"IT Reform at National Archives and Records Administration" & "New Portal Will Cut 10 Days From FOIA Process"

From a Blog Post on CIO.gov by Michael Wash, CIO, NARA

The “Cloud First” initiative has been a focus for NARA. We are developing a cloud email pilot and using a hosted/cloud-based solution to streamline our Security Clearance Tracking System. We are also moving to a hosted/cloud solution in order to concurrently manage and track cases for mediation of FOIA cases as well as provide a public web portal to communicate to and educate the public on matters related to FOIA and FOIA disputes. This new web portal will support online submission of service requests as well as status of requests – something that is not available currently. With more than 500 cases expected in Fiscal Year 2011, NARA is expecting that the self-help portal will help solve 10-15% of FOIA requests before they are even made and reduce overall case time from 25 days to 15 days, a substantial reduction in turnaround time that will directly benefit our users – the American people.

From NextGov:

A cloud-based portal to manage and track Freedom of Information Act requests and disputes should reduce the average FOIA case time at the National Archives and Records Administration from 25 to 15 days, the agency said in a memo posted Friday on the Cio.gov blog .

The new portal, which is also aimed at educating the public about the FOIA process, should knock out 10 percent to 15 percent of FOIA requests before they’re made, the agency said.

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