Welcome to the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s (“USTDA”) Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) page. This area is designed to provide you with information pertinent to retrieving publicly available information from USTDA.
FOIA FAQs
What is the Freedom of Information Act?
The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552, is a federal law that provides for public access to agency records. USTDA generally is required under the FOIA to disclose records requested in writing by any person. However, agencies may withhold information pursuant to nine exemptions and three exclusions contained in the statute.
What types of materials are available without making a FOIA request?
You do not have to file a FOIA request to obtain information which is routinely available for public inspection, including Final Reports on USTDA funded projects, brochures, annual reports, and other publications. Much of this information is available on our website.
How does a requester make a FOIA request for USTDA records?
Submitting Your Request
Your request must be submitted in writing via the FOIA Public Access Link, or by mail, email, or fax. While our FOIA personnel are happy to answer questions about our FOIA program or help you formulate your request over the phone, we do not accept FOIA requests over the phone.
To submit a FOIA request to USTDA online, please visit the Public Access Link site.
OR
Mail your request to the following address:
FOIA Requester Service Center
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209-3901
OR
Email your request to the following email address: FOIA@ustda.gov
OR
Fax your request to the following fax number: (703) 775-4037
Please mark your envelope or fax cover sheet with the notation, “FOIA REQUEST.”
Formulating Your Request
Our ability to respond expeditiously and responsively to your request is dependent upon the focus and clarity of your request. You must submit your request in writing. Please include your name, organization (if any), address, phone number, and email address. Also, you must reasonably describe the records you seek – the more detail you give us, the more quickly we will be able to respond. List the documents that you want and the timeframe of the documents that should govern our search. You may even specify the format (e.g., via email) in which you would like the information released. We will make a reasonable effort to provide the information to you in your requested format.
Several characteristics of the FOIA should be kept in mind. As a general rule, agencies are not required to create records in order to respond to FOIA requests. Nor are agencies required to answer questions posed as FOIA requests. Please remember that the FOIA pertains only to existing records and that requests cannot be made for “future” records not yet created.
Who are the USTDA FOIA Contacts?
The FOIA Requester Service Center is the first place a FOIA requester can contact to seek information concerning the status of their FOIA request and information about the agency’s FOIA response. Any concerns about the service a requester has received from the Requester Service Center can be addressed to the FOIA Public Liaison.
FOIA Requester Service Center
Email or call (703) 875-4357
FOIA Public Liaison
Dozie Okpalaobieri, Assistant General Counsel
(703) 875-5014
Chief FOIA Officer
Sam Kwon, General Counsel
(703) 875-4357
FOIA Appeals Official
Sheneé Turner, Administrative Officer
(703) 875-4357
USTDA FOIA Electronic Reading Room