The Office of Government Information Services has released an analysis of agency FOIA compliance based on four survey questions that were included in NARA’s annual records management self-assessment for 2023. Here were the key results:
The 2023 data reflect a 5-percentage point increase in agency FOIA programs reporting minimal or no pandemic-related impact to the FOIA backlog (84 percent) over 2022 (79 percent). The number of agencies reporting a continuing moderate or significant negative impact to the backlog caused by the pandemic dropped 2-percentage points from 2022 to 16 percent.
A majority of agencies (59 percent) post records only on an ad-hoc basis (“as needed”) when no FOIA request has been filed.
Agencies continue to struggle with providing FOIA information, context, and guidance to requesters on their FOIA websites.
Almost half (48 percent) of respondents reported including language covering FOIA obligations in contracts for services and products.