U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008

I.  BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING REPORT

A.  Name, title, address, and telephone number of person to be contacted with questions about the report.

Jane Eyre
Manager, Records Office
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5821
Washington, DC  20260 - Telephone (202) 268-2608

B.  Electronic address for report on the World Wide Web

http://www.usps.com/foia/annualreports/welcome.htm 
C.  How to obtain a copy of this report in paper form.

A hard copy of this report may be obtained upon written request to:

Jane Eyre
Manager, Records Office
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5821
Washington, DC  20260
II. MAKING A FOIA REQUEST

A FOIA request for Postal Service records must be in writing, be a request for records, and bear the caption “Freedom of Information Act Request.”  

There is no required form for submitting a request.  A requester should simply write a letter, indicating FOIA somewhere on the letter, and describe the records wanted.  It is also helpful to include the amount of processing fees for which the requester is willing to accept liability.  If estimated processing fees exceed that amount, the requester will be notified in advance.

A request should describe, with as much detail as possible, the records being requested.  The description should be detailed enough to permit an agency employee familiar with the subject matter to locate the records with a reasonable amount of effort.  A reasonable description is required by the FOIA and helps ensure prompt retrieval of the records of interest while minimizing processing costs to the requester.

Detailed information on submitting a FOIA request may be found in Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management. (http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as353/welcome.htm)
A.  Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual agency components and offices that receive FOIA requests.

Component A
Non-investigative records:

Manager, Records Office
United States Postal Service
Room 5821
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW  
Washington, DC  20260

Phone: (202) 268-2608	Component B                                                 
Investigative records:

U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Joint Legal Services Center
FOIA/PA Unit
1735 N. Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209

Phone:  (703) 248-2100

	Component C                                                  
Inspector General records:

Office of Inspector General for the USPS
Joint Legal Services Center
FOIA/PA Unit
1735 N. Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209

Phone: (703) 248-2100	

B.  Brief description of why some requests are not granted.

The Postal Service’s mission is to provide the nation with reliable, affordable, universal mail service. The basic functions of the Postal Service were established in 39 U.S.C. § 101(a): “. . . [T]o bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.”  The Postal Service is “an independent establishment of the executive branch” of the government, created by the Postal Reorganization Act, (PRA), 39 U.S.C. §§ 101, et seq., and directed to conduct its operations in accordance with sound business principles.  It is the policy of the Postal Service to make its official records available to the public to the maximum extent consistent with the public interest.  

The Postal Service primarily invokes FOIA Exemptions 2, 3, 5 and 6 to withhold records from disclosure.  FOIA Exemption 2 provides that agencies may withhold records “related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency.”  Two types of information may be withheld under Exemption 2: (1) records concerning internal matters of a relatively trivial nature (“low 2”), and (2) records concerning substantial internal matters, the disclosure of which would risk circumvention of a legal requirement (“high 2”).  The Postal Service’s substantial infrastructure and coordination with both private industry and other government agencies requires the generation of schedules, maps, routes, manuals, and plans that could be used to circumvent a variety of legal requirements, including anti-terrorism laws.  The Postal Service routinely protects these records under high 2 when necessary.  

FOIA Exemption 3 provides that agencies may withhold records that are exempted from disclosure by another statute.  Examples of such statutes include the Postal Reorganization Act and 39 U.S.C. §§ 410(c) and 412.  Specifically, 39 U.S.C. § 410(c)(2) does not require the disclosure of “information of a commercial nature, including trade secrets, whether or not obtained from a person outside the Postal Service, which under good business practice would not be publicly disclosed.”  Some of the types of information withheld under (c)(2) include: Information about methods of handling valuable Registered Mail; money order records; technical information on postage meters and prototypes submitted for approval before leasing to mailers; market surveys; records indicating rural carrier lines of travel; records that would be of potential benefit to firms in economic competition with the Postal Service; information that could materially increase procurement costs; and information that might compromise testing or examination materials.  Further, 39 U.S.C. § 410(c)(3) does not require the disclosure of “information prepared for use in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements under 39 U.S.C. Chapter 12, and minutes of or notes kept during the negotiating sessions.”  39 U.S.C. § 412 prohibits the disclosure of mailing lists or other lists of names or addresses (past or present) of Postal Service customers or other persons to the public by any means or for any purpose.  In addition, 39 U.S.C. § 410(c)(1) permits the withholding of the name or address, past or present, of any Postal Service customer.  

