(a) General. To the extent practicable, EXIM will communicate with requesters having access to the internet electronically through email or web portal available at https://www.exim.gov/about/foia.

(b) Acknowledgment of request. EXIM must acknowledge all FOIA requests in writing and assign a request number for reference and tracking the status of the request online. EXIM must also include in the acknowledgment a brief description of the records sought to allow requesters to more easily keep track of their request.

(c) Estimated dates of completion and interim responses. Upon request, EXIM will provide an estimated date by which EXIM expects to provide a response to the requester. If a request involves a voluminous amount of material or searches in multiple locations, EXIM may provide interim responses, releasing the records on a rolling basis.

(d) Grant of request. Once EXIM has made a determination to grant a request in whole or in part, it will notify the requester in writing. EXIM also will inform the requester of any fees charged under § 404.10 and will disclose the requested records to the requester promptly upon payment of any applicable fees. EXIM shall inform the requester that EXIM's FOIA Public Liaison is available to offer assistance.

(e) Adverse determination. EXIM will notify the requester in writing if it makes an adverse determination denying a request in any respect. Adverse determination or denials of request may include decisions that: the requested records are exempt in whole or in part; the request does not reasonably describe the records sought; the information requested is not a record subject to the FOIA; the requested records do not exist, cannot be located or have been destroyed; or the requested record is not readily reproducible in the form or format sought by the requester. Adverse determinations also include denials involving fees or fee waiver matters or denials of requests for expedited processing. Whenever EXIM makes an adverse determination, the denial notice will be signed by the Chief FOIA Officer or other appropriate executive or designee and include:

(1) The name and title or position of the person responsible for the denial;

(2) A brief statement of the reasons for the denial, including any FOIA exemption applied in denying the request;

(3) An estimate of the volume of any records or information withheld, such as the number of pages or some other reasonable form of estimation, although such an estimate is not required if the volume is otherwise indicated by deletions marked on records that are disclosed in part, or if providing an estimate would harm an interest protected by an applicable exemption;

(4) A statement that the denial may be appealed under § 404.12(a) and a description of the requirements of § 404.12(a); and

(5) A statement notifying the requester of the assistance available from FOIA Public Liaison and the dispute resolution services offered by the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS).

(f) Markings on released documents. Markings on released documents must be clearly visible to the requester. Records disclosed in part will be marked to show the amount of information deleted and the exemption under which the deletion was made unless doing so would harm an interest protected by an applicable exemption.

(g) Use of record exclusions. (1) In the event that EXIM identifies records that may be subject to exclusion from the requirements of the FOIA pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(c), EXIM must confer with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Information Policy (OIP) to obtain approval to apply the exclusion.

(2) When invoking an exclusion EXIM will maintain an administrative record of the process of invocation and approval of the exclusion by OIP.