(a) LSC will make its records promptly available, upon request, to any person in accordance with this section, unless:
(1) the FOIA requires the records to be published in the Federal Register (§ 1602.4) or to be made available in the public reading room (§ 1602.5); or
(2) LSC determines that such records should be withheld and are exempt from mandatory disclosure under the FOIA and § 1602.10.
(b)
(1) Requests for LSC records. All requests for LSC records must be clearly marked Freedom of Information Act Request and shall be addressed to the FOIA Analyst, Office of Legal Affairs, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20007. Email requests shall be sent to [email protected]. Requests for LSC Records may also be made online using the FOIA Request Electronic Submission Form located at http://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/foia.
(2) Requests for Office of Inspector General records. All requests for records maintained by the OIG must be clearly marked Freedom of Information Act Request and shall be addressed to the FOIA Officer, Office of Inspector General, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20007. Email requests shall be sent to [email protected].
(3) Any request not marked and addressed as specified in this section will be so marked by LSC personnel as soon as it is properly identified, and will be forwarded immediately to the appropriate Office. A request improperly addressed will be deemed to have been received as in accordance with § 1602.9 only when it has been received by the appropriate Office. Upon receipt of an improperly addressed request, the Chief FOIA Officer, Office of Inspector General Legal Counsel or their designees shall notify the requester of the date on which the time period began.
(c) A request must reasonably describe the records requested so that employees of LSC who are familiar with the subject area of the request are able, with a reasonable amount of effort, to determine which particular records are within the scope of the request. Before submitting their requests, requesters may contact LSC's or OIG's FOIA Analyst or FOIA Public Liaison to discuss the records they seek and to receive assistance in describing the records. If LSC determines that a request does not reasonably describe the records sought, LSC will inform the requester what additional information is needed or why the request is otherwise insufficient. Requesters who are attempting to reformulate or modify their request may discuss their request with LSC's or OIG's FOIA Analyst or FOIA Public Liaison. If a request does not reasonably describe the records sought, LSC's response to the request may be delayed.
(d) To facilitate the location of records by LSC, a requester should try to provide the following kinds of information, if known:
(1) The specific event or action to which the record refers;
(2) The unit or program of LSC that may be responsible for or may have produced the record;
(3) The date of the record or the date or period to which it refers or relates;
(4) The type of record, such as an application, a grant, a contract, or a report;
(5) Personnel of LSC who may have prepared or have knowledge of the record;
(6) Citations to newspapers or publications which have referred to the record.
(e) Requests may specify the preferred form or format (including electronic formats) for the records sought. LSC will provide records in the form or format indicated by the requester to the extent such records are readily reproducible in the requested form or format. LSC reserves the right to limit the number of copies of any document that will be provided to any one requester or to require that special arrangements for duplication be made in the case of bound volumes or other records representing unusual problems of handling or reproduction.
(f) Requesters must provide contact information, such as their phone number, email address, and/or mailing address, to assist LSC in communicating with them and providing released records.
(g) LSC is not required to create a record or to perform research to satisfy a request.
(h) Any request for a waiver or reduction of fees should be included in the FOIA request, and any such request should indicate the grounds for a waiver or reduction of fees, as set out in § 1602.14(g).