(a) The Agency encourages, but does not require, submitters to designate confidential information in good faith (in other words, to identify specific information as information the submitter considers protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA, found at 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)), at the time of submission or reasonably soon thereafter.

(b) The designations discussed in paragraph (a) of this section assist the Agency in identifying what information obtained from the submitter is possibly confidential and triggers the requirement for Agency-provided notifications under § 2105.25(a)(1).

(a) Except as outlined in § 2105.27, an Agency must promptly notify a submitter in writing when it receives a FOIA request if:

(1) The requested information has been designated by the submitter as confidential information under § 2105.24(a); or

(2) The requested information has not been designated as confidential information by the submitter under § 2105.24(a), but the Agency identifies it as possibly confidential information.

(b) If a voluminous number of submitters are involved, the Agency may publish a notice in a manner reasonably calculated to reach the attention of the submitters (for example, in newspapers or newsletters, the Agency's website, or the Federal Register) instead of providing a written notice to each submitter.

A notice to a submitter must include:

(a) Either a copy of the request, the exact language of the request, or (for notices published under § 2 105.25(b)) a general description of the request;

(b) Either a description of the possibly confidential information located in response to the request or a copy of the responsive records, or portions of records, containing the information;

(c) A description of the procedures for objecting to the release of the possibly confidential information under §§ 2105.28 and 2105.29;

(d) A time limit for responding to the Agency—no less than 10 workdays from receipt or publication of the notice (as set forth in § 2105.25(b))—to object to the release and to explain the basis for the objection;

(e) Notice that information contained in the submitter's objections may itself be subject to disclosure under the FOIA;

(f) Notice that the Agency, not the submitter, is responsible for deciding whether the information will be released or withheld;

(g) A request for the submitter's views on whether they still consider the information to be confidential if the submitter designated the material as confidential commercial or financial information 10 or more years before the request; and

(h) Notice that failing to respond within the time frame specified under paragraph (d) of this section will create a presumption that the submitter has no objection to the disclosure of the information in question.

The notice requirements of § 2105.26 will not apply if:

(a) The information has been lawfully published or officially made available to the public; or

(b) Disclosure of the information is required by a statute other than the FOIA or by a regulation (other than this part) issued in accordance with the requirements of Executive Order 12600.

(a) If a submitter has any objections to the disclosure of confidential information, the submitter should provide a detailed written statement to the Agency that specifies all grounds for withholding the particular information under any FOIA exemption (see § 2105.29 for further discussion of Exemption 4 objection statements).

(b) A submitter who does not respond within the time period specified under § 2105.26(d) will be considered to have no objection to disclosure of the information. Responses received by the Agency after this time period will not be considered by the Agency unless the appropriate Agency FOIA contact determines, in his or her sole discretion, that good cause exists to accept the late response.

If a submitter has any objections to disclosure, it should provide the Agency a detailed written statement that specifies all grounds for withholding the particular information under any exemption of the FOIA. In order to rely on Exemption 4 as basis for nondisclosure, the submitter must explain why the information constitutes a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is confidential.

(a) The Agency must carefully consider a submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in deciding whether to disclose the requested information.

(b) The Agency, not the submitter, is responsible for deciding whether the information will be released or withheld.

If the Agency decides to disclose information over the objection of a submitter, the Agency must notify the submitter by certified mail or other traceable mail, return receipt requested. The notification must be sent to the submitter's last known address and must include:

(a) The specific reasons why the Agency determined that the submitter's disclosure objections do not support withholding the information;

(b) Copies of the records or information the Agency intends to release; and

(c) Notice that the Agency intends to release the records or information no less than 10 workdays after receipt of the notice by the submitter.

If you file a lawsuit seeking to compel the disclosure of confidential information, the Agency must promptly notify the submitter.

If any of the following occur, the Agency will notify you:

(a) The Agency provides the submitter with notice and an opportunity to object to disclosure;

(b) The Agency notifies the submitter of its intent to disclose the requested information; or

(c) A submitter files a lawsuit to prevent the disclosure of the information.

If an Agency determines that the requested information is protected from release by Exemption 4 of the FOIA, the Agency has no discretion to release the information. Release of information protected from release by Exemption 4 is prohibited by the Trade Secrets Act, a criminal provision found at 18 U.S.C. 1905.