(a) Acknowledgements of requests. On receipt of a request, an office shall send an acknowledgement letter to the requester.

(b) Grants of requests for access. Once an office makes a determination to grant a request for access in whole or in part, it shall notify the requester in writing. The Program/Support Office Head or designee shall inform the requester in the notice of any fee charged under § 102.31 and shall disclose records to the requester promptly on payment of any applicable fee. If a request is made in person, the office may disclose records to the requester directly, in a manner not unreasonably disruptive of its operations, on payment of any applicable fee and with a written record made of the grant of the request. If a requester is accompanied by another person, he or she shall be required to authorize in writing any discussion of the records in the presence of the other person.

(c) Adverse determinations of requests for access. A Program/Support Office Head or designee making an adverse determination denying a request for access in any respect shall notify the requester of that determination in writing. Adverse determinations, or denials of requests, consist of: a determination to withhold any requested record in whole or in part; a determination that a requested record does not exist or cannot be located; a determination that the requested information is not a record subject to the Privacy Act; a determination on any disputed fee matter; and a denial of a request for expedited treatment. The notification letter shall be signed by the Program/Support Office Head or designee, and shall include:

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

(2) A brief statement of the reason(s) for the denial, including any FOIA or Privacy Act exemption(s) applied in denying the request; and

(3) A statement that the denial may be appealed under § 102.27(a) and a description of the requirements of § 102.27(a).