Authority necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in this subpart is delegated from the Administrator to the officials named in this subpart.

(a) The Associate Administrator, Office of Communications, is designated as the Chief FOIA Officer for the Agency. The Chief FOIA Officer is delegated authority for administering the FOIA and all related laws and regulations within the Agency. The Associate Administrator has delegated the day-to-day oversight of the Agency FOIA Program to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications.

(b) The Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications has delegated the overall responsibility for developing and administering the FOIA program within NASA to the Principal Agency FOIA Officer, located in the Office of Communications. This includes:

(1) Developing regulations in consultation with the Office of General Counsel, providing guidelines, procedures, and standards for the Agency's FOIA program;

(2) Overseeing all FOIA offices and programs and ensuring they are in compliance with FOIA laws and regulations;

(3) Ensuring implementation of the FOIA Programs throughout the Agency and keeping the Chief FOIA Officer and the Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications informed of the Agency's FOIA performance;

(4) Providing program oversight, technical assistance, and training to employees to ensure compliance with the Act;

(5) Preparing the Agency's FOIA Annual Report to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Congress, as well as the Chief FOIA Officer's Report;

(6) Preparing all other reports as required to DOJ, OGIS, and Congress or within the Agency;

(7) Developing, conducting, and reviewing all internal Agency FOIA training for NASA FOIA staff;

(8) Directly supervising the Headquarters FOIA Office.

(c) The Chief FOIA Officer is responsible for ensuring NASA has appointed FOIA Public Liaisons, who are responsible for and able to assist in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding of the status of requests, and assisting in the resolution of disputes at each Center or Component.

The General Counsel is responsible for the interpretation of 5 U.S.C. 552 and of this part, as well as providing legal guidance with regard to disclosure of Agency records. The General Counsel is also responsible for the handling of appeals and litigation in connection with a request for an Agency record under this part.

Except as otherwise provided under this subpart, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications is responsible for the following:

(a) Delegating the authority for direct oversight of the Headquarters FOIA Office to the Principal Agency FOIA Officer.

(b) When denying records in whole or in part, ensuring the Headquarters FOIA Office consults with the General Counsel charged with providing legal advice to Headquarters before releasing an initial determination under § 1206.307.

Except as otherwise provided in this subpart, in coordination with the Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications, the Director of each NASA Center or the Official-in-Charge of each Center, is responsible for ensuring the following:

(a) The Director of Public Affairs or the Head of the Public Affairs Office at the Center has delegated authority to process all FOIA requests at their respective Center.

(b) This delegated authority has further been delegated to the FOIA Officers who are designated to work at NASA Centers and supervised by the Director of Public Affairs or Head of the Public Affairs Office for that Center. If a FOIA Officer working at a particular NASA Center vacates the position, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications will designate a new FOIA Officer, supervised by the Principal Chief FOIA Officer, to process FOIA requests for that particular Center.

(c) When denying records in whole or in part, the FOIA Officer designated to process records for the Center will consult with the Chief Counsel or the Counsel charged with providing legal advice to that FOIA office before releasing an initial determination under § 1206.307.

(a) The Inspector General or designee is responsible for making final determinations under § 1206.701, within the time limits specified in subpart G of this part, concerning audit, inspection and investigative records originating in the Office of the Inspector General, records from outside the Government related to an audit, inspection or investigation, records prepared in response to a request from or addressed to the Office of the Inspector General, or other records originating within the Office of the Inspector General, after consultation with the General Counsel or designee on an appeal of an initial determination to the Inspector General.

(b) The Assistant Inspectors General or their designees are responsible for making initial determinations under subpart C concerning Office of Inspector General records originating in the Office of the Inspector General, records from outside the Government related to Office of Inspector General records prepared in response to a request from or addressed to the Office of the Inspector General, or other records originating with the Office of the Inspector General, after consultation with the Counsel to the Inspector General or designee.

(c) The Inspector General or designee is responsible for ensuring that requests for Agency records as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section are processed and initial determinations are made within the time limits specified in subpart D of this part.

(d) The Inspector General or designee is responsible for determining whether unusual circumstances exist under § 1206.403 that would justify extending the time limit for an initial or final determination, for records as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(e) Records as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section include any records located at Regional and field Inspector General Offices, as well as records located at the Headquarters Office of the Inspector General.