5.3.6: Additional Actions Recommended to Reduce Backlogs and Improve Timeliness

Make recommendations based on program reviews of their programs to improve streamlining, resources, cooperation, and communication.

Other Information:

As explained in the Chief FOIA Officer Report recently completed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, we have made the following recommendations to the following components based on the reviews of their programs. The recommendations are aimed at improving streamlining, resources, cooperation, and communication. 1. The FAA should devote additional resources to its headquarters FOIA Team. This will allow the FAA to continue making required backlog reductions in both initial requests and appeals. 2. The MARAD and the FHWA should re-delegate the FOIA Officer title and responsibilities in their components from the Division Chief level to the subject matter expert level. We believe this streamlining will allow those components to process requests more efficiently, which will help improve timeliness and reduce backlogs. 3. The four DOT components not currently using multi-track processing (FRA, FTA, NHTSA, and SLSDC) should begin using multi-track processing (simple/complex/expedited) by the beginning of FY 2011. 4. The MARAD and FRA Administrators should direct their program office staffs to cooperate more with FOIA staff (e.g., in searching for and providing responsive documents). We believe increased cooperation will improve timeliness in responding to requests. 5. The OST should identify FOIA points of contact in all OST program offices by June 30, 2010 and begin issuing search memos to them electronically by October 1, 2010. 6. The OST should fill a detail position in the OST FOIA office by May 30, 2010. This is a redirection of existing OST resources. The detailee would supplement the resources of the OST FOIA office during the detail and will gain expertise during the detail that will assist his or her program office with FOIA after the detail ends.

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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