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Freedom of Information Act Office

Freedom of Information Annual Report FY 2007

I. AGENCY: National Institutes of Health

REPORT PREPARED BY: Susan R. Cornell

TITLE: Freedom of Information Officer

ADDRESS: Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B35, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892

PHONE NUMBER: 301-496-5633

ELECTRONIC ADDRESS FOR REPORT ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB:
http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/foia/annualreports/index.htm

ADDRESS FOR PAPER COPIES OF REPORT:
Freedom of Information Office
Building 31, Room 5B35
9000 Rockville Pike,
Bethesda, Maryland 20892

II. HOW TO MAKE A FOIA REQUEST:

See http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/foia/index.htm#requests

A. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of all individual agency components and offices that process FOIA requests:

NIH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COORDINATORS

IC

BLDG

ROOM

PHONE
NCI 31
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892 		10A34 301-496-2999
NHGRI 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NINR 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NCRR 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NEI 31
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6A19 301-496-4334
NHLBI 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NIA 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NIAAA 5635 Fishers Lane
Bethesda, MD 20892 		3111 301-443-8771
NIAID 6610 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817 		2600 301-451-5109
NIAMS 6701 Democracy Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20892 		854 301-594-3504
NIBIB 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NICHD 31
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892 		2A32 301-496-5135
NIDA 6001 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		5230 301-443-6036
NIDCD 6120 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		516 301-496-3033
NIDDK 6707 Democracy Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20817 		652 301-496-2978
NIDCR 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NIEHS Mail Drop NH-10
Box 12233
Research Triangle Pk., NC 27709		   919-541-3411
NIGMS 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NIMH 6001 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		8209 301-443-6130
NINDS 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NLM 38A
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892 		2N07 301-402-9705
NCCAM 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
NCMHD 6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
CC 10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, MD 20892 		5 301-496-2563
CIT 10401 Fernwood Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20817 		3NE52G 301-496-6204
OFM 2115 East Jefferson St.
Rockville, MD 20892 		3C-302A 301-496-9498
OLAO 6011 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		549K 301-594-5458
OAMP 6100 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		6D01 301-496-6431
CSR 6701 Rockledge Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20817 		3030 301-435-1117
FIC 6705 Rockledge Dr.
Betheseda, MD 20892 		6070 301-496-9737
OBA 6705 Rockledge Dr.
Rockville, MD 20817 		757 301-435-8267
OER 6705 Rockledge Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20892 		4184 301-402-1058
OLAW 6705 Rockledge Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20892 		4184 301-402-1058
ORS 31
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892 		2B37 301-402-3570
OTT 6011 Executive Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20852 		325 301-435-5239

B. Brief description of agency's response time range(s): Response time ranges from three weeks to several months depending on complexity of request.

C. Brief description of why some requests are not granted: Requests are not granted if the information requested falls within one of the statute's enumerated exemptions, the information requested falls under the jurisdiction of another DHHS component (such requests are forwarded); or if no documents exist which are responsive to the request.

III. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS USED IN REPORT:

A. Agency specific terms or acronyms:

NCI National Cancer Institute
NHGRI National Human Genome Research Institute
NINR National Institute of Nursing Research
NCRR National Center for Research Resources
NEI National Eye Institute
NHLBI National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIA National Institute on Aging
NIAAA National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
NIAID National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
NIAMS National Institute on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
NIBIB National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
NICHD National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIDCD National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
NIDDK National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
NIDCR National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIGMS National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NIMH National Institute of Mental Health
NINDS National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
NLM National Library of Medicine
CC Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center
CIT Center for Information Technology
NCCAM National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
NCMHD National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
OFM Office of Financial Management
OLAO Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations
OAMP Office of Acquisition Management and Policy
CSR Center for Scientific Review
FIC Fogarty International Center
OBA Office of Biotechnology Activities
OER Office of Extramural Research
OMA Office of Management Assessment
OLAW Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
ORS Office of Research Services
OTT Office of Technology Transfer

B. Basic terms: Description can be found on the DHHS website, see http://www.hhs.gov/foia/

IV. EXEMPTION 3 STATUTES:

A. List of Exemption 3 statutes relied on by the agency during report year:
Ex. 3 Statute Cited Description of Information Withheld Has a court upheld the use of this statute Case Citation
35 U.S.C. § 122 Information contained in a pending or otherwise non-issued patent application Yes

Irons and Sears v. Dann, 606 F. 2d 1215 (D.C. Cir 1979; Leeds v. Quigg, 720 F. Supp. 193 (D.D.C.1989)
35 U.S.C. § 205 Any record which is part of an application for a patent filed with any foreign patent office No

 
35.U.S.C. § 202(c)(5) Utilization reports No

 
41 U.S.C. §253b(m) Technical proposals not incorporated into a final contract Yes

Hornbostel v. U.S. Dep’t. of Interior, 305 F.Supp.2d 21 (D.D.C. 2003)
5 U.S.C. App 4 § 107(a)(2) OGE Form 450 and certain information on HHS Form 520 Yes