FOIA Exemption 5 permits agencies to withhold “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.”  The exemption permits agencies to withhold records that would be privileged in the context of civil discovery.  These records are protected by one or more of the following privileges that have been recognized under the exemption:  (1) the “deliberative process” privilege, (2) the attorney-client privilege, and (3) the attorney work-product privilege.  For example, internal documents that contain opinions, suggestions, or recommendations of government employees, contain “deliberative” information within the meaning of FOIA Exemption 5.  Attorney-client privilege protects confidential communications between an attorney and his client relating to a legal matter for which the client has sought professional advice.  Attorney work-product privilege protects adversarial trial process by insulating attorney’s preparation from scrutiny.  The Postal Service primarily uses Exemption 5 to protect records related to internal decision-making when it believes that the release of the records could result in confusion or stifling of frank, open discussion within the Postal Service.  For example, records that include employee opinions and recommendations that do not reflect a final policy decision may be redacted to remove such pre-decisional recommendations.

FOIA Exemption 6 applies to personal information, including medical and personnel files, the disclosure of which would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.  With hundreds of thousands of employees and hundreds of millions of customers, the Postal Service’s daily operations require the use of a great deal of personal information.  The Postal Service commonly protects personal information about its employees, customers and other individuals which would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.  Customer information routinely protected under Exemption 6 includes records concerning change of address or post office boxholder information and complaints.  Employee information routinely protected includes attendance, discipline, and medical records. 

The Postal Inspection Service is the primary law enforcement arm of the Postal Service, and performs investigative and security functions essential to a stable and sound postal system.  The mission of the Inspection Service is to protect the Postal Service, secure the nation’s mail system and ensure public trust in the mail.  The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) plays a key role in maintaining the integrity and accountability of America’s postal service, its revenue and assets, and its employees.  The OIG achieves its mission of helping maintain confidence in the postal system and improving the Postal Service’s bottom line through independent audits and investigations.  As such, the records maintained by the Postal Inspection Service and the USPS OIG often involve law enforcement matters.  Because law enforcement records are of such interest to subjects of investigations, victims of crime, and the public at large, these records are often requested under the FOIA.  The Postal Inspection Service and USPS OIG invoke the FOIA’s two privacy exemptions primarily to prevent unwarranted injury to the privacy interests of those individuals identified in law enforcement records, such as suspects, witnesses, or investigators (FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7(C)).  In addition, the USPS OIG is obligated under Sec. 7 of the Inspector General Act to protect the identity of employees who provide the agency information, further strengthening the protection afforded under FOIA Exemptions 7(C) and D.  The Postal Inspection Service and USPS OIG also protect information about their enforcement activities the release of which would risk circumvention of the law (FOIA Exemption 2).

III. ACRONYMNS, DEFINITIONS, AND EXEMPTIONS
A.	Agency-specific acronyms or other terms.

1.	E-FOIA – the “Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996, Public Law No. 104-231, 110 Stat. 3048,” making major revisions to the FOIA, including subsection (e) that pertains to the submission of annual reports by federal agencies on their administration of the Act.

2.	OIG – Office of Inspector General

3.	Records Custodian – the head of a postal facility such as an area office, district office, post office, or other postal installation that maintains Postal Service records and information.  Vice Presidents are the custodians of records and information maintained at Headquarters.  Custodians are responsible for seeing that records within their facilities or organizations are managed according to Postal Service policies.

4.	USPS – United States Postal Service.

5.	USPIS – United States Postal Inspection Service.
B.	Definitions.

1.	Administrative Appeal – a request to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher administrative level a FOIA determination made by the agency at the initial request level.

2.	Average Number – the number obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the quantity of numbers in the group.  For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is 8.

3.	Backlog – the number of requests or administrative appeals that are pending at an agency at the end of the fiscal year that are beyond the statutory time period for response.

4.	Component – for agencies that process requests on a decentralized basis, a “component” is an entity within the agency that processes FOIA requests.  The FOIA now requires that agencies include in their Annual FOIA Report data for both the agency overall and for each principal component of the agency.

5.	Consultation – the procedure whereby the agency responding to a FOIA request first forwards a record to another agency for its review because that other agency has an interest in the document.  Once the agency in receipt of the consultation finishes its review of the record, it responds back to the agency that forwarded it.  That agency, in turn will then respond to the FOIA requester.
	
