A requester submitting a request for records must include his/her name and mailing address, a description of the record(s) sought (see § 1206.301), and must address fees or provide justification for a fee waiver (see § 1206.302) as well as address the fee category in accordance with § 1206.507. It is also helpful to provide a telephone number and email address in case the FOIA office needs to contact you regarding your request; however, this information is optional when submitting a written request. If a requester chooses to submit a request online via the NASA FOIA Web site, the required information must be completed. Do not include a social security number on any correspondence with the FOIA office.

NASA does not have a central location for submitting FOIA requests and it does not maintain a central index or database of records in its possession. Instead, Agency records are decentralized and maintained by various Centers and offices throughout the country.

NASA has not yet implemented a records management application for automated capture and control of e-records; therefore, official files are primarily paper files.

A member of the public may request an Agency record by mail, facsimile (FAX), electronic-mail (email), or by submitting a written request in person to the FOIA office having responsibility over the record requested or to the NASA Headquarters (HQ) FOIA Office.

When a requester is unable to determine the proper NASA FOIA Office to direct a request to, the requester may send the request to the NASA HQ FOIA Office, 300 E. Street SW., Washington, DC 20546-0001. The HQ FOIA Office will forward the request to the Center(s) that it determines to be most likely to maintain the records that are sought.

It is in the interest of the requester to send the request to the Center FOIA Office they believe has responsibility over the records being sought. (See Appendix A for www.nasa.gov/foia for NASA FOIA Office locations and addresses.)

A misdirected request may take up to ten (10) additional working (meaning all days except Saturdays, Sundays and all Federal legal holidays) days to reroute to the proper FOIA office.

A requester who is making a request for records about himself or herself (a Privacy Act request) must comply with the verification of identity provisions set forth in 14 CFR 1212.202.

Where a request pertains to a third party, a requester may receive greater access by submitting either a notarized authorization signed by the individual who is the subject of the record requested, or a declaration by that individual made in compliance with the requirements set forth in 28 U.S.C. 1746, authorizing disclosure of the records to the requester, or submit proof that the individual is deceased (e.g., a copy of a death certificate or a verifiable obituary).

As an exercise of its administrative discretion, each Center FOIA office may require a requester to supply additional information if necessary, i.e., a notarized statement from the subject of the file, in order to verify that a particular individual has consented to a third party disclosure. Information will only be released on a case-by-case basis to third party requesters if they have independently provided authorization from the individual who is the subject of the request.