Director’s Lecture Series Continues with a FOIA Fee Summit

Earlier this week OIP announced the continuation of our summer slate of training seminars, the Director’s Lecture Series.  Serving as a complement to OIP’s regular yearly training, the Director’s Lecture Series provides an opportunity for discussion and open dialogue in a unique series of seminars. The second seminar in our series, which will be held on August 8th, will focus on the FOIA’s fee and fee waiver provisions.  Following up on the discussions from our April FOIA Requester Roundtable meeting as well as previous training seminars, this FOIA Fee Summit will continue our summer discussions on the fundamental aspects of FOIA administration.  This seminar will provide a forum for participants to discuss challenges in administering this area of the law, effective communication with requesters on the subject of fees, and an overview of the current fee structure.   The details for this second seminar, which is open to all agency FOIA personnel, are: The FOIA provides for the charging of different types of fees depending on which "fee category" a requester falls under.  The FOIA also contains a standard for the waiver of fees.  There are limitations on the charging of fees in certain instances when the FOIA's time limits are not met and the exceptions to the rule are not applicable.  In addition,  the FOIA provides non-commercial use requesters with a certain amount of free search time and free duplication.  All these various provisions relating to fees will be addressed at the FOIA Fee Summit.  Having this Summit as part of the Director’s Lecture Series will provide agency FOIA professionals the ideal setting to discuss these provisions in depth.   If you are interested in attending this event, please, email your name and phone number to OIP’s Training Officer at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov, with the subject line “August Director’s Lecture Series.”  If you have any questions regarding this seminar, please contact OIP’s Training Officer at (202) 514-3642. Information on training offered throughout the year by OIP is available on our Training page.  OIP subject matter experts are also available to conduct or participate in FOIA training at your agency, and you can contact OIP’s Training Officer at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov for more information on the availability of our staff.