6.	Denial – an agency decision not to release any part of a record or records in response to a FOIA request because all the information in the requested records is determined by the agency to be exempt under one or more of the FOIA’s exemptions. 

7.	Exemption 3 statute – a federal statute that exempts or prohibits information from disclosure and which the agency relies on to withhold information under FOIA subsection (b)(3).

8.	FOIA Request – A FOIA request is generally a request for access to agency records concerning another person (i.e., a “third-party” request) an organization, or a particular topic of interest. FOIA requests also include requests made by requesters seeking records concerning themselves (i.e., “first-party” requests) when those requesters are not subject to the Privacy Act, such as non-U.S. citizens. Moreover, because all first-party requesters should be afforded the benefit of both the access provisions of the FOIA as well as those of the Privacy Act, FOIA requests also include any first-party requests where an agency determines that it must search beyond its Privacy Act “systems of records” or where a Privacy Act exemption applies, and the agency looks to FOIA to afford the greatest possible access. All requests which require the agency to utilize the FOIA in responding to the requester are included in this report.

	Additionally, a FOIA request includes records referred to the agency for processing and direct response to the requester.  It does not, 
	however, include records for which the agency has received a consultation from another agency.  (Consultations are reported
	separately in Section XII of this report.)

9.	Full Grant – an agency decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request.

10.	Full Denial – an agency decision not to release any records in response to a FOIA request because the records are exempt in their entireties under one or more of the FOIA exemptions, or because of a procedural reason, such as when no records could be located.

11.	Initial Request – a request to a federal agency for access to records under the Freedom of Information Act.

12.	 Median Number – the middle, not average, number.  For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median number is 7.

13.	
Multi-track Processing – a system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal review are placed in one processing track and more voluminous and complex requests are placed in one or more other tracks.  Requests in each track are processed on a first-in, first-out basis.  Requests granted expedited processing are placed in yet another track.  Requests in each track are processed on a first in/first out basis

i.	Expedited Processing – an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a requester satisfies the requirements for expedited processing as set forth in the status and agency regulations.

ii.	Simple Request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in its fastest (non-expedited) track based on the low volume and/or simplicity of the records requested.

iii.	Complex Request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in a slower track based on the high volume and/or complexity of the records requested.

14.	 Partial Grant/Partial Denial – in response to a FOIA request, an agency decision to disclose portions of the records and to withhold other portions that are exempt under the FOIA, or to otherwise deny a portion of the request for a procedural reason.  

15.	Perfected Request – a FOIA request for records which reasonably describes the records sought and is made in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any) and procedures to be followed.

16.	Processed Request or Processed Administrative Appeal – a request or administrative appeal for which an agency has taken a final action in all respects.

17.	Range in Number of Days – the lowest and highest number of days to process requests or administrative appeals.

18.	Time limits – the time period in the FOIA for an agency to respond to a FOIA request (ordinarily 20 working days from receipt of a perfected FOIA request).

C.	Exemptions.
Exemption 1 - applies to classified national defense and foreign relations information. 
Exemption 2 - internal agency rules and practices. 
Exemption 3 - information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law.   
Exemption 4 - trade secrets and other confidential business information.
Exemption 5 – inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by legal privileges.  
Exemption 6 – information involving matters of personal privacy. 
Exemption 7 - records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, to the extent that providing these records: 

(A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings,
(B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication,
(C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, 
(D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source,
(E) would disclose techniques, procedures, and guidelines used in law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, if the disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, and
(F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual. 
Exemption 8 - information relating to the supervision of financial institutions. 
Exemption 9 - geological information on wells. 

