(a) Sections 0.453 and 0.455 list those Commission records which are routinely available for public inspection and the places at which those records may be inspected. Subject to the limitations set out in this section, a person who wants to inspect such records need only appear at the specified location and ask to see the records. Many such records also are available through the Commission's Web site, located at http://www.fcc.gov and the Commission's electronic reading room, located on its Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/foia/e-room.html. Commission documents listed in Sec. 0.416 and Sec. 0.445 are published in the FCC Record, and many such documents or summaries thereof are also published in the Federal Register.
(b) A person who wishes to inspect the records must appear at the specified location during the office hours of the Commission and must inspect the records at that location. (Procedures governing requests for copies are set out in Sec. 0.465.) However, arrangements may be made in advance, by telephone or by correspondence, to make the records available for inspection on a particular date, and there are many circumstances in which such advance arrangements will save inconvenience. If the request is for a large number of documents, for example, a delay in collecting them is predictable. Current records may be in use by the staff when the request is made. Older records may have been forwarded to another location for storage.
(c) The records in question must be reasonably described by the person requesting them so as to permit their location by staff personnel. The information needed to locate the records will vary, depending on the records requested. Advice concerning the kind of information needed to locate particular records will be furnished in advance upon request. Members of the public will not be given access to the area in which records are kept and will not be permitted to search the files.
(d) If it appears that there will be an appreciable delay in locating or producing the records (as where a large number of documents is the subject of a single request or where an extended search for a document appears to be necessary), the requester may be directed to submit or confirm the request in writing in appropriate circumstances.
(e)(1) Written requests for records routinely available for public inspection under Secs. 0.453 and 0.455 shall be directed to the Commission's copy contractor pursuant to the procedures set forth in Sec. 0.465. Requests shall be captioned ``Request For Inspection Of Records,'' shall be dated, shall list the mailing address, telephone number (if any) of the person making the request, and the e-mail address (if any) and for each document requested, shall set out all information known to the person making the request which would be helpful in identifying and locating the document. Written requests shall, in addition, specify the maximum search fee the person making the request is prepared to pay (see Sec. 0.467).
(1) Written requests for records routinely available for public inspection under Secs. 0.453 and 0.455 shall be directed to the Commission's copy contractor pursuant to the procedures set forth in Sec. 0.465. Requests shall be captioned ``Request For Inspection Of Records,'' shall be dated, shall list the mailing address, telephone number (if any) of the person making the request, and the e-mail address (if any) and for each document requested, shall set out all information known to the person making the request which would be helpful in identifying and locating the document. Written requests shall, in addition, specify the maximum search fee the person making the request is prepared to pay (see Sec. 0.467).
(2) Written requests shall be delivered or mailed directly to the Commission's copy contractor (see Sec. 0.465(a)).
(f) When a written request is received by the copy contractor, it will be date-stamped.
(g) All requests limited to records listed in Sec. 0.453 and Sec. 0.455 will be granted, subject to paragraph (k) of this section. Requests for records listed in those sections shall not be combined with requests for other records.
(h) The records will be produced for inspection at the earliest possible time.
(i) Records shall be inspected within 7 days after notice is given that they have been located and are available for inspection. After that period, they will be returned to storage and additional charges may be imposed for again producing them.
(j) In addition to the other requirements of this section, the following provisions apply to the reports filed with the Commission pursuant to 5 CFR parts 2634 and 3902.
(1) Such reports shall not be obtained or used:
(i) For any unlawful purpose;
(ii) For any commercial purpose, other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public;
(iii) For determining or establishing the credit rating of any individual; or
(iv) For use, directly or indirectly, in the solicitation of money for any political, charitable, or other purpose.
(2) Such reports may not be made available to any person nor may any copy thereof be provided to any person except upon a written application by such person stating:
(i) That person's name, occupation and address;
(ii) The name and address of any other person or organization on whose behalf the inspection or copying is requested; and
(iii) That such person is aware of the prohibitions on the obtaining or use of the report. Further, any such application for inspection shall be made available to the public throughout the period during which the report itself is made available to the public. (Secs. 4, 303, 307, 48 Stat., as amended, 1066, 1082, 1083; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 397; 18 U.S.C. 207(j)) [74 FR 14078, Mar. 30, 2009, as amended at 76 FR 24389, May 2, 2011]