4-4.5 Determining Qualification as a Covered Person and Record

1. General. In order for a request to be further considered under the FOIA, the requester must qualify as a person, and the requested records must qualify as records.
2. Agency. Any executive department, military department, government corporation, government-controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the United States Government (including the Executive Office of the President), and any independent regulatory agency.
3. Person. An individual, partnership, corporation, association, or public or private partnership. Person does not include:
1. An agency;
2. A fugitive from justice who is requesting records or information relating to his or her fugitive status.
3. An individual who has waived his or her FOIA disclosure rights by plea agreement and is requesting records or information concerning any waived subject.
4. Record.
1. General. Information that meets the following requirements:
1. Was created or obtained by the Postal Service in any format (including, but not limited to, paper documents or information in electronic form or format).
2. Is in the Postal Service’s control at the time of the request (including, but not limited to, records maintained for the Postal Service by an entity under contract with the Postal Service for the purpose of records management).
2. Emails. Emails in the Postal Service’s email archive system qualify as records.
3. Uncirculated Personal Notes. Uncirculated personal notes kept by a Postal Service employee do not qualify as a record.