In order to fulfill its
government-wide statutory mission, the Office of Government
Information Services (OGIS) provides varying types of assistance to
its customers, which requires communicating with government
departments and agencies regarding the customers FOIA/Privacy Act
request/appeal. Handling requests for OGIS Assistance must conform
to the legal requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
and the Privacy Act of 1974. Authority for the requirements set
forth in this form is also contained in 5 U.S.C. 552a(b). OGIS will
use the information submitted in the form to provide the requested
assistance. Without the information submitted in this form, OGIS
would be unable to fulfill its mission.
The significant increase in
burden hours is due to the increase in program customers, changing
the estimated number of annual respondents from 400 to 3,646. The
significant increase in the number of cases is largely attributable
to the passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Improvement
Act of 2016, (signed on June 30, 2016), which added statutory
language introducing the Office of Government Information Services
(OGIS) as a resource at every stage of the FOIA administrative
process. As a result of that change, the estimated average amount
of time for respondents to provide the information also increased
(from two minutes to ten per respondent) because of the need to
explain which stage of the FOIA administrative process they are at,
gather documentation related to multiple stages, and the broader
range of issues respondents have been raising.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.