FOIAR PONG (Are we there yet?)

On 6/6/2012 3:00 PM, USARMY APG CECOM Mailbox FOIA wrote:

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Mr. Walkenstein,

We have received your request to appeal FOIA #FA-12-0069. It will be referred to the Initial Denial Authority for processing. This email serves as notification of receipt. You will receive formal notification.

Regarding the additional information you are requesting under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), your request must be revised to be considered a proper FOIA request.

In order to accept your FOIA request as a commercial requester, you must state your willingness to pay a fee.

Commercial requesters are charged a fee for search time, review time and duplication costs. You will be charged a rate of $75.00 or $44.00 per hour for search and review time. Duplication costs are $.15 per page.

Please be advised under the FOIA, a record must be in possession and control of the agency at the time of the request. Additionally, agencies are not required to answer written questions, or to create records in response to a request.

Please respond with your willingness to pay a fee and include the amount you are willing to pay up to.

V/r

Michelle McLeod
CECOM FOIA Officer
443-861-5266.


My Response:

Dear Michelle:

Please note that my request is for information to be provided to a Federal Judge in support of resolving a contract dispute currently under appeal at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (CANVS ASBCA Nos. 57784, 57987). In answer to your question, I am willing to pay a fee up to and including $0.00 (Zero Dollars and Zero Cents). If the requested information is not provided through the FOIA process, I am sure that the cost to the US Government (Translation: Cost to the US Tax Payers) of a Court Order to produce the requested documentation will far exceed the costs associated with a full and complete comprehensively documented response to my FOIA request.

I look forward to receiving the requested documentation.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Alexander Walkenstein
President, CANVS Corporation