DEPARTMENT OF STATE (DOS)
UNABLE TO DETERMINE AGENCY BACKLOG
|
Recordkeeping Issues - DOS advised that it has a
backlog reduction group working on its backlog. In order to
complete processing of old requests, the backlog reduction
group had spread the requests to other areas of DOS and thus
it would not be easy to identify and organize all the requests
by age. |
Ten Oldest - Not yet received. |
Workload Statistics - DOS's reported statistics
from 1998 through 2002 indicate that the agency has received
a relatively stable number of FOIA requests (down 7% from
3355 in 1998 to 3134 in 2002). The number processed each year
has increased (up 100% from 2317 processed in 1998 to 4636
processed in 2002). DOS's processing rate per year -- a comparison
of the number of requests processed to the number received
- increased from 69.06% in 1998 to 147.93% in 2002. |
Backlog Statistics - DOS's backlog of pending FOIA
requests has decreased a bit (from 5349 FOIA requests pending
at the end of 1998 to 5343 FOIA requests pending at the end
of 2002). DOS's backlog as a percentage of FOIA requests processed
each year has decreased from 230.86% in 1998 to 115.25% in
2002. Its backlog rate per year -- a comparison of the number
of requests pending at the end of the year to the number received
during that year -- has increased from 159.43% in 1998 to
170.49% in 2002. |
Processing Time - Under its two track system, DOS
reports a median processing time in 2002 for simple requests
of 351 days, while it reports a median processing time in
2002 for complex requests of 431 days. Expedited requests
have a median processing time range of 85-518 days over the
1998-2002 time period. The median days that backlogged requests
have been pending is reported as 546 for 2002. DOS's FY 2002
annual FOIA report indicates that "[i]n order to improve
response times to new and pending requests and reduce the
existing FOIA backlog, additional resources were allocated
to the Department's [FOIA] program." Specifically, DOS
added "nearly fifty additional retired Senior Foreign
Service Officers" as part-time reviewers and approved
additional full-time permanent positions for a task force
of civil service employees and contractors dedicated to a
two-year project to address the existing FOIA backlog. |