Sample FOIA Request Letter   

The following sample FOIA request letter provides general guidance for how to request information.

[Date]

Office of the Solicitor
Federal Labor Relations Authority
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20424

Re:   Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request 

Dear FOIA Officer:

This is a request for records under the Freedom of Information Act [or Privacy Act].  I am requesting                                     [please describe the documents you seek in as much detail as possible.  Include any file names or file numbers, if applicable.  If you are seeking general information outside the context of a particular FLRA case, specify the time frame and geographic region you wish covered, if applicable].

For the purposes of determining what, if any, fees may be assessed in connection with the processing of this request, I am [choose the appropriate category below]:

• requesting the records for commercial use [see § 2411.13(c)(1), for a description of this category];
• affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution requesting records for a scholarly or scientific purpose and not for commercial use [see § 2411.13(c)(2) for descriptions of these categories];
• a representative of the news media requesting records as part of a news gathering effort___ [see § 2411.13(c)(3) for a description of this category]. I am affiliated with___ ;
• an individual seeking information for personal use and not for commercial use [see § 2411.13(c)(4) for a description of this category].

I agree to pay all necessary costs associated with this request.

[or]

I agree to pay all necessary costs up to the amount of $xx.00.  Please contact me if you expect that the costs will exceed that amount.

[Optional] I request a waiver of all fees for the request.  Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to the public understanding of the operations or activities of the government; and is not primarily my commercial interest.  [Please provide a detailed explanation of how your fee waiver request meets the factors set out in § 2411.13(b)(4)(i).  All the factors set out in this section must be addressed in order for the FLRA to consider the fee waiver request.]

If you have any questions regarding this request, I can be contacted at:  Daytime telephone number __      _ ; or email address ______ .

Sincerely,
 

_________________
Your name
Your street address
Your city, state, and zip code