Get Your FOIA Program “Unstuck”: Improving Efficiency, Outcomes, and Experience

It’s no surprise that the quantity and complexity of FOIA requests are the two most common challenges FOIA agents face when processing public records and attempting to meet delivery deadlines.

In 2023, the federal government received a record high 1.2 million FOIA requests. That quantity is roughly a 29% increase over the number of requests in the fiscal year of 2022.1 Meanwhile, FOIA officers are tasked with processing requests that are 100% more complex than those from over a decade ago.2

The result? Thanks to the higher request frequency and the increased workload that each request brings, only 14% of complex FOIA requests are responded to within 20 days.2

During the OPEXUS Annual Summit 2024, FOIA request “agents of change” took to the stage and revealed how agencies and departments can rapidly:

• Determine and track request ownership
• Retrieve critical information from all stakeholders
• Establish efficient redaction workflows
• Ensure requests of varying complexity are fulfilled in a timely and thorough manner

You can watch the panel session in full here. Otherwise, keep reading for the panel’s key takeaways you can use to “unstuck” your FOIA.

1. Modernize Your FOIA Request Technology and Staff Training

Aside from request quantity and complexity, another common challenge that agencies face regarding FOIA requests is the skills gap that exists among staff. Not only do staff members sometimes lack proper training on the FOIA request software itself; they also lack knowledge of the FOIA request workflow. Rebecca Connor, the manager of information and records management at Amtrak, noted that not all employees at Amtrak understand the ins and outs of public information requests, which can result in a myriad of time-consuming barriers such as stakeholders not responding to information requests in a timely manner.

To overcome those skills gaps and streamline the redaction workflow, Rebecca recommended modernizing your FOIA request technology. For example, Amtrak was able to migrate from an antiquated and needlessly difficult paper-based system to FOIAXpress, which she described as a highly efficient case management system.

Because FOIAXpress unites the FOIA workflow onto a single system, stakeholders are notified of the exact steps they need to take and when, and they’re given full visibility into all case data — from the requested information to the status of the redaction process.

Additionally, as Kelly Robinson, the director of information access and liaison office for the US Department of State, went on to explain, thorough training alongside adopting a modern FOIA redaction platform will help reduce work bottlenecks and result in more accurately and evenly distributed workloads. For effective training, Kelly recommended a robust training and socialization program that results in awareness and readiness among staff throughout the entire agency (not just the FOIA team) to facilitate smoother FOIA request handling.

2. Make Your Data Accessible and Easy to Understand

Kelly went on to stress the importance of leveraging case and workflow data and analytics. However, that’s easier said than done. To truly extract insights from an application, FOIA leaders need the ability to compile case data and present it in a way that clearly displays roadblocks and successes.

That’s why Kelly suggested the use of dashboards and regular reporting. Dashboards visualize information in a way that establishes transparency among stakeholders and makes identifying areas for improvement easier. Meanwhile, routine reporting helps monitor performance and prevents unresolved cases from falling through the cracks. Additionally, by making case data readily accessible and intuitive to both understand and report on, you can cut down on the number of procedural reviews and the constant rechecking of work.

FOIAXpress delivers intuitive reporting capabilities and customizable dashboards that provide the level of data transparency and accessibility required to rapidly capture, compile, and validate information. By reducing your data management burden and therefore the need for manual review, you can then turn your focus to backlog reduction and SOP refinement.

3. Use Your Data to Advocate

Once you can better understand your current workflows and processes by leveraging performance and operational data with dashboards and reporting, you can then use that data to build a strong case for more resources and making investments in technology.

Michael Sarich, FOIA Director for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, explained during the panel session that his team provides leadership with visualizations of performance data in slide form. These slides allow the team to develop a narrative, showing the efficiencies of the agency’s FOIA processes along with areas where investments should be made and resources should be allotted.

Through detailed, easy-to-understand visuals of key metrics, he also highlights the training initiatives and technologies that yield the greatest return on investment and calls attention to the greatest areas of need.

Paul Levitan, Deputy FOIA Manager at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, echoed Michael’s sentiment, noting how in-depth and visualized data allows his department to tell an impactful story to the leaders who decide where money is spent.

4. Make Full Use of the Technology You Have and Embrace What’s Ahead

The entire panel recognized the importance of staying agile, which means being prepared and ready to adopt new strategies and technologies within the FOIA community. A key component of this is our first takeaway: modernize your FOIA request technology and staff training. With a modern FOIA platform and a capable, knowledgeable staff, your agency or department can integrate new technologies and best practices with greater ease.

For example, Paul described his department’s ability to standardize and simplify its FOIA processes by employing standardized templates and a centralized system to keep processes organized and transparent. “You go off the same sheet of music,” Paul stated. “You don’t have to retrain or work with multiple templates because it’s all in FOIAXpress.”

And due in part to the modern foundation that FOIAXpress provides, Kelly’s team can explore applications of AI to automate manual, time-intensive tasks or even eliminate redundant touchpoints. Likewise, Micheal’s and Rebecca’s respective teams can now study the potential of e-discovery tools for removing bottlenecks.

Take the First Step in Getting Your FOIA “Unstuck”

Curious to learn more key takeaways from the panel? Watch the session in full here.

If you’re ready to fully leverage FOIAXpress as a modern platform for efficient FOIA processes, get in touch.