The Coordinator shall within ten (10) days record each challenge received under this part, acknowledge receipt to the authorized holder, and task the originator and other interested parties. Additional taskings, as required during the review process, shall be accomplished within five (5) days of notification.

The Coordinator shall respond on behalf of the Director, NACIC and deny any challenge where the information in question has been the subject of a classification review within the previous two (2) years or is the subject of pending litigation in the federal courts.

(a) In general. The originator of the classified information (document) is a required party to any challenge; other interested parties may become involved through the request of the Director, NACIC or the originator when it is determined that some or all of the information is also within their official cognizance.

(b) Determination. These parties shall respond in writing to the Director, NACIC with a mandatory unclassified finding, to the greatest extent possible, and an optional classified addendum. This finding shall agree to a declassification or, in specific and factual terms, explain the basis for continued classification including identification of the category of information, the harm to national security which could be expected to result from disclosure, and, if older than ten (10) years, the basis for the extension of classification time under §§ 1.6 and 3.4 of this Order. These parties shall also provide a statement as to whether or not there is any other statutory, common law, or Constitutional basis for withholding as required by § 6.1(c) of this Order.

(c) Time. The determination(s) shall be provided on a first in, first out basis with respect to all challenges pending under this section and shall be accomplished expeditiously taking into account the requirements of the authorized holder as well as the business requirements of the originator including their responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, or the mandatory declassification review provisions of this Order.

The Director, NACIC is the NACIC authority to hear and decide challenges under this part.

Action by Coordinator. The Coordinator shall provide a summation memorandum for consideration of the Director, NACIC; the complete package consisting of the challenge, the information at issue, and the findings of the originator and interested parties shall also be provided. The Director, NACIC shall personally decide each case; no personal appearances shall be permitted without the express permission of the Director, NACIC.

The Coordinator shall communicate the decision of NACIC to the authorized holder, the originator, and other interested parties within ten (10) days of the decision by the Coordinator. That correspondence shall include a notice that no adverse action or retribution can be taken in regard to the challenge and that an appeal of the decision may be made to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) established pursuant to § 5.4 of this Order.