IV. Exemption 3 Statutes

Exempting Statute	Type of Information Withheld	Case Citation	# Times Relied on by Component	 # Times Relied on by Agency	
39 U.S.C. 410 (c)(1)	Records relating to names and addresses of postal customers	None	USPS:   16
USPIS:    3
OIG:        0	19	
9 U.S.C. 410(c)(2)	Records relating to commercial information that is proprietary to the Postal Service	Wickwire Gavin v. USPS, 356 F.3d588 (4th Cir. ’04); Airline Pilots Assn, Intl v. USPS & FedEx, ‘04 US Dist LEXIS 26067(DDC 6/24/04)	USPS: 100
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	100	
39 U.S.C. 410(c)(3)	Records relating to information prepared for use in negotiating collective bargaining agreements	None	USPS:   23
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	23	
39 U.S.C. 410(c)(4)	Records prepared for proceedings under 39 U.S.C. Chapter 36, relating to rates, classification, and service changes	None	USPS:     3
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	3	
39 U.S.C. 410(c)(5)	Reports & memoranda of consultants or indep. contractors, except to extent they would be reqd to be disclosed if prepared within USPS	None	USPS:     3
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	3	
39 U.S.C. 410(c)(6)	Investigatory files, whether or not considered closed, compiled for law enforcement purposes, except to extent avail. by law to party other than USPS	None	USPS:     1
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	1	
39 U.S.C. 412	Records containing lists of postal customers	None	USPS:     3
USPIS:    0
OIG:        0	3	
18 U.S.C. 1461	Records concerning non-mailable matter 	None	USPS:    0
USPIS:   0
OIG:       0	0	
18 U.S.C. 2510	Records relating to wiretap requests and information	Lam Lek Chong v. DEA, 929 F.2d 729 (D.C. Cir.1991)	USPS:    0
USPIS:   1
OIG:       0	1	
18 U.S.C. 2517	Records relating to wiretap requests and information	Lam Lek Chong v. DEA, 929 F.2d 729 (D.C. Cir.1991)	USPS:    0
USPIS:   1
OIG:       0	1	
Federal Rules of Criminal Proced-ure-Rule 6(e)	Grand jury information	Senate of P.R. v. United States Dep’t of Justice, 823 F.2d 574 (D.C. Cir. 1987)	USPS:    0
USPIS:   8
OIG:       0	8	

 V.  FOIA/PA Requests 
 A.  Received, Processed and Pending FOIA Requests

	Number of Requests Pending as of Start of Fiscal Year	Number of Requests Received in Fiscal Year	Number of Requests Processed in Fiscal Year	Number of Requests Pending as of End of Fiscal Year	
USPS	87	1305	1263	129	
USPIS	19	307	314	12	
OIG	33 (Adjusted from 34 last yr., per DOJ directions on treatment of PA/non-FOIA requests)	307	331	9	
Agency Overall	139	1919	1908	150	

 B. (1) Disposition of FOIA Requests – All Processed Requests

	Number of Full Grants	Number of Partial Grants / Partial Denials	Number of Full Denials Based on Exemptions	Number of Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than Exemptions	
				No Records	All Records Referred to Another Component or Agency	Request With drawn	Fee Related Reason	Records Not Reasonably Described	Improper FOIA Request for Other Reason	Not Agency Record 	Duplicate Request	Other See B.(2) Below 	TOTAL	
USPS	556	137	101	136	63	7	120	47	39	14	25	18	1263	
USPIS	22	105	32	44	42	3	0	10	28	18	9	1	314	
OIG	15	101	44	54	107	1	0	0	8	1	0	0	331	
Agency Overall	593	343	177	234	212	11	120	57	75	33	34	19	1908	

B. (2) Disposition of FOIA Requests – “Other” Reasons for “Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than   Exemptions” from Section V, B. (1) Chart

	Description of “Other” Reasons for Denials from Chart B (1) & Number of Times Those Reasons Were Relied Upon	TOTAL	
USPS	Referral Page(s) – 5  Non-responsive record material – 13	18	
USPIS	Non-responsive record material – 1	1	
OIG	N/A	0	

B. (3) Disposition of FOIA Requests – Number of Times Exemptions Applied

	Ex. 1	Ex. 2	Ex. 3	Ex. 4	Ex. 5	Ex. 6	Ex. 7(A)	Ex. 7(B)	Ex. 7(C)	Ex. 7(D)	Ex. 7(E)	Ex. 7(F)	Ex. 8	Ex. 9	
USPS	1	63	125	42	36	100	1	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	
USPIS	1	74	9	1	35	72	15	0	108	51	20	3	0	0	
OIG	0	12	6	3	13	40	29	0	81	13	7	0	0	0	
Agency Overall	2	149	140	46	84	212	45	0	191	64	28	3	0	0	

 VI. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OF INITIAL DETERMINATION OF FOIA REQUESTS 
 A. Received, Processed and Pending Administrative Appeals

