FOIA Specialist with JD

Job Description

Job Description

Federal Agency in Washington, DC is seeking a contract FOIA Specialist to provide fulltime support on a 1-year contract possibly longer.  Location is 1849 C Street NW, Washington DC.

Duties include :

The contractors shall develop and review the administrative records for FOIA and Privacy Act requests. The contractors shall create and maintain hard copy and electronic FOIA / PA files, including updating the files with new materials, replacing worn or improperly labeled folders, and redistributing the files to the appropriate filing cabinets and electronic folders in accordance with established office guidelines. The contractors shall receive, review, identify, and place correspondence and other materials received from requestors and bureaus in the appropriate office file management system in accordance with office defined procedures. The contractors shall identify possible deficiencies in FOIA / PA files (e.g., missing documents, conflicting statements) and communicate with appellants and bureau personnel orally and in writing to identify and resolve the deficiencies. The contractors shall file and retrieve hard copy and electronic FOIA / PA documents within an established standardized system.

In addition, the contractors shall review documents to extract selected data and information relating to the specific issues under review and summarize the information in a prescribed format established by office guidelines. The contractors shall review the administrative record to become familiar with the issues raised in FOIA / PA requests that are under consideration. The contractors shall input and maintain data concerning FOIA / PA requests in hard copy and automated tracking logs and update them as necessary.

The contractors shall analyze challenges from the requestor and / or appellants that bureaus’ responses to their request are procedurally deficient (e.g., improperly calculated fees, issues regarding the scope of the requests), incomplete or untimely, and decisions by bureaus that they have no records or did not locate records in order to make determinations on whether the bureaus properly processed and responded to requests. The contractors shall analyze decisions by bureaus to deny fee waivers or withhold the contents of requested records to make determinations on the propriety of withholdings of information or denials of fee waivers.

The contractors shall consult with personnel at bureaus whose actions have been appealed to gather background information on the underlying issues to put the matter at issue in the appeals in context and to gather other information from bureau personnel as needed to complete the DOI responses to appeals. The contractors shall prepare summaries of discussions with bureaus personnel for the FOIA / PA Officer’s review. The contractors shall consult with attorneys throughout SOL, private attorneys, bureau and office representatives, and individuals in the general public in order to clarify facts or reach an agreement for the expeditious handling of FOIA / PA requests and / or appeals. The contractors shall conduct legal research of applicable law and regulations to keep informed of statutes, changes, or updates in order to apply correct principles of law to FOIA and PA related cases

Ability to use automated systems for tracking FOIA and PA requests or appeals, electronic document redaction, and word-processing software to prepare correspondence to FOIA and PA requesters or appellants.

Analytical ability, along with a knowledge of the methods used to gather, analyze, and evaluate information.

In-depth knowledge of the FOIA and the PA and their associated legal requirements, as well as the interaction between the two statutes when making determinations on whether to release or withhold records.

Knowledge of FOIA exemptions and the PA exemptions and exceptions.

Must be a US Citizen.