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Department of Commerce Bureau and Operating Unit (Component) FOIA Programs

Department FOIA Program

The responsibility for the development and maintenance of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) policies, procedures, and guidance is handled through the Office of Privacy and Open Government, FOIA Program. The FOIA Program Office is also reponsible for oversight of the Department of Commerce's FOIA program.

The Department's FOIA operations are decentralized between 14 bureaus and operating units (BOUs). From this page, you can link to those BOUs and their electronic (on-line) FOIA libraries, learn about how the FOIA program is structured, and/or review our guidance and resources related to FOIA. You can also file and track the status of a request. The Department and its BOUs post a great deal of information on-line. If you are interested in making a request you may find the information you seek has already been posted. A good place to begin is in the electronic DOIA Libraries

Department FOIA Office Departmental FOIA Officer and responsibilities, FOIA Mission Statement, and FOIA Council's authority and responsibilities. Director, SAOP, Chief Privacy Officer Deputy, Departmental Privacy Operations Authority & Responsibilities Commerce Privacy Mission Statement Privacy Council Privacy Office Contact Information	Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS) The FOIA generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. Census Bureau PIA Guide and PIAs Economic Development Administration Revolving Loan Fund Mgmt. System PIAs International Trade Administration Foreign Trade Zones Board PIAs National Institute of Standards and Technology PIAs National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration PIAs Office of the Secretary PIAs US Patent and TrademarkPIAs PIA Resources PIA Templates & Brochures	Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) The FOIA generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. Please Note: The FOIA applies only to federal agencies and does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government agencies. The FOIA does not require agencies to: conduct research for you, analyze data, answer written questions, or create records (such as lists or statistics). Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) FOIA Exemptions Law Enforecement and National Security Exclusions FOIA Office Contact Information

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) A FOIA request is a request submitted to a federal agency asking for access to agency records on any topic. A FOIA request can generally be made by any person, to any federal agency, and only requires that requesters reasonably describe the records they are seeking and comply with agency regulations for making such requests. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memoranda OMB Circulars Authorities BOU Privacy Policies	Bureau of the Census (CEN) FOIA amendments signed into law in 1994 added a requirement that agencies must establish an Electronic FOIA (EFOIA) Library. The Library contains such materials as certain agency manuals, specific agency policy statements, and opinions developed in the adjudication of cases. The information you are requesting may be located in our EFOIA Library. Please check the Library before submitting a FOIA request. Digital Privacy Policy Machine Readable Privacy Policy Nature of Information Collected Purpose and Use of Information Collected Wheather and to Whom Information is Disclosed Third-Party Social Networking Data Retention Opt Out Consent to your information being collected	Economic Development Administration (EDA) All agencies are required by law to report to the Department of Justice on their FOIA compliance through submission of Annual FOIA Reports and Chief FOIA Officer Reports. All agencies are also required to provide quarterly reporting of four key FOIA statistics to the Department of Justice that will be posted on FOIA.gov. Privacy Officers Contact Information Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Contacts CPO and CIRT Reporting Offices Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Resources System of Recrods Notice (SORN) Brochures Templates

Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) List of privacy-related training opportunities. Tech Tuesday Trainings	International Trade Administration (ITA) List of FOIA-related training opportunities. Reports	Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Frequently asked questions and factual information about the website. How often will this Policy Change? How does the Department handle Links to External Sites? What about Security or Computer Fraud? How does the Department handle Third Party tools (social media/links to other websites)? What are Your Privacy and FOIA Rights? What about the Online Privacy Rights of Children? What are the BOU Website Policies?

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) List of privacy-related training opportunities. Tech Tuesday Trainings	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) List of FOIA-related training opportunities. Reports	National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Frequently asked questions and factual information about the website. How often will this Policy Change? How does the Department handle Links to External Sites? What about Security or Computer Fraud? How does the Department handle Third Party tools (social media/links to other websites)? What are Your Privacy and FOIA Rights? What about the Online Privacy Rights of Children? What are the BOU Website Policies?

National Technical Information Service (NTIS) List of privacy-related training opportunities. Tech Tuesday Trainings	Office of Inspector General (OIG) List of FOIA-related training opportunities. Reports	U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) Frequently asked questions and factual information about the website. How often will this Policy Change? How does the Department handle Links to External Sites? What about Security or Computer Fraud? How does the Department handle Third Party tools (social media/links to other websites)? What are Your Privacy and FOIA Rights? What about the Online Privacy Rights of Children? What are the BOU Website Policies?