	Number of Appeals  Pending as of Start of Fiscal Year	Number of Appeals Received in Fiscal Year	Number of Appeals Processed in Fiscal Year	Number of Appeals Pending as of End of Fiscal Year	
USPS & USPIS (combined)	0	162	160	2	
OIG	0	23	19	4	
Agency 
Overall	0	185	179	6	

B. Disposition of Administrative Appeals – All Processed Appeals

	# Affirmed on Appeal	# Partially Affirmed & Partially Reversed/Remanded on Appeal	# Completely Reversed /Remanded on Appeal	# of Appeals Closed for Other Reasons	TOTAL	
USPS & USPIS (combined)	93	24	22	21*(*see VI.C.(3))	160	
OIG	8	4	0	7	19	
Agency 
Overall	101	28	22	28	179	
C. (1) Reasons for Denial on Appeal – Number of Times Exemptions Applied

	Ex. 1	Ex. 2	Ex. 3	Ex. 4	Ex. 5	Ex. 6	Ex. 7(a)	Ex. 7(b)	Ex. 7(c)	Ex. 7(d)	Ex. 7(e)	Ex. 7(f)	Ex. 8	Ex. 9	
USPS & USPIS (combined)	1	15	24	2	23	30	4	0	17	10	5	1	0	0	
OIG	0	2	1	1	0	7	3	0	9	0	1	0	0	0	
Agency 
Overall	1	17	25	3	23	37	7	0	26	10	6	1	0	0	
C. (2) Reasons for Denial on Appeal – Reasons Other than Exemptions 

	No Records	All Records Referred to Another Component / Agency	Request Withdrawn	Fee Related Reason	Records Not Rea-sonably Described	Improper Request for Other Reason	Not Agency Record 	Duplicate Request	Other SeeC. (3) Below	
USPS & USPIS (combined)	11	10	1	9	4	8	0	0	2	
OIG	0	5	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	
Agency 
Overall	11	15	1	9	4	9	1	0	2	
C. (3) Reasons for Denial on Appeal – “Other” Reasons from Section VI, C.(2) Chart

Description of “Other” Reasons for Denial on Appeal from Chart C (2) & Number of Times Those Were Relied Upon	TOTAL	
Request in litigation	2	

C. (4) Response Time for Administrative Appeals	

	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # on Days	
USPS & USPIS (combined)	19	18	2	48	
OIG	16	15	4	20	
Agency 
Overall	Not available	17.7	2	48	
C. (5) Ten Oldest Pending Administrative Appeals	(Date of Receipt of 10 Oldest Appeals / # of Days Pending)

	10th 	9th	8th	7th	6th	5th	4th	3rd	2nd	Oldest	
USPS & USPIS (combined)									Date: 9/4/08
# of Days:18	Date: 7/23/08
# of Days: 48	
OIG							Date: 9/23/08
# of Days: 5	Date: 9/22/08
# of Days: 6	Date: 9/12/08
# of Days:12	Date: 9/9/08
# of Days:15	
Agency 
Overall					Date: 9/23/08 
# of Days: 5	Date: 9/22/08
# of Days: 6	Date: 9/12/08
# of Days: 12	Date: 9/9/08
# of Days: 15	Date: 9/4/08
# of Days:18	Date: 7/23/08
# of Days:48	

VII. FOIA Requests:  Response Time For Processed and Pending Requests
A.  Processed Requests – Response Time for All Processed Perfected Requests

	SIMPLE	COMPLEX	EXPEDITED PROCESSING	
	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	
USPS 	12	19.01	0	307	14	24.45	0	296	5	5	5	5	
USPIS	10	14.46	0	231	30	49	15	118	5	5.8	3	10	
OIG	3	6	0	21	26	82	13	267	5	5	2	8	
Agency Overall	Not available	Not available	0	307	Not available	Not available	0	296	Not available	Not available	2	10	

B.  Processed Requests – Response Time for Perfected Requests in Which Information Was Granted

	SIMPLE	COMPLEX	EXPEDITED PROCESSING	
	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	Lowest # of Days	Highest # of Days	
USPS 	9	15.21	0	257	16	30.04	0	296	0	0	0	0	
USPIS	12.5	21.89	0	231	22.5	44.5	15	118	10	10	10	10	
OIG	12	11	0	21	26	82	13	267	5	5	2	8	
Agency Overall	Not available	Not available	0	257	Not available	Not available	0	296	Not available	Not available	0	10	

