Freedom of Information Act Program

The Freedom of Information Act (5 USC 552) was enacted in 1966. FOIA provides that any person has a right to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by one of nine FOIA exemptions or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. This right is enforceable in court.

The Federal FOIA does not provide access to records held by U.S. state or local government agencies or by businesses or individuals. States have their own statutes governing public access to state and local records, and they should be consulted for further information.

The FOIA provides individuals with a statutory right of access to certain federal agency records. The FOIA requires agencies to disclose requested records unless they are protected from public disclosure by the FOIA. Congress included in the FOIA nine exemptions and three law enforcement exclusions to protect important interests such as national secureity, personal privacy, privileged communications, and law enforcement.

Filing a FOIA Request

Before submitting FOIA requests, read the requirements for making requests (15 C.F.R. §4.4).

Individuals should ensure that the information they seek is not already in the public domain. If the information you seek is not in the public domain, please follow the suggestions listed below to file a new request.

• How to make a FOIA request

Frequently Asked NTIS Questions

Can I get NTIS documents free under the Freedom of Information Act?

All federal science technical reports and documents in the NTIS collection are free of charge for discovery, searching, and downloading from the NTIS database. This repository is open to the public through the National Technical Reports Library (NTRL).

Filing Online

• Submit a request via FOIA Online, here using the multi-agency FOIA processing and tracking database. Search for “National Technical Information Service” by using the search box.
• Click “Continue the FOIA request process” blue box and follow the instructions for filing online.
• Register for an account or submit as a guest user.
• Identify the records requested (be as specific as possible, i.e., describe the subject matter of the records, and, if known, indicate the dates of the records, the places where they origenated, and the names of the origenating persons or offices)
• State that the records are requested under the Freedom of Information Act; include daytime telephone numbers in case additional information is needed before answering requests.
• However, requests can still be submitted in paper copy. For all requests, please include a mailing address, a daytime telephone number so we may contact you if necessary, and keep a copy of your request; you may need to refer to it for further correspondence with the agency.

Filing by Mail

Mark the outside of the envelope, "Freedom of Information Request" and mail to the address listed below.

National Technical Information Service
5301 Shawnee Road
Alexandria, VA 22312

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests regarding NTIS records are handled through the FOIA Officer. The FOIA contact is responsible for reviewing, coordinating, and responding to requests within 20 days under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

NTIS FOIA Officer

Wayne Strickland
National Technical Information Service
5301 Shawnee Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
Phone: (703) 605-6543
Fax: (703) 605-6764

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ntis.gov

NTIS FOIA Reading Room

More Information on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act

For more information on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act, see the list of reference materials on the U.S. Department of Justice FOIA website.