2.1.4: Backlog Reduction
Improve our capacity to analyze, coordinate and respond to requests in a timely manner. Other Information:
Overall, the Department is improving its capacity to analyze, coordinate and respond to requests in a timely manner. The Department
is in the third year of a five year improvement plan which already reduced backlogs by a significant percentage and quantity.
The improvement plan was in response to the Office of Information and Privacy, Department of Justice memorandum implementing
Executive Order 13392. Our goals are outlined in our FOIA Backlog Reduction Plan FY 2007, and supplemented by our FOIA Backlog
Reduction Plan FY 2008. The plan was dependent on funding changes commencing with the FY 2008 budget. Included in the plan
is a five year budget to fully support implementation. FY 2008 amendments to the plan included significant milestones based
on increased funding provided during that fiscal year. With increased funding, additional manpower slots and training initiatives,
we remain substantially on schedule to consistently reduce the year to year backlog in both initial requests and appeals.
The Department’s FOIA Reduction Plan, dated June 14, 2006 and available at http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/FOIA_improvement_plan.pdf,
outlines the findings of a comprehensive survey of the Department’s FOIA operations. Positive items included the FOIA staff
being motivated and knowledgeable; the process was sound, but had inconsistent information technology support; customers found
our response times were generally in line with their experience at other Federal Agencies; and, the backlog was primarily
in Requester Service Centers with the most complex and sensitive cases. Negative items included inconsistent staffing levels
in relation to volume, complexity and sensitivity; senior organization leaders insufficiently aware of FOIA and statutory
requirements; job series and grade structure was poorly standardized; inadequate FOIA training for Action Officers and Subject
Matter Experts who consult on FOIA cases; standardization of FOIA Web sites to consistently provide the public resources and
access; and a lack of resources to clear the backlog. The plan includes both long term and surge funding. Surge funding focused
on a two year effort to reduce backlogs in the most affected Requester Service Centers. The surge effort is winding down in
calendar year 2010. Most targeted offices reduced their backlog in a methodical, sustainable manner which resulted in process
improvements and should be maintainable going forward. The Department has called for, and has so far received, steadily increasing
resources to sustain gains made and continue to improve. Responsive actions are discussed in much greater detail in the Chief
FOIA Officer report. Highlights include increasing FOIA professionals (Full Time and Full Time Equivalents), increasing emphasis
on professional development through training, increasing focus on training non-FOIA reviewers and consultants during Action
Officer initial training, increasing continuing training including refresher courses on the Web, increasing information technology
support for case management and document management, vastly improved presence on the Web to present information already released
and a serious increase in senior leaders involvement. In accordance with the Open Government Directive, the Defense Freedom
of Information Policy Office tasked Components with significant backlogs to identify required milestones. Affected Components
include: the Office of the Secretary of Defense/Joint Staff, the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, U.S. Central
Command, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Defense Intelligence
Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Security Agency.
Plans with Milestones are posted at: http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/dfoipo/.
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