C.  Processed Requests – Response Time in Day Increments

SIMPLE

# of Days	1-20	21-40	41-60	61-80	81-100	101-120	121-140	141-160	161-180	181-200	201-300	301-400	401+	TOTAL	
USPS	796	195	117	23	7	10	2	3	3	2	1	1	0	1160	
USPIS	243	49	5	3	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	  304	
OIG	323	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	  324	
Agency Overall	1362	245	122	26	8	10	2	3	4	3	2	1	0	1788	

COMPLEX

# of Days	1-20	21-40	41-60	61-80	81-100	101-120	121-140	141-160	161-180	181-200	201-300	301-400	401+	TOTAL	
USPS	64	18	14	0	3	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	102	
USPIS	2	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	
OIG	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	
Agency Overall	67	21	14	1	4	2	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	112	
REQUESTS GRANTED EXPEDITED PROCESSING

# of Days	1-20	21-40	41-60	61-80	81-100	101-120	121-140	141-160	161-180	181-200	201-300	301-400	401+	TOTAL	
USPS	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	
USPIS	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	
OIG	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	
Agency Overall	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	
D.  Pending Requests – All Pending Perfected Requests 

	SIMPLE	COMPLEX	EXPEDITED PROCESSING	
	# Pending	Median #Days	Average # of Days	# Pending	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	# Pending	Median # of Days	Average # of Days	
USPS 	56	12.5	45.25	49	10	19.35	0	0	0	
USPIS	12	7.5	25.25	0	0	0	0	0	0	
OIG	8	2	4	1	26	26	0	0	0	
Agency Overall	76	Not available	Not available	50	Not available	Not available	0	0	0	
E.  Pending Requests – Ten Oldest Pending Perfected Requests 10th Oldest Request Date/ # of Days Pending

	10th	9th	8th	7th	6th	5th	4th	3rd	2nd	1st	
USPS	date: 1/11/08
# of days: 182	date: 1/10/08
# of days:  183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 12/27/07
# of days: 192	date: 6//07
# of days: 322	
USPIS	date: 9/26/08
# of days: 2	date: 9/22/08
# of days: 6	date: 9/22/08
# of days: 6	date: 9/19/08
# of days: 7	date: 9/18/08
# of days: 8	date: 9/18/08
# of days: 8	date: 9/09/08
# of days: 15	date: 8/22/08
# of days: 26	date: 6/25/08
# of days: 67	date: 2/19/08
# of days: 157	
OIG	date: N/A
# of days: N/A	date: 9/30/08
# of days: 0	date: 9/30/08
# of days: 0	date:  09/29/08
# of days: 1	date:  09/29/08
# of days: 1	date:  09/26/08
# of days: 2	date:  09/22/08
# of days: 5	date:  09/22/08
# of days: 5	date: 9/08/08
# of days: 16	date: 8/20/08
# of days: 26	

Agency Overall	date: 1/11/08
# of days: 182	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 1/10/08
# of days: 183	date: 12/27/07
# of days: 192	date: 6/20/07
# of days: 322	

 VIII. Requests for Expedited Processing and Requests for Fee Waivers

A.  Requests for Expedited Processing

	# Granted	# 
Denied	Median # of Days to Adjudicate	Average # of Days to Adjudicate	# Adjudicated Within 10 Calendar Days	
USPS	1	9	14.5	56	5	
USPIS	5	6	12	43	5	
OIG	2	0	5	5	2	
Agency 
Overall	8	15	Not available	35	12	

 B.  Requests for Fee Waiver

	# Granted	# Denied	Median # of Days to Adjudicate	Average # of Days to Adjudicate	# Adjudicated Within 10 Calendar Days	
USPS (unable to collect for full FY)	2	1	14	14	Not available	
USPIS (unable to collect for full FY)	0	6	14	15.7	Not available	
OIG	0	0	0	0	0	
Agency
Overall	2	7	14	15.1	Not available	

 IX. FOIA Personnel and Costs
	PERSONNEL	COSTS	
	# of“Full-Time FOIA Employees”	# of “Equivalent Full-Time FOIA Employees”	Total # of “Full-Time FOIA Staff”	Processing Costs	Litigation 
Related Costs	Total 
Costs	
USPS	3	37	40	$2,852,137	$15,398(USPS & USPIS)	$2,867,535	
USPIS	4	0	4	$294,506	(see above)	$294,506	
OIG	2	1	3	$186,600	$7,000	$193,600	
Agency 
Overall 	9	38	47	$3,333,243	$22,398	$3,355,641	