Meyerhoff v. U.S. Envtl. Prot. Agency, 958 F.2d 1498 (9th Cir. 1992)

V. INITIAL FOIA/PA ACCESS REQUESTS (Include all requests, 3rd or 1st party):

A. Numbers of initial requests (line 1 + line 2 - line 3 = line 4):
  1. Number of requests pending at close of preceding fiscal year: 5501
  2. Number of requests received during reporting fiscal year: 14,472
  3. Number of requests processed during reporting fiscal year: 14,446
  4. Number of requests pending at close of reporting fiscal year: 576
B. Disposition of Initial Requests:
  1. Number granted in full: 14,072
  2. Number granted in part: 38
  3. Number of full denials: 7
    1. Number of times each FOIA exemption was used:

Exemption 1: 		0
Exemption 2: 1
Exemption 3: 4
Exemption 4: 14
Exemption 5: 17
Exemption 6 38
Exemption 7: 0
Exemption 7(A) 0
Exemption 7(B) 0
Exemption 7(C) 9
Exemption 7(D) 0
Exemption 7(E) 0
Exemption 7(F) 0
Exemption 8: 0
Exemption 9: 0
  1. Other reasons for non-disclosure (total): 329

a. no records: 167
b. referrals: 37
c. request withdrawn: 90
d. fee-related reason: 16
e. records not reasonably described: 12
f. not a proper FOIA request for some other reason: 0
g. not an agency record: 7
h. duplicate request: 0
i. Other (specify): 0

VI. APPEALS OF INITIAL DENIALS OF FOIA/PA REQUESTS (include all access requests whether first or third party):

A. Numbers of Appeals:
  1. Number of appeals received during the fiscal year: 28
  2. Number of appeals processed during the fiscal year: 26
B. Disposition of Appeals: To Be Provided by DHHS – The Appeal Authority
  1. Number completely upheld:
  2. Number partially reversed:
  3. Number completely reversed:
  4. Number still pending at end of fiscal year:
    1. Number of times each FOIA exemption used (counting each exemption used once per appeal).
Exemption 1:
Exemption 2:
Exemption 3:
Exemption 4:
Exemption 5:
Exemption 6:
Exemption 7:
Exemption 7(A):
Exemption 7(B):
Exemption 7 (C):
Exemption 7(D):
Exemption 7(E):
Exemption 7(F):
Exemption 8:
Exemption 9:

 

  1. Other reasons for non-disclosure (total):
a. No records:
b. referrals:
c. request withdrawn:
d. Fee-related reason:
e. records not reasonably described:
f. Not a proper FOIA request for some other reason:
g. Not an agency record:
h. duplicate request:
i. constructive denial:

VII. COMPLIANCE WITH TIME LIMITS/STATUS OF PENDING REQUESTS:

A. Median Processing Time for Requests Processed During the Year.
  1. Simple Requests (if multiple tracks used): Multiple tracks were not used
    1. number of requests processed: N/A
    2. median number of days to process: N/A
  2. Complex Requests (specify for any and all tracks used):
    1. number of requests processed: N/A
    2. median number of days to process: N/A
  3. Requests Accorded Expedited Processing: 1
    1. number of requests processed: 02
    2. median number of days to process: Case pending
  4. All Requests – (single track used)
    1. number of requests processed: 14,446
    2. median number of days to process FOIA: 23
    3. median number of days to process PA: 2
B. Status of Pending Requests (if multiple tracks are being used, report for each track as well as totals).
  1. Number of requests pending as of the end of the fiscal year: 576
  2. Median number of days that FOIA requests were pending as of that date: 46
  3. Median number of days that PA requests were pending as of that date: 10

VIII. COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS YEARS(S) (Optional):

IX. COSTS/FOIA & PA STAFFING:

A. Staffing levels:
  1. Number of full-time FOIA/PA personnel: 22
  2. Number of personnel with part-time or occasional FOIA /PA duties (in total work-years): 24.67
  3. Total number of personnel (in work years): 46.67

B. Total costs (including staff and all resources):
  1. FOIA & PA processing (including appeals): $2,945,126.21
  2. Litigation-related activities (estimated): $36,337.65
  3. Total costs: $2,981,463.86
  4. Comparison with previous year(s) (including percentage of change)(optional):

X. FEES:

A. Total amount of fees collected by agency for processing requests: $34,281.78
B. Percentage of total costs: .001%

XI. FOIA REGULATIONS (including fee schedule): See 45 C.F.R. Part 5 or http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/foia/cfr45.htm

XII. Report on FOIA Executive Order Implementation

Please refer to the DHHS Annual Report: http://www.hhs.gov/foia/reports/07anlrpt.html
1. At the close of FY 2006 the NIH reported 561 pending requests. In FY 2007, the NIH closed 11 cases retroactively as these cases had been completed during previous fiscal years.

2. On August 8, 2007, NIH received a request for voluminous records requiring extensive review. Partial releases were made on Sept. 9, Oct. 12, and Oct 26, 2007. It is anticipated that a final response will be sent by Nov. 30, 2007.

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This page last reviewed on June 19, 2012

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