(a) In general. In determining which records are responsive to a request, EXIM ordinarily will only include records that qualify as agency records under the FOIA on the date EXIM begins its search. If any other date is used, EXIM must inform the requester of that date. A record that is excluded from the requirements of the FOIA pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(c), is not considered responsive to a request.
(b) Authority to grant or deny requests. The Freedom of Information and Privacy Office is authorized to grant or deny any requests for records. This is the initial determination that can be appealed. The Freedom of Information and Privacy Office is also responsible for coordinating the search for responsive records and other matters concerning the processing of the request.
(c) Consultation, referral, and coordination. When reviewing records located by EXIM in response to a request, EXIM will determine whether another agency of the Federal Government is better able to determine whether the record is exempt from disclosure under the FOIA. With any such record, EXIM must proceed in one of the following ways:
(1) Consultation. When records originated with EXIM, but contain within them information of interest to another agency or Federal Government office, EXIM will typically consult with that other entity prior to making a release determination.
(2) Referral. (i) When EXIM determines that a different agency is best able to determine whether to disclose the record, EXIM will typically refer the responsibility for responding to the request regarding that record to that agency. Ordinarily, the agency that originated the record is presumed to be the best agency to make the disclosure determination. However, if the agency processing the request and the originating agency jointly agree that the agency processing the request is in the best position to respond regarding the record, then the record may be handled as a consultation.
(ii) Whenever EXIM refers any part of the responsibility for responding to a request to another agency, it must document the referral, maintain a copy of the record that it refers, and notify the requester of the referral, informing the requester of the name(s) of the agency to which the record was referred, including that agency's FOIA contact information.
(3) Coordination. The standard referral procedure in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is not appropriate where disclosure of the identity of the agency to which the referral would be made could harm an interest protected by an applicable exemption under FOIA, such as the exemptions that protect personal privacy or national security interests. For example, if a non-law enforcement agency responding to a request for records on a living third party locates within its files records originating with a law enforcement agency, and if the existence of that law enforcement interest in the third party was not publicly known, then to disclose that law enforcement interest could cause an unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the third party. Similarly, if an agency locates within its files material originating with an Intelligence Community agency, and the involvement of that agency in the matter is classified and not publicly acknowledged, then to disclose or give attribution to the involvement of that Intelligence Community agency could cause national security harms. In such instances, in order to avoid harm to an interest protected by an applicable exemption, EXIM will typically coordinate with the originating agency to seek its views on the releasability of the record. Subsequently, EXIM will convey the release determination for the record that is the subject of the coordination to the requester.
(d) Classified information. On receipt of any request involving classified information, EXIM must determine whether the information is currently and properly classified in accordance with applicable laws. When a request involves a record containing information that has been classified or may be appropriate for classification by another agency under an applicable Executive order, EXIM must refer the request for response to the agency that classified the information, or should consider the information for classification. Whenever an agency's record contains information that has been derivatively classified (for example, when it contains information classified by another agency), EXIM must refer the responsibility for responding to that portion of the request to the agency that classified the underlying information.
(e) Timing of responses to consultations and referrals. All consultations and referrals received by EXIM will be handled according to the date that the first agency received the FOIA request.
(f) Agreements regarding consultations and referrals. EXIM may establish agreements with other agencies to eliminate the need for consultations or referrals with respect to particular types of records.