X.	Fees Collected For Processing Requests

	Total Amount of Fees Collected	Percentage of Total Costs	
USPS	$55,941	1.95%	
USPIS	$     144	.05%	
OIG	$  1,440	0.7%	
Agency 
Overall	$57,525	1.7% 	

 XI. FOIA Regulations

 A. Electronic Link to FOIA Regulations:  http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as353/welcome.htm

 B. Electronic Link to FOIA Fee Schedule:  http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as353/as353c4_034.htm

 XII. Backlogs, Consultations, and Comparisons

 A.  Backlog of FOIA Requests and Administrative Appeals

	# of Backlogged Requests as of End of Fiscal Year	# of Backlogged Appeals as of End of Fiscal Year	
USPS	129	2 (USPS & USPIS combined)	
USPIS	 12	(see above)	
OIG	  9	4	
Agency 
Overall	150	6	

Explanation of Backlog:  

USPS:  The number of FOIA requests received for the fiscal year was more than what was predicted.  A number of positions in the USPS Records Office were vacated during this reporting period and required the hiring and training and new personnel to perform FOIA duties.  
OIG:  Complex FOIA request comprising more than 20 individual items, in excess of 600 pages.

B.  Consultations on FOIA Requests – Received, Processed, and Pending Consultation
	# of Consultations Received from Other Agencies Pending at Agency at Start of FY	# of Consultations Received from Other Agencies During FY	# of Consultations Received from Other Agencies Processed by Agency During FY	# of Consultations Received from Other Agencies that Were Pending at Agency at End of FY	
USPS	0	1	0	1	
USPIS	0	0	0	0	
OIG	0	2	2	0	
Agency 
Overall	0	3	2	1	
C. Consultations on FOIA Requests – Ten Oldest Consultations Received from Other Agencies & Pending at agency

	10th Oldest  	9th	8th	7th	6th	5th	4th	3rd	2nd	Oldest & # of Days Pending	
USPS										Date: 9/15/08
# of Days: 11	
USPIS											
OIG											
Agency Overall										Date: 9/15/08
# of Days: 11	
D. (1) Comparison of Numbers of Requests from Previous & Current Report – Requests Received, Processed 

	NUMBER OF REQUESTS RECEIVED	NUMBER OF REQUESTS PROCESSED	
	# Received During FY from Last Year’s Report	# Received During FY from Current Report	# Processed During FY from Last Year’s Report	# Processed During FY from Current Report	
USPS	Not available 	1305	Not available	1263	
USPIS	Not available	 307	Not available	314	
OIG	316	 307	293	331	
Agency 
Overall	1608	1919	1579	1908	
D. (2) Comparison of Numbers of Requests from Previous and Current Annual Report – Backlogged

	# Backlogged Requests at End of FY from Previous Report	# Backlogged Requests at End of FY from Current Report	
USPS 	Not available	129	
USPIS	Not available	12	
OIG	Not available	9	
Agency 
Overall	140	150	
E. (1) Comparison of Numbers of Administrative Appeals from Previous & Current Annual Report – Appeals Received, Processed

	NUMBER OF APPEALS RECEIVED	NUMBER OF APPEALS PROCESSED	
	# Received During FY from Last Year’s Report	# Received During FY from Current Report	# Processed During FY from Last Year’s Report	# Processed During FY from Current Report	
USPS & USPIS	165	162	155	160	
OIG	17	23	17	19	
Agency 
Overall	172	185	172	179	
E. (2) Comparison of Numbers of Administrative Appeals from Previous and Current Annual Report – Backlogged 

	# of Backlogged Appeals as of End of Fiscal Year from Previous Annual Report	# of Backlogged Appeals  as of End of Fiscal Year from Current Annual Report	
USPS & USPIS	0	2	
OIG	0	4	
Agency 
Overall	0	6	

Discussion of FOIA Activities:  On June 2, 2008, a decision was made by the Office of Organizational Requirements to upgrade the Postal Inspection Service’s Information Disclosure Specialist position from EAS-23 to EAS-24, and the Information Disclosure Technician position from EAS-17 to EAS-20.