you can show a compelling need. There are two categories of circumstances for the justification for expedited processing. Expedited processing can be requested when the failure to obtain the requested records on an expedited basis could reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual. Expedited processing can be granted if the requester is a person primarily engaged in disseminating information to the public and the information is urgently needed to inform the public concerning some actual or alleged government activity. Please note: Requests are not expedited merely because the requester is a representative of the news media.
Your request for expedited processing must be accompanied by a explanation setting forth the reasons why your request should be expedited. You should certify that the reasons you have given are true and correct.
We will notify you of our decision about whether to grant expedited processing within no more than ten days after receiving your request. If we deny your request for expedited processing, you will be advised of your right to submit an administrative appeal.
IF YOU NEED HELP IN FORMULATING YOUR REQUEST, CALL US.
OUR NUMBER IS 202-712-0960.
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