Section 212.6 - Designation of authorized officials(a) The Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Management(M) serves as the USAID Chief FOIA Officer. The Chief FOIA Officer has overall responsibility for USAID compliance with the FOIA. The Chief FOIA Officer provides high level oversight and support to USAID's FOIA programs, and recommends adjustments to agency practices, personnel, and funding as may be necessary to improve FOIA administration, including through an annual Chief FOIA Officers Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. The Chief FOIA Officer is responsible for offering training to agency staff regarding their FOIA responsibilities; serves as the primary liaison with the Office of Government Information Services and the Office of Information Policy; and reviews, not less frequently than annually, all aspects of the Agency's administration of the FOIA to ensure compliance with the FOIA's requirements.(b) The Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) is the component FOIA office that receives, tracks, and processes all of USAID's FOIA requests, other than requests for OIG records, to ensure transparency within the Agency.(c) The Deputy Director, Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services (M/MS/OD) serves as the USAID FOIA Appeals Officer for requests for all USAID records other than OIG records. The FOIA Appeals Officer is responsible for receiving and acting upon appeals from requesters whose initial FOIA requests for USAID records (other than OIG records) have been denied, in whole or in part.(d) The Deputy Inspector General serves as the USAID OIG FOIA Appeals Officer for appeals of requests for OIG records.(e) The Chief, Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services, Information and Records Division (M/MS/IRD) serves as USAID's FOIA Officer and USAID's FOIA Public Liaison. The FOIA Officer is responsible for program direction, original denials, and policy decisions required for effective implementation of USAID's FOIA program. The FOIA Public Liaison serves as a supervisory official to whom a FOIA requester can raise concerns about the services received, following an initial response from the FOIA staff. In addition, the FOIA Public Liaison assists, as appropriate, in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding of the status of requests, and resolving disputes.(f) The General Counsel to the Inspector General serves as the OIG's FOIA Officer and FOIA Public Liaison.(g) The Supervisory FOIA Team Lead is the Principal Operations Officer within the component's FOIA office for the processing of FOIA requests and release determinations.(h) The FOIA Specialist also known as the Government Information Specialist (GIS) is responsible for processing requests and preparing records for release when such releases are authorized by the FOIA. They do not have the authority to make denials, including "no records" responses.(i) The General Counsel (GC), FOIA Backstop Attorney Advisor has responsibility for providing legal advice on all USAID matters regarding or resulting from the FOIA (other than OIG matters). Upon request, GC advises M/MS/IRD on release and denial decisions, and apprises the FOIA Office of all significant developments with respect to the FOIA.(j) OIG attorneys have responsibility for providing legal advice on all requests and appeals related to OIG records.(k) Each Attorney Advisor designated to provide legal advice to USAID Bureaus/Independent Offices (B/IOs) is responsible for providing, at M/MS/IRD's request, legal advice on FOIA requests assigned to those B/IOs.(l) The designated FOIA Liaison Officer (FLO) in each USAID Bureau and Office is responsible for tasking and facilitating the collection of responsive records and monitoring the production of records to M/MS/IRD. 81 FR 93807 , 12/22/2016; 81 FR 93807 , 12/22/2016; 87 FR 70721 , 12